He’s been named Halfback of the Year, won the Dally M medal, and led his team to premiership glory. But Matt Orford still hasn’t convinced selectors he’s ready for Test football, leaving his teammates scratching their heads.
Orford missed out on Australia’s World Cup squad yesterday, as six of his teammates got the call-up to the national team – including rookie winger David Williams.
“I don’t know what else he’s got to do,” another of the Kangaroos debutants, forward Glenn Stewart, told Fairfax. “He’s the Dally M player of the year.”
Coach Des Hasler and other Manly players backed Stewart’s sentiment, as selectors instead went with Johnathan Thurston and Scott Prince as the squad’s two halfbacks.
Thurston is the reigning Test No.7 but saw his Cowboys team finish in second last place on the ladder this season, while Prince’s Titans also missed the eight.
Prince, one of the NRL’s form players in the early part of the season before succumbing to injury, was not particularly confident of beating Orford to a spot in the World Cup squad.
“They’d been talking Matty Orford up and the way he’s played this year, I wasn’t overly confident I’d make the squad,” he told AAP.
Australian coach Ricky Stuart said Orford proved his critics wrong by helping Manly to a stunning 40-0 grand final win over Melbourne, but still could not find room for him in the squad.
“I think Matt Orford’s form in the grand final and towards the end of the season has been some of his best football,” Stuart said yesterday.
“I’ve personally spoken to Matt and talked to him about his footy game. He’s a guy who I saw a huge improvement in… in regards to handling his critics.
“One of those criticisms was performing under pressure in the big games. He certainly showed us he can do that on Sunday afternoon.”
Orford – who is still yet to represent his state or country – can at least be confident he will be a chance to break into the NSW team in 2009.
