Maroons prevail in classic Origin with their backs to the wall
Origin, eh? For the best part of an hour we were all contributing to a mountain of hype for a molehill of reward. It was moderate rugby league fare in Adelaide, a match full of errors, indiscipline and injuries. And then out of nowhere the greatest sporting contest in the country delivered, as it always seems to.
The final quarter played host to tries and lead changes to both teams, a yellow card, and a prop out-marking a fullback under a high ball. It was classic Origin. And being classic Origin, the Maroons somehow prevailed with their backs to the wall. Queensland is not a state, it’s a state of mind.
There were heroes everywhere you looked in Maroon, from player of the match Cotter, to the unflappable youngsters Walsh, Cobbo, and Tabuai-Fidow. Billy Slater is a man with a plan.
Recriminations could get ugly for the Blues. They stole defeat from the jaws of victory last series, and now they’re one-down with a trip to Brisbane to come. For all the star names in blue jerseys there was a lack of cohesion, penetration, and imagination. Latrell Mitchell’s likely return will help with much of that, but the circumstances could also prompt Brad Fittler to be more decisive. Pressure from the media in the next few days could demand it of him.
But that is for another day. Tonight it is all about the marvellous Maroons and their refusal to accept defeat.
Thanks for joining me tonight. I’ll see you back here in a couple of weeks for game two.
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Gould is doing sterling work on the bench in the Andrew Johns heel role, alongside Smith and Vautin. He’s studiously avoiding chewing his tongue off and murmuring bullshit.
Phil Gould has just nailed it on the telly, speaking for about a minute, uninterrupted, breaking down the result.
Queensland just played the perfect brand of Origin football. Hard-working forwards. Confident and creative halves. And speed. I’ve been saying for two years that the young fullback is a superstar in the making and he certainly covered himself with glory tonight. It was that simple. Queensland defended better when they had to. They attacked better when they had to … In the end, New South Wales got three tries, two of them pretty scrappy efforts. They looked clunky, they didn’t look confident with the ball at all. Queensland just wore them down with Origin football and mentality. It was a wonderful Queensland performance.
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Here’s an early match report to chew on.
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Reece Walsh has just given a flawless interview to Darren Lockyer after his superb Origin debut, all while holding his two-year-old daughter in his arms. What a star.
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Never doubt Keith:
According to Keith, Queensland run away with game one. NSW won’t even get a look in. I’m so sorry guys - I don’t make the rules 😳😢 #Origin pic.twitter.com/wne61R1y2M
— Darcie McDonald (@DarcieMcDonald) May 31, 2023
Cotter is understandably thrilled. “I still can’t believe it. I can’t explain it. It was so good to get the win and how we stuck in there and fought hard in the second half especially. A man down, and just stuck in the fight. We spoke about staying in the fight and keep turning up for each other. It’s something we’ve been speaking about all week at training and we did it in the end.”
Asked about the highlight, Cotter was decisive: “It would have to be big Lindsay Collins getting up over Tedesco stop sealing the game, how good!”
COLLINS GOES 🆙#Origin pic.twitter.com/48JV0tKU8e
— NRL (@NRL) May 31, 2023
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Reuben Cotter – Player of the Match
For his all-action performance, including a game-high 48 tackles, Queensland forward Reuben Cotter is named player of the match.
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“We just let it slip,” admits a dejected James Tedesco.
If you look at the stats it’s hard to believe NSW didn’t win. They dominated possession and territory. They played against 12 near the end, and at a time when their opponents were already scrambling with injuries and HIAs. Their inability to turn ascendancy into opportunities will generate plenty of debate this week. Nathan Cleary’s game management will be put in the crosshairs, as will Brad Fittler’s coaching.
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“That’s Origin footy,” deadpans Cameron Munster. “You’re playing against the best and you have to be at your best.
“Slater is very smart. We had a lot of training he put people in different positions. You never know with head knocks and everyone going down in different injuries, everyone was ready to go different positions and we scrambled well. We had 12 players on the field with 10 minutes with 11 minutes to go and we somehow found a way that will definitely go down as one of the best memories of my life.”
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Maroon too good. Far better attacking game. Had less ball, (and even less players for ten minutes), yet created more tries. Guile and speed. Deserved winners. NSW had more than enough possession, but looked clunky and slow all night. Maroon leads series 1-0 with Game 2 in…
— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) May 31, 2023
Queensland had no right to win that. Outplayed for most of the night, starved of the ball, denied options on the bench, and then down to 12 men for the final ten minutes, they repeatedly came up with the big plays when it mattered.
State of Origin is utterly compelling. Always.
