OFF THE BLOCK - COMMENT
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There's plenty of legends to come out of State of Origin football.
There's a rich history of blokes playing injured and leading their team to victory against the odds.
But I seriously doubt Robbie Farah will be able to line up at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night for the series decider.
Everyone knows he is a tough bloke, a warrior, and he bleeds blue.
But it's too much of a liability to take a guy with his injuries into such a big game.
His left shoulder is busted from Origin I, and his right hand is still recovering from an operation little more than 48 hours ago.
I love Robbie and enjoy watching him play - for NSW and Tigers - but it might be best if he sits this one out.
Hooker is such an important role in a football team.
You need your No 9 fit and firing on all cylinders to really get the best out of your forward pack and halves.
I understand completely why Laurie Daley is allowing Robbie so much time to prove his fitness for the game.
He's NSW's best hooker and should only be taken out of the side if absolutely necessary.
But, unfortunately, I believe he won't take the field on Wednesday.
I'd assume Michael Ennis will come into camp following the weekend's round and he will start in the No 9.
If the Queenslanders want to whinge about NSW "exploiting" an NRL loophole, then let them say whatever they want.
It's not like they haven't done exactly the same thing.
In fact, the Maroons were even more sly about it in 2000.
Lote Tuqiri was due to play on the wing before being charged with a dangerous throw just a week before the game.
Queensland named one of their wingers as "TBA", and the rest is history.
So please don't cry foul when NSW does the same thing.
It's a loophole that the NRL should have closed by now, and they probably will after this season.
Nevertheless, it's there and we have every right to use it to our advantage.
Still, Ennis will be the man for mine.
Ryan Hinchcliffe has been in camp with us this week and he's a capable hooker, but Ennis has been at Origin level plenty of times before.
Heading into a game three decider is no time to be bringing in an Origin debutant if you can avoid it.
Origin III is building as a blockbuster game of football, but it will be up to the match referees to determine just what sort of game it is.
Game two in Melbourne was a great spectacle for one reason - the refs controlled the 10-metre defensive line for the entire 80 minutes.
Too often in recent years we have seen sides get away with defending just eight or nine metres back from the play-the-ball and it's killing footy.
The best rugby league is played when players are given a bit of room to move and create.
State of Origin is some of our best footballers battling it out for some coveted silverware.
It's only fitting that it should be the most exciting football of the year.
And it can be, but it's up to the referees.
Gerard Sutton and Ben Cummins - please, please keep the players back on Wednesday night.