Let's Talk Origin - Round 6

This week we focus on the all-important halves in contention to guide their State to Origin glory.

Each week at Leagueunlimited.com we'll do our best to toss up a few names for everyone to debate over. For each state we'll name three players:

• An incumbent member of the squads that featured in last year's series who look to be cementing their spot or perhaps are in line for a positional switch.
• A player looking for a recall after being dropped, injured or suspended.
• A rookie who is putting their hand up for their first taste of it.

We'll also bring you one player who could be under the pump to hold his position in the team.

THE INCUMBENTS
NSW - TRENT HODKINSON (HALFBACK) - With Adam Reynolds out injured for up to eight weeks and Mitchell Pearce's dip in form in recent weeks, it appears last year's origin hero looks set to get first crack at the number seven jersey again this year. He may well have gotten it anyway, with Coach Laurie Daley looking to build a winning culture rewarding players that have done the job before. The Bulldogs half is very good at getting his team around the park, but above all, Hodkinson is as cool as ice under pressure and can come up with a clutch play when the game is on the line, kicking field goals and conversions to grant his team victory on numerous occasions. He's also a very strong defender on the edges with the ability to drive bigger men into the turf. He's currently lacking a bit of creativity in attack with only three try assists to his name. But don't forget he is returning from off season surgery to his knee and should get better as the weeks roll on. Besides, how could you leave out the man who sold the dummy to end eight years of misery for the Blues?

QLD - JOHNATHAN THURSTON (FIVE-EIGHTH) - The form player of the competition at present, Thurston has played a massive roll in turning the Cowboys fortunes around after a slow start to the year, picking up three man of the match awards on the trot. Sits atop the tree in all the key stats, with eight try assists (equal 1st) and nine line break assists (1st). But this future immortal of the game brings so much more to the table. Plenty of great halves in the game are sometimes happy to just put their team mates through the hole and sit back and admire the rest, not Thurston though, who is always pushing up in support like the ultra-competitor he is. There's plenty of skills that can be coached into players, but time with the ball isn't one of them and no one has more than Thurston. You could drive a Mack truck straight at him and he'd still find a way to make you look silly. While some of Thurston's champion team mates in the Maroon's spine have shown signs of slowing down in the past 12 months, Thurston, if possible, is getting even better.

THE RECALLED
NSW - MITCHELL PEARCE (HALFBACK) - Will the new Mitchell Pearce please stand up? Towards the back end of last year, the once golden boy of New South Wales Rugby League found the form of his life after being dumped from Origin duty due to an off field incident prior to the series kicking off. Pearce looked like he was finally ready to reach his potential with a new steely focus and determination to play what he saw directly in front of him. Has gotten off to a decent enough start to the season with eight try assists putting his name firmly on the selection table again. Seems to lack the ability to stand up and win a game for his team as evidenced on Friday night when the game was on the line against the Broncos, but if Pearce can get back to his hot stretch of form from late last year and just play what's in front of him and not second guess himself, then he will likely earn a recall to the Blues line-up.

QLD - DALY CHERRY-EVANS (HALFBACK) - The 2014 Dally M halfback of the year has been a member of the Maroon's squad every game since debuting in game two 2013, but it's a recall to the number seven jersey he wore for the only time in game two last year that Cherry-Evans will be seeking. Probably not in his greatest form at the moment, struggling to find his attacking prowess behind a well beaten Manly forward pack. All things considered, he's still racked up some decent stats with six try assists and five line break assists so far and is up there with the leading off loaders in the competition with 15. Will most likely find himself in a battle for the bench utility spot he's filled so admirably on previous occasions for game one. But if Queensland were to lose game one, they may well look to the future and pick one of their many young stars for game two. There's no doubt the mercurial number seven has all the tricks of the trade to make a champion Origin halfback for years to come.

THE ROOKIES
NSW - CHAD TOWNSEND (FIVE-EIGHTH) - With a real shortage of NSW five-eighths putting their hand up for selection at the moment, Townsend could seriously emerge as the smoky in the pack. The Warriors pivot has improved his game at the top level immensely this year, with his cool head and all round game taking pressure off superstar halves partner Shaun Johnson. The 2011 junior Kangaroo has six try assists to his name, but it's his eight line-breaks (equal 1st in the NRL) and 17 tackle busts that really catch the eye, showing a willingness to take the line on, a trait many champion number sixes have shown before him in the origin arena. With the steady hand of Hodkinson likely to be steering the ship, the Blues will need someone alongside him willing to play on instinct and run the ball. Chad Townsend could well be that man.

QLD - BEN HUNT (HALFBACK/INTERCHANGE) - It's more a case of when, not if, this young dynamo will grace a Maroon's jersey. Following on from his breakout 2014 season, Hunt has again starred for the Broncos early this year, including an outstanding performance on Friday night to get his team over the line against the Roosters, with six tackle busts, a try assist and two tries, including the 40 metre match winner in golden point extra time. With a great all-round attacking game, Hunt can pass both long and short, has a neat kicking game close to the line and has undoubtedly taken over the mantle of possessing the best show and go in the game. With a little more work on his long kicking game and field goal attempts he would be very hard to overlook. Hunt broke into last year's Kangaroos squad for the Four Nations, coming off the bench and playing dummy half when Cameron Smith pushed back to lock during games. It's in this role that Hunt could challenge Daly Cherry-Evans for on the Maroon's bench this year.

UNDER THE PUMP
NSW - JOSH REYNOLDS - All the talk at the moment is about Coach Daley sticking with the winning halves pairing of last year, but two games back from injury (both off the bench) and Daley would surely be feeling a little nervous about Reynolds' rusty form so far. The Bulldogs number six earned himself a run on debut in game one last year and had a blinder, turning up all over the park, just playing on his competitive instinct. Since that game though, Reynolds form has been on the decline. Apart from his ultra-competitiveness, his number one trait is his running game and since the back end of last year, it's looked as though he's tried too hard to create things. When nothing obvious is on in attack, he'd be better served to just prop off his right foot and dig into the line. Reynolds probably still has his nose in front at this stage, but if his form doesn't improve soon, the alarm bells could really start ringing.

QLD - COOPER CRONK - Seems ludicrous to be putting this footballing perfectionist under the pump and make no mistake, he will be running out in the number seven jersey come round one, health permitting. But it will be in this first game that the 31 year old will need to perform to his lofty standards and guide the Maroons to victory. If he fails to do so, the Maroons could look to the future for game two and pick a much younger Cherry-Evans or Hunt. A somewhat slow start to the year for Cronk, only delivering four try and line break assists in his six games so far, a figure down on some of his contemporaries vying for selection. You'd expect this champion half to find his best soon though, with every sinew in his body forming to deliver the perfect game of football.

LEFT-FIELD THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
With modern day halves playing mainly left or right these days, I'm surprised no one has put forward the idea of NSW picking two halfbacks. A combination of Hodkinson on the left and Pearce on the right could really complement each other. Hodkinson, with his steady hand directing his team around the park could really free up Pearce to play a bit more off the cuff and let his attacking skills shine through...