MAYBE it has changed my mind.
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Perhaps stand-alone State of Origin games are overdue, with one coming to a Sunday night in two years time.
This columnist has always defended the Origin schedule, believing clubs should have enough depth and the NRL enough polish to cope without representative stars.
But it’s really hard to hold the argument when Wollongong is denied the chance to see the premiers in full flight.
So impressive are North Queensland, their recent games against Brisbane became must-watch blockbusters this year.
Take Johnathan Thurston, Michael Morgan, Matt Scott and James Tamou out of the equation and it’s all a sideshow really.
Even at the prospect of hosting just one of four Dragons games at WIN Stadium, the conversation at Thursday’s Illawarra Rugby League luncheon – with Todd Greenberg, Peter Doust and Paul McGregor in attendance – quickly turned to NSW hopes of beating Queensland.
Origin is a devouring force.
The Dragons were hopelessly outgunned in their doomsday double against the Cowboys and Broncos earlier this year.
Banking two points on Saturday night will be a boost to the Dragons finals hopes, but do little to help confidence among fans, without the truly elite troops in action.
Instead of Josh Dugan leading St George Illawarra’s shot at redemption against the Cowboys, he’ll be a key indicator of whether the Blues finally have found their swagger again.
Two years ago, Dugan’s selection in the centres was forced, to make an immense talent fit into the puzzle, while Jarryd Hayne was at the peak of his powers.
Now, it’s a marker to show the Blues no longer need a containment strategy for Greg Inglis.
Laurie Daley is evidently more comfortable with strategies to stop Johnathan Thurston slicing through the NSW right defensive edge.
If they were still paranoid about it, Josh Morris – and probably Beau Scott - would be the first picked.
The questions linger about Inglis’s fitness, though he and Souths have rediscovered some of the mojo during the five-eighth experiment.
"(Inglis is) a great player and I fully respect his ability, but at the same time I've got confidence in my own ability to be able to do things," Dugan said. “I'll just prepare the best I can this week and go out there and give it my best shot. He's a big game player. He's always going to come out and turn up.”
McGregor spent the summer constructing the Dugan’s centre blueprint, until a handful of errors and a lack of impact from Kurt Mann meant the strategy imploded.
St George Illawarra reverted to Plan B, but Daley wanted a ball playing fullback, meaning Dugan was always going to play on the right side next to Breezer buddy Blake Ferguson, as they did for Australia.
Dugan would have been the safe option, but Daley went for Matt Moylan and Dylan Walker playing the utility role. There is already immediate pressure on the two Blues debutants, given Lachlan Coote, Jack Bird and Wade Graham are among those who can be considered unlucky to miss out.
But if the forward pack dominates – and they showed last year they are capable – and Adam Reynolds’ kicking game is in order, building pressure would allow Dugan’s game-breaking hard running to be crucial.
The Dragons will miss it on Saturday night.