News Napa revs up for 25-minute Origin audition at Belmore

Horse

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Dylan Napa will launch a 25-minute opening onslaught against Jesse Bromwich and the Storm pack at Belmore on Sunday to prove to Maroons coach Kevin Walters that he should be in the 17 for Origin I.

Disappointed with the way he has started games since making his return from an ankle injury, Napa intends to unleash an opening salvo against Melbourne that will not only help Canterbury start faster but press his Origin claims just hours before Walters settles on his team.

An ankle injury had Napa in doubt for Game Two last year and he missed Game Three due to a knee injury, opening the door for Josh Papalii and Jai Arrow to lay the platform for the Maroons’ sole victory in 2018, an 18-12 win at Suncorp Stadium.

Papalii and Arrow are the only two middle forwards guaranteed selection and Napa knows he has a fight on his hands to win his sixth Origin appearance.




"There are a lot of good players in my position,” Napa told NRL.com following the Bulldogs’ 22-16 win over the Titans last Saturday.

“Jarrod Wallace had a massive game today, Jai Arrow had a huge game, Josh Papalii's been playing unreal, there's Josh McGuire who will be a shoo-in.

"I'm still trying to fight, using that mentality each week to try and fight for a spot but more importantly fight to get a win for our team.”

On the back of Magic Round a week earlier, two games in successive weeks in front of friends and family in south-east Queensland has lit the Origin fuse within the 26-year-old.


Bulldogs prop Dylan Napa.©Grant Trouville/NRL Photos
Although he hasn’t heard from Walters recently, Napa is hopeful he will see the coach’s number come up in his phone at some stage over the next six days.

"It's no secret that Origin is around the corner and I'd love to be hearing some positive news from him in the next few weeks,” Napa said.

“I still feel like I've started a bit flat in all three games since coming back from my injury so that's something I'm going to work on.

"Getting my body in the right shape to have that first 20-25 minutes and make it a good 25 minutes.

“I usually start OK but I've been missing the mark. The last three games the other team has got out to a bit of a lead against us so it just put our team on the back foot straight away.

“My job is to put our team on the front foot so I need to fix that up.”



With Matt Gillett and Felise Kaufusi certain to start on the edges for Queensland, Walters’ middle forward rotation is perhaps the most important piece of the selection puzzle.

McGuire may not play before the team is picked, his Cowboys teammate Matt Scott is pushing for an Origin swansong while Coen Hess provides a bench option capable of playing in the middle or on an edge.

Wallace has played in the past five Origin matches and ran for a season-high 199 metres against the Bulldogs while Newcastle’s Tim Glasby and Brisbane’s Joe Ofahengaue are also in the mix.

Whichever way Walters leans, 13-time Maroons rep Michael Crocker says those who get the nod will rise to the occasion.

"It doesn't matter how good you're playing or how bad you're playing, when you come into Origin camp it's generally a different feeling,” Crocker said.

"You get a bit of confidence just coming into the camp.

"We've still got enough players who have played enough footy and enough of a balance of youth and experience to get us through.”


Source: nrl.com
 

Raysie

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He hasn't been going as bad as people say.

He's still coming back from an injury, we can't forget that.
 

GDR

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Great moron, just tell the media that your going to onslaught Bromwich. He will now know about it and prepare for it. Good one idiot.
yeah im sure that Napa actually said that LOL.. where is it "quoted" ??? people will never learn what the media do and will find any excuse to rage..
 

GrogDog

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Injury doesn't excuse his lack of discipline last week, especially in the first 10 minutes where he killed us. I can't really see him playing Origin this year bar injuries in game one and a dramatic form change for the rest of the series. Prove me wrong Big Papa.
 

Spoonman84

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yeah im sure that Napa actually said that .. LOL where is it "quoted" ??? people will never learn what the media do and will find any excuse to rage..
Exactly! He basically said he just wants to improve his first 25 mins. He doesn’t say anything about a onslaught or even mention Bromwich at all!
 
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Scoooby

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He's a Bulldogs now, he's one of us, Origin or no origin we will support him all the way!
Fucking oath he’s a BULLDOG!!! Couldn’t care less if he makes origin or doesn’t, love the bloke, only going to get stronger An soon be making the BIG hits again.

Yup 110% full support while he wears the mighty blue and white..!!
 

Daustin

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Has been a mixed bag so far, some really good games and then some where he doesnt rip in as much as we would like. Hope he can back up his words because our forwards have a big job ahead of them this week
 
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Scorpio

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He is nothing special at all. Standard front rower. Should come off the bench also. Trent Robinson had it figured out in regards to Napa.
Roosters would never had let him go so quick, while still under contract if he was any good!!!
 

CrittaMagic69

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Ogden should never have been relegated back to the bench for him, should start on the bench this week imo. Still doesn't look fit enough anyway.
 

Merimbula Man

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Thought his second stint against the Titans was pretty good, think a lack of footy and fitness has probably affected his rhythm and timing, sure he’ll improve and we need him to have a big game against the monster Melbourne pack.

No need for him to be racing out of the line as often as he does, intention good, execution poor, better to make sure of the tackle, also be good to see him fight a bit harder post contact on his hit ups, think he’s surrendering in an attempt to find his front and get a quicker play the ball.
 

Kempsey Dog

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well he's gunna have a shit game now... over this media shit talk our players make over the years, whenever the talk the talk they never walk the walk... just shut up and play hard Big Papi
 

KLil

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Just play smart solid footy Napz… When he overplays his hand he plays shit.
 

Bad Billy

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Great moron, just tell the media that your going to onslaught Bromwich. He will now know about it and prepare for it. Good one idiot.
Nowhere in that article did Napa say anything like that.
 

B-Train

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I like that Napa is honest and takes ownership of his bad form or mistakes, but if he really wants to make Origin, he'd show that actions speak louder than words.

His form the last three weeks hasn't been good enough and he needs to forget about Origin and focus on performing well this week and the rest will take care of itself.
 

jof

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I thought last week was supposed to be a big one Paps? What happened there?

Gee we are going to decimated with all our Origin legends out: Napa, Holland, Lewis, Martin.

When are theses guys going to learn to stop writing checks they just can't cash. Put your head down and let your play do the talking.
 
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