State of Origin 2022

[HaroldBishop]

Massive effort by Val to keep Cleary's drop out in the field of play. Huge game all round .

Hope he is tired on Friday night.

He's not playing mate

 

[BurgoShark]

Qld players were just getting back to the hotel ~7am, so I reckon even the Cowboys players who are named for tomorrow will have a bit of "soreness" and pull out.

 

[MrDravid]

Massive effort by Val to keep Cleary's drop out in the field of play. Huge game all round .

Hope he is tired on Friday night.

Only Cowboys Origin players named in the squad are Dearden and Gilbert

 

[Vichyssoise]

A few thoughts and ramblings,

Once again NSW shat the bed in a decider.
Tupou (proving you can't carry an Edrick Lee-type player for 3 games at that level) & Crichton to a lesser extent, not by much mind you, were diabolical. Directly led to 3 Queensland tries, I think.
Still, it was a fairly even (and brutal) contest in the first half and while the Blues were leading on the scoreboard, I felt Queensland were ahead on points.
In the second half, Hunt and DCE's kicking game proved to be the difference. Sound strategy, sound game plan, executed to perfection. Rugby league at its finest. Around the 65th minute mark, the writing was on the wall.
On the other hand, I can't figure NSW's game plan out. Since they'd picked so many Penrith players, they probably should have asked Cleary to come over too.
No issues with the referee either. Klein wasn't perfect but his decisions didn't sway the game one way or the other.
The result is all down to Queensland's execution and NSW's mistakes.

Feel sorry for Talakai. I'm sure he's learned a lot, but he's not ready for Origin yet.

 

[Nulla Boy]

Talakai should never have been picked. He looked absolutely lost, it was clear there was no actual plan on how to get him in the game other than to just throw him in and hope for the best.

 

[snowman]

freddie lost the series with his mind blowing selections

i get tupou is a great club winger, but he isnt JAC at origin level

JAC bleeds for his team, he scores a try for nsw and gets up slamming his chest, pumping the crowd, screaming at his team mates

tupou scored an origin try and looked like he had just got out of bed

this is all on fitler, in so many ways - be real, that qld side shouldnt win a game, let alone 2

 

[MrDravid]

this is all on fitler, in so many ways - be real, that qld side shouldnt win a game, let alone 2

If Freddie could coach, NSW would be celebrating 5 in a row

 

[Milkshark]

It was evident quite quickly that QLD had come to play.

Every time Cleary got the ball on the last for his kick he was tackled. Every time DCE got the ball for his kick we barely touched him.

 

[Milkshark]

I'm not sure Fitler will coach again, and Brandy might be replaced also.

The Panthers / Roosters biaise in team selection lost the series.

 

[Capital_Shark]

be real, that qld side shouldnt win a game, let alone 2

I am never usually a defeatist but I am a realist and thought once Munster was out that was too big of a hill to climb.

On paper that QLD side shouldn't get within 30. Let's not forget QLD came within a whisker or 2 of scoring 4 or 5 tries, it could have been a flogging.

 

[Capital_Shark]

It was evident quite quickly that QLD had come to play.

Every time Cleary got the ball on the last for his kick he was tackled. Every time DCE got the ball for his kick we barely touched him.

In my humble opinion kick pressure, along with line speed and good kick chase are cornerstones. Even just wrapping up the kicker to ensure he can't run through and put someone on side. If you can snap the **** early even better, even cop a penalty or 2 it will put a little more hesitation in them.

 

[Gumby]

What a game!!

 

[Sparkles]

NSW just seem to lack the culture QLD have built. Part of that has to be down to Freddie. He hasn't handled these moments well. QLD rope-a-doped Fittler in game 2. The handling of RCG and JAC was also really poor. He'll need to answer for these, likely by losing his job.

Talakai was a pretty left field selection. He'd been in emerging blues camps, but to put him in ahead of one of your most blue-blooded players in Wighton... defies logic. Would things have been different if Wighton could have come into that contest instead of Talakai? Yes.

Teddy's great, but he doesn't have the x-factor moments Ponga can produce. Cleary can be great, but he doesn't have the experience to understand how to inject himself the way a DCE or Hunt does when the going gets tough. Luai... second fiddle to Cleary. Cook didn't produce anything of note... our 'big' players dropped well behind QLD's when it mattered.

 

[Milkshark]

I am never usually a defeatist but I am a realist and thought once Munster was out that was too big of a hill to climb.

On paper that QLD side shouldn't get within 30. Let's not forget QLD came within a whisker or 2 of scoring 4 or 5 tries, it could have been a flogging.

I'm not so sure about that.

I have always questioned Fitlers coaching ability, I picked the game 1 loss and even thought last night wasn't going to be definite win. QLD were without Munster but NSW were with Turbo and Latrell, probably their 2 best players.

 

[Milkshark]

NSW just seem to lack the culture QLD have built. Part of that has to be down to Freddie. He hasn't handled these moments well. QLD rope-a-doped Fittler in game 2. The handling of RCG and JAC was also really poor. He'll need to answer for these, likely by losing his job.

Talakai was a pretty left field selection. He'd been in emerging blues camps, but to put him in ahead of one of your most blue-blooded players in Wighton... defies logic. Would things have been different if Wighton could have come into that contest instead of Talakai? Yes.

Teddy's great, but he doesn't have the x-factor moments Ponga can produce. Cleary can be great, but he doesn't have the experience to understand how to inject himself the way a DCE or Hunt does when the going gets tough. Luai... second fiddle to Cleary. Cook didn't produce anything of note... our 'big' players dropped well behind QLD's when it mattered.

NSW needed a utility on the bench, why wasn't Wighton selected?

Teddy is great but sometimes I feel like Turbo is a better selection. Won't happen though because Teddy is a coach favourite.

I would like to see Burton at 6 next year also.

And JAC needs to be playing.

 

[snowman]

you had a utility on the bench, you just didnt use him like qld used theirs

 

[Milkshark]

Talakai? Not really a utility IMO

 

[Sparkles]

you had a utility on the bench, you just didnt use him like qld used theirs

You're thinking of Cook? He's a straight up and down hooker. So is Api.
Grant come on as hooker with Hunt staying out there acting like another half. You couldn't do that with our two.

 

[MrDravid]

NSW needed a utility on the bench, why wasn't Wighton selected?

Teddy is great but sometimes I feel like Turbo is a better selection. Won't happen though because Teddy is a coach favourite.

I would like to see Burton at 6 next year also.

And JAC needs to be playing.

Probably be Burton at 6, Latrell at left centre and Turbo at right centre.

 

[bort]

Burton and Gagai fined 23% of match fee
Tino fined 7% + 13% of match fee
No other charges