Vautin calls for Blues squad re-think - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Vautin calls for Blues squad re-think

By Steve Jancetic 26/06/2009 07:10:19 PM Comments (0)

Having done his best to restructure the NSW coaching staff, former Queensland backrower Paul Vautin has taken aim at the Blues playing roster, claiming the current squad lacks Origin-type players.

Vautin on Thursday used his role as host of the Nine Network's The Footy Show to push the case for fellow panellist Phil Gould make an Origin return as coach of the Blues in 2010.

Claiming he was keen to see a competitive series, Vautin - who played 20 games for the Maroons from 1982-90 - on Friday said the Blues also had to re-assess the types of players they picked.

There have been calls for mass sackings after NSW succumbed to a record fourth-straight series defeat with a 24-14 loss at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night, but Vautin said Blues selectors needed to look beyond the players in the best form.

"Origin's never been about the best players, it's about Origin players," Vautin told AAP.

"They don't pick Origin players - they pick what they think is the best players, but they need Origin-type players.

"For one example, I'd throw up the name Alan Tongue ... a couple of the NSW selectors I know, they'd go `please, he's too small,' they'd never pick him.

"You think NSW would ever pick Dallas Johnson - no they wouldn't and he's probably the first player picked for Queensland, because he's an Origin-type player, and Alan Tongue would be a great Origin player but he'd never get picked in a million years."

Tongue was picked in the Blues 40-man squad at the start of the year, but to date his only representative jumpers are from a PM's XIII game against Papua New Guinea in 2008 and a Country Origin jumper this year.

He was one of Country's best as City Origin ran out comfortable 40-18 winners, but Tongue's named was rarely mentioned in NSW talks.

On top of his call for Gould to return, Vautin endorsed comments from former NSW greats for more ex-Blues to be involved in the team's management.

Brought to you by AAP AAP © 2024 AAP

0 Comments about this article

Post a comment about this article

Please sign in to leave a comment.
Becoming a member is free and easy, sign up here.

« All sports news