Bulldogs flyer and NSW Origin regular Brett Morris says one good game is nowhere near enough to prepare him for an Origin and instead has backed in-form Wests Tigers custodian to be given a chance in the July 13 dead rubber.
Morris – one of the heroes of NSW's 2014 series win – would have been an absolute certainty for all three games this year if fit but has only just returned from a long-term knee injury and would have just two games under his belt in nine months if picked for Origin III.
Speaking after his hat-trick heroics in his return game against Brisbane on Saturday night, Morris shut down any talk of an Origin recall.
"To be perfectly honest I'm not even thinking about that. It was my first game in nine months… I don't think you can sit nine months out then come into an arena like that," Morris said.
Asked if his performances in recent series had earned him the right to be recalled for Game Three, Morris said he didn't see it that way.
"Every time I've gone out for my state I've done the best I could and those guys that are in those jerseys at the moment are doing that. But they've played a whole season and I've played one game," Morris said.
It would be unfair on the incumbents (the back three for the first two games were wingers Josh Mansour and Blake Ferguson and fullback Matt Moylan) to drop them after all had performed "quite well" so far, according to Morris.
However at the same time as praising the efforts of the incumbents Morris was also of the belief the dead rubber provided the perfect opportunity to blood future players such as Tedesco, who looked to have all but sewn up a spot in the 17 for Origin I before having his hopes ruined by a shoulder injury.
"With a side that Laurie [Daley] had, I think it was good to see young Jack Bird get a go and some of those young guys, I'd love to see them get a go," Morris said.
"A guy like James Tedesco who's been playing wonderful footy for the last couple of years, he's one to mention, I think he'd really thrive in the Origin arena.
"I suppose Game Three, while it's a dead rubber you can give these guys an opportunity to come into a team, learn about the build-up of Origin and go out there and try their hardest.
"In the end that's what Origin's about, you go out there and you do your best for the state. I think a lot of the young guys they could bring in could have an opportunity to do that for Game Three."
Morris admitted it had been tough watching Origin from the sidelines as yet another series got away from a NSW team that competed strongly and was only one or two missed opportunities away from winning each of the opening two rubbers.
"Anyone from NSW, you never want to see your side lose. We've been in both games. The bounce of the ball hasn't been favourable for us and a couple of plays where the execution hasn't been good enough and Queensland when they get their opportunities they take them and that's the difference between NSW and Queensland," Morris said.
"When they get their opportunities they generally finish their set plays whereas we tend to struggle."
Morris pointed out a no-try to Tyson Frizell late in Game Two that would have put NSW up by two points with around 10 minutes to play but was overturned due to a fingertip knock on from Michael Jennings in the lead-up as a case in point.
"If Jenno scores that or if he leaves the ball and Frizell scores it NSW is up by two. Instead the next set they go down and score, we're down by 10. That's what I'm saying, the bounce of the ball, we just can't seem to get it. Queensland have had it for 10 years," Morris said.
This article first appeared on NRL.com
