Barrett, 31, capped a stunning return to big-time rugby league when named NSW five-eighth in place of the sacked Terry Campese for the clash against Queensland in Sydney tomorrow week.

Apart from Barrett, the NSW selectors named:

 PAUL Gallen at lock and dropped Anthony Laffranchi;

 GLENN Stewart on the bench for the injured Luke Lewis;

 ANTHONY Watmough on the bench for injured Luke Bailey; and

 DAVID Williams as the wing replacement for injured Knight James McManus.

The Blues could lose more players through injury with Jamie Lyon (ankle), Michael Jennings (calf) and Craig Wing (hamstring) still in doubt.

With so many injuries, selectors have also picked three shadow players. They are: Tom Learoyd-Lars, Joel Monaghan and Josh Morris.

Halfback Peter Wallace retained his position despite calls for him to be dumped.

Campese will be frustrated at his omission but the return of Barrett is remarkable given that he left the NRL, seemingly for good, in 2007 to join Wigan.



www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 23,00.html

Barrett, 31, capped a stunning return to big-time rugby league when named NSW five-eighth in place of the sacked Terry Campese for the clash against Queensland in Sydney tomorrow week.

Apart from Barrett, the NSW selectors named:

 PAUL Gallen at lock and dropped Anthony Laffranchi;

 GLENN Stewart on the bench for the injured Luke Lewis;

 ANTHONY Watmough on the bench for injured Luke Bailey; and

 DAVID Williams as the wing replacement for injured Knight James McManus.

The Blues could lose more players through injury with Jamie Lyon (ankle), Michael Jennings (calf) and Craig Wing (hamstring) still in doubt.

With so many injuries, selectors have also picked three shadow players. They are: Tom Learoyd-Lars, Joel Monaghan and Josh Morris.

Halfback Peter Wallace retained his position despite calls for him to be dumped.

Campese will be frustrated at his omission but the return of Barrett is remarkable given that he left the NRL, seemingly for good, in 2007 to join Wigan.



www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 23,00.html

WHILE Queensland boast stability and loyalty, NSW last night employed their 14th halves combination since 2004.


Amazingly, the last time NSW used the same halves in all three games during a State of Origin series was back in 2003, with Newcastle's Andrew Johns alongside St George Illawarra's Shaun Timmins.

Since then the combinations have come - and gone - regularly.

Even in 2004 and 2005, when NSW won both series, the Blues used five different combinations in six games. Those players were Timmins, Johns, Craig Gower, Brett Finch, Brad Fittler, Brett Kimmorley, Trent Barrett and Braith Anasta. Kimmorley (in 2007) was the only halfback to have survived a series loss since Johns in 2002.

During 2006, NSW used Finch, Anasta, Gower and Mark Gasnier.

Since then Jarrod Mullen has been named, as has Kimmorley again, Anasta, Greg Bird, Peter Wallace, Mitchell Pearce and Terry Campese.

Now Barrett is back yet again in 2009 to link with Wallace.

In contrast, Queensland have stuck solid - although they have had the luxury of choosing from champion players Darren Lockyer, Johnathan Thurston and Scott Prince.

In the past four series, Queensland have only used three halves combinations - Thurston-Lockyer (seven games), Thurston-Scott Prince (two games), Thurston-Karmichael Hunt (one game).

"


www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 66,00.html

WHILE Queensland boast stability and loyalty, NSW last night employed their 14th halves combination since 2004.


Amazingly, the last time NSW used the same halves in all three games during a State of Origin series was back in 2003, with Newcastle's Andrew Johns alongside St George Illawarra's Shaun Timmins.

Since then the combinations have come - and gone - regularly.

Even in 2004 and 2005, when NSW won both series, the Blues used five different combinations in six games. Those players were Timmins, Johns, Craig Gower, Brett Finch, Brad Fittler, Brett Kimmorley, Trent Barrett and Braith Anasta. Kimmorley (in 2007) was the only halfback to have survived a series loss since Johns in 2002.

During 2006, NSW used Finch, Anasta, Gower and Mark Gasnier.

Since then Jarrod Mullen has been named, as has Kimmorley again, Anasta, Greg Bird, Peter Wallace, Mitchell Pearce and Terry Campese.

Now Barrett is back yet again in 2009 to link with Wallace.

In contrast, Queensland have stuck solid - although they have had the luxury of choosing from champion players Darren Lockyer, Johnathan Thurston and Scott Prince.

In the past four series, Queensland have only used three halves combinations - Thurston-Lockyer (seven games), Thurston-Scott Prince (two games), Thurston-Karmichael Hunt (one game).

"


www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 66,00.html