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Full-time: Queensland 26-18 NSW
The Maroons write another chapter in Origin history with a staggering victory in Adelaide.
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80 mins: They can’t. Crichton passes the ball out of play on the left wing and Queensland begin to celebrate.
79 mins: Queensland’s forwards put in another shift of a set before DCE accepts contact near the line on the last. NSW have 100 metres and 90 seconds to salvage something.
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78 mins: Another failed short kick-off, this time for offside, and Queensland are nearly home. Quite how, I don’t know. This result will be a hammer blow for NSW.
TRY! Queensland 26-18 NSW (Munster, 77)
Ludicrous, absolutely ludicrous. Queensland’s forwards go to work and drill their way down the field. Cherry-Evans kicks on the last, hoisting the ball high – and PROP Lindsay Collins wins the aerial duel with James Tedesco – lands, offloads to the supporting Cameron Munster and the Maroons cannot believe what’s happening.
Holmes misses the extras, but nobody really cares any more. This is absurd.
75 mins: The short kick-off is knocked forward. Queensland ball. Five minutes to go. Three of those with 12 men.
TRY! Queensland 22-18 NSW (Tabuai-Fidow, 74)
I cannot believe it. I cannot believe it. Queensland, with 12 men, and square pegs in round holes all over the place are back in front. For four tackles nothing much looks on, then Cameron Munster drifts from the middle to the left like a surfer on a wave, waiting for his moment to fire the pass wide to Tabuai-Fidow. He executes perfectly to isolate his man one-one-one. The step wrongfoots Addo-Carr, then the afterburners are turned on and the 21-year-old glides at breathtaking speed across the turf and under the posts.
Holmes adds the conversion with ease.
72 mins: Hang-on… Queensland recover the short drop-out and scamper to halfway in no time. The ball spins right to Walsh who is flown into by Crichton at serious speed. Blimey, that was a collision. But there’s a whistle Queensland’s way. The Maroons get a full set in attacking territory. What can they do with it? All the ball players are busy probing but there’s no space to exploit until they shift the ball left where Taulagi has a sniff of a break until the Blues get bodies across.
Trbojevic is done for the night with his concussion, and now Taulagi is ordered off for a test. Queensland’s bench is empty. Ben Hunt is playing centre.
70 mins: NSW are rampant now. They turn on the afterburners for a set then hunt Walsh with intensity to force a kick-chase drop out. This is not looking good for the 12-man Maroons.
Yellow Card! (Flegler, 69)
69 mins: Trbojevic takes the kick return and runs straight into Flegler’s shoulder! Ouch. The Queenslander is placed on report and sent to the bin! That is devastating for the Maroons.
The Manly flyer departs for an HIA. And Nicho Hynes makes his Origin debut.
TRY! Queensland 16-18 NSW (Crichton 68)
Back come the Blues off the back of a scrum fed by To’o! Koroisau, Haas, again the battering approach comes up short. This time they go right but Addo-Carr can’t find room. Again they have to rely on Cleary’s boot – and this time it works! The bomb close to the line draws a pack, spills out NSW’s way and in no time it’s in Crichton’s hands from Luai to dive over in the left corner.
Cleary kicks his side in the lead with a clutch conversion.
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65 mins: 30m out becomes a set restart 20m out. The Blues are building. Haas looks strong, so does Martin, and after pounding the middle NSW cut left, where there’s an overlap – can they find it? No! And Cobbo is inches away from an intercept try but he knocks on!
64 mins: Queensland will be happy with a series of sets exchanged in midfield either side of halfway… until DCE takes his eye off a routine pass and knocks on. This is such an uncharacteristic night of Origin footy. Can NSW capitalise?
62 mins: Another NSW set ends with Cobbo calmly dealing with a Cleary bomb. The Blues need a plan B. So many sets have ended tamely tonight despite NSW’s ascendancy. Perhaps an occasion for Nicho Hynes?
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60 mins: Solid restart set from Queensland, pinning NSW deep in their own half. Massive 20 minutes coming up.
TRY! Queensland 16-12 NSW (Cobbo, 58)
One half-chance is all Queensland require! Rope-a-dope stuff from the Maroons. Cotter starts it all with his steal in midfield, then the experienced halves get to work, absorbing tackles then spreading the ball to the right to Walsh who accepts contact and simultaneously throws a majestic cutout pass to Cobbo, who still has two men to beat. He turns on the afterburners, steps on the outside, skips past Luai and To’o and slides over in the corner, kicking up his heels to avoid the sideline. Unbelievable try. So, so, so against the run of play. How do they do it?
