Surprise Blues axing that has Gould 'worried'

Former New South Wales manager Phil Gould admits he's "worried" the Blues decided to dump Nicho Hynes from the team.

Hynes made his State of Origin debut from the seat successful crippled one, but lone got an awkward 11 minutes astatine close centre erstwhile Tom Trbojevic was concussed precocious successful the piece.

Hynes missed a important tackle that led to the decisive Queensland try.

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The Sharks halfback, and reigning Dally M Medal winner, was subsequently axed from the squad altogether up of adjacent week's daunting Suncorp Stadium tie.

The Blues person alternatively opted to play 2 specializer hookers, with Reece Robson to debut alongside the experienced Damien Cook.

"They'll person a crushed wherefore they wanted to screen hooker connected the seat connected this occasion," Gould said connected Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles with Gus podcast.

"I'm a spot disquieted we don't person a halves replacement. I would've pumped for Nicho Hynes connected the bench.

"I deliberation close astatine the infinitesimal that's the champion spot for Nicho Hynes, connected the seat for NSW.

"It was conscionable unfortunate successful crippled 1 that helium had to beryllium utilized successful astir apt the 1 presumption you didn't privation to person to usage him.

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"He tin surely screen fullback, half, five-eighth, helium could screen lock-forward, and I deliberation helium could screen dummy-half.

"Nicho Hynes would've been my enactment connected the bench, but for immoderate crushed those internally thought they request the two-hooker model."

Cook kept waiting earlier Freddy's call

Queensland employs the aforesaid exemplary that NSW has present adopted, with Ben Hunt starting astatine hooker and Harry Grant coming disconnected the bench.

"Queensland thin to commencement with Ben Hunt and past they bring Harry Grant connected aft that, and Harry Grant comes connected and everything lifts successful strength and spark," Gould said.

"If you wanted to replicate that for NSW, possibly Robson does commencement and Cook comes from the bench.

"But bash you privation to bash it similar Queensland, oregon possibly bash it the different mode around? Get Damien Cook retired there, effort to get to the beforehand early, past bring Robson connected aboriginal erstwhile Harry Grant is moving amok and you're looking for defence."

Cook has been named astatine No.9 and Robson connected the bench, but that's not to accidental manager Brad Fittler won't propulsion a power earlier kick-off.

Robson is simply a bigger assemblage and is coagulated defensively, suggesting helium could withstand the brutality of the opening stages of Origin.

Gould says whichever mode Fittler is leaning, helium needs to marque a determination arsenic soon arsenic possible.

"They request to marque that determination aboriginal successful the week truthful everyone knows what they're doing. They request to person their strategy right, immoderate their strategy is," helium said.

"Whether it means (debutant prop) Stefano (Utoikamanu) starts, oregon Cook is connected the bench... the program needs to beryllium wide from the get-go, recognize wherefore we are doing this and spell retired and execute it.

"It's a 17-man game, Origin. Everyone plays their part, you request to person a program and you request to instrumentality to it."

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