Of course Holmes slots over a massive touchline conversion.
Over to you Blues.
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57 mins: Finally a spark! Cotter snaffles a loose carry 30 metres from the NSW line …
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56 mins: Queensland need some inspiration from somewhere. Walsh almost sparks it with a kick-return, but the Maroons are so flat footed after all their defensive work, NSW are gobbling them up off the line for minimal metres gained.
54 mins: For all their issues with ball in hand and general indiscipline Queensland’s line defence has been superb, repelling NSW with bodies on the line time and again. To back that up they have done superbly overhead and Cobbo again answers Cleary’s questions. For all their possession the Blues have showed little invention, especially Cleary off the boot.
The official crowd tonight is 48,613.
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52 mins: Maybe this will help them out? A little set-to near the Queensland line, sparked by Luai trying to punch the ball out of Cotter’s hands, leads to plenty of jersey scragging, but there’s no penalty. The Maroons then go nowhere fast with their set and compound their abysmal form with a crusher tackle penalty on Addo-Carr’s kick-return. This is abject from the defending champs.
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51 mins: Cobbo, as well as Walsh, has done well under the high ball tonight. Both have had a mountain of work to do thanks to so many errors in and out of possession. AND THERE’S ANOTHER! The Maroons try to break down the left, two Blues execute the tackle, the ball comes loose, and NSW are back on the attack. What is happening to Queensland out there?
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49 mins: No. Collins coughs up possession in contact with Yeo under the posts. Deary me. This is so far below Origin standard.
48 mins: Queensland have barely landed a punch since the 12th minute. Now they have to come from behind. What have they got? Daly Cherry-Evans has got a 40-20! That’s what! Could that be the spark the Maroons need?
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TRY! Queensland 10-12 NSW (Koroisau, 44)
Absolute catastrophe for Queensland! Holmes has three men on him 20m from his own line during an innocuous set and he tries to offload! What is he thinking!? Koroisau is on the spot to deflect the ball down on the ground – backwards, just – watch it ricochet off his foot into space with only the night air for company. The hooker mops up his great work and dabs over for a try out of nowhere.
Cleary kicks his second. Nightmare for the Maroons.
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43 mins: NSW look more threatening with ball in hand though, especially Paulo, who cannonballs through Collins like he’s a crash test dummy. Cleary resumes his bombing raid on Walsh but the youngster continues to stand up to the test.
42 mins: Collins and Arrow make strong runs to set Queensland up at the start of the second half. Slater will be pleased to see a solid set to get the game back underway.
41 mins: The Maroons haven’t given up a half-time lead since 2014. Can they hold on at Adelaide Oval?
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Have you caught your breath? Well, too bad if you haven’t, the second half is imminent.
Well, that was a very frustrating watch if you are a Blue fan. Slow start. Some poor defence early. Then for the next 30 minutes totally dominated the play. Over the line three times. Alas only one try. Wonderful defensive resolve from Maroon. They really fought hard. Couple of…
— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) May 31, 2023
That wasn’t the best advert for State of Origin footy: 10 errors, eight penalties, and not a lot of flow to a stop-start half. NSW looked clearly the more accomplished of the two sides but coughed up a brace of tries in quick succession when Queensland profited from cheap penalties.
Thereafter it was a Blues siege, requiring some phenomenal defence from Murray Taulagi in particular to keep his side in front. Martin eventually busted his way through to add a level of realism to the scoreboard, and the momentum is all with NSW.
Enhancing that state of affairs, Billy Slater can no longer call on Tom Gilbert, who has been ruled out with a dislocated shoulder, while David Fifita is undergoing an extended HIA.
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Half-time: Queensland 10-6 NSW
The Maroons are on top on the scoreboard at the break but it’s the Blues who are on the front foot and look the most likely.
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39 mins: NSW have one final attack for the half. Can they make the most of it? No! Ben Hunt reads the play off the ruck and nails Cleary in the tackle, dislodging the ball in the process.
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39 mins: Play restarts under the Queensland posts with Liam Martin – a man born for Origin – absolutely poleaxing Lindsay Collins. that was more powerful than the recent Victorian earthquake.
38 mins: Another penalty! Munster this time interfering with Addo-Carr at the play-the-ball. Such an un-Origin stop-start half. It suits the Blues right now though with all the momentum their way and a full set in Queensland’s half. The ball goes left at speed – Trbojevic taps on magnificently – but Crichton again, for the second set in a row is held up short of the line unable to find his winger. The Cleary kick again sets up a flock of seagulls fighting over a chip and again the ball comes down in favour of the Maroons. However, there’s a Captain’s Challenge from James Tedesco. He wants a knock-on from Reece Walsh or Harry Grant somewhere in the melee … and it looks like Grant might have got a touch, but not enough to overrule the on-field decision. Queensland retain possession but NSW don’t lose their challenge.
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36 mins: The Maroons put a set together but To’o puts it into context with a wrecking ball of a run to set the Blues back on the front foot. Two tackles later Crichton bullies his way in sight of the line on the left but as the ball is spun back to the right it’s grassed and the steam leaks from the attack. Cleary still has a kick to come and it prompts a pack mark under the posts. The ball bobbles free – and into Queensland hands.
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34 mins: NSW back-up their try with a thundering set that ends with Cobbo being pounded into the turf a split second after fielding a Cleary bomb. Queensland are hanging on for the half-time siren.
TRY! Queensland 10-6 NSW (Martin, 33)
Finally, finally, all that pressure and possession pays, and it’s the Penrith combination that delivers. Cleary, to Luai, to stand up the Queensland line and allow Liam Martin to pound through a gap and jog under the posts. No less than NSW deserve.
Nathan Cleary doesn’t miss from under the posts.
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32 mins: And another! Three tackles into the set an attempted strip comes loose and it’s regathered by the Blues for a set restart. Three tackles later, under the posts, David Fifita is ordered from the field to take an HIA after a clash of heads with Tedesco. NSW are ramping up the pressure.
31 mins: And the Maroons cough up cheap possession quickly. Surely they cannot continue to survive with so many errors.
30 mins: The Maroons get away with another one when Cobbo spills a crossfield bomb backwards and its gathered by a fellow Queenslander. Cleary’s kick was dangerous after Frizell set up good field position.
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28 mins: “NSW have had 57% possession and they’re down 10-0” bemoans Andrew Johns with all the pep of a man reading the last rites. It is a remarkable scoreline considering the nature of the action for most of this half. Speaking of the action, Queensland do just as required and settle things down with a couple of straightforward sets up the guts.
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27 mins: Tedesco has been lively tonight and he makes another nice dart. Koroisau is sharp at the ruck to feed Young on the burst – but he spills in contact and the Maroons get their first breather in a long time. They need to settle things down for a few sets.
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26 mins: Harry Grant is on the field but his first act is to throw a pass forward out of a tackle. NSW scrum feed on halfway.
24 mins: Murray Taulagi is the star of this match so far with his defence. What a performance. And he adds an exclamation point with a one-on-one strip.
Meanwhile, Tom Gilbert is out for the night with a dislocated shoulder.
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22 mins: Queensland’s sets for the past five or six minutes have just been all about taking the sting out of the game as much as possible. NSW by contrast are buzzing with intent. They get to the last tackle under the posts for the third set in succession and there’s a ruck infringement! Dear oh dear. So many errors. NSW reload and get the rub of the green when Trbojevic juggles the ball back to Tedesco. Still they come the Blues, Queensland are on the ropes, and Frizell finally breaks the line and rolls over … but no try! TAULAGI AGAIN takes man and ball over the line to get the on-field call of no-try with the bunker unable to find enough evidence to overrule. How on earth have NSW not scored yet!?
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20 mins: The Blues have a full set within sniffing distance of the long white line. Surely there’s a score here. Cleary has a dart. Tedesco has a half step of space. The pressure is overwhelming. Murray Taulagi take a bow! James Tedesco looked certain to score but Taulagi wrapped his arms around the NSW skipper, holding up man and ball over the line denying a certain six points. Incredible defence from the Maroons.
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18 mins: NSW are running from deep with all their backs looking for offloads and it’s earning them good yardage through To’o and Trbojevic in particular. Gilbert is busy in the middle for Queensland but he pulls up sore, holding his shoulder. Collins comes on in his place – but Gilbert hadn’t left the field of play! Penalty NSW! In all my live long days. That is schoolboy stuff from the Maroons.
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16 mins: NSW blow it! DCE goes long with the drop-out and run the ball back hard. Queensland concede a set restart with the Blues building a head of steam, runners on both edges stepping off their direct opponents and sharking for offloads. Finally the space opens to the left, the ball goes through hands, but the line is too flat and Crichton tries to pat the ball on instead of accepting contact and he knocks on. Queensland escaped there.
14 mins: Munster kicks on tackle three after the restart and To’o almost makes him pay with a neat dart to set up a couple of tackles in dangerous field position. On the last Walsh again defuses a Cleary bomb but he concedes a drop-out in the process.
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TRY! Queensland 10-0 NSW (Cobbo, 12)
Two in two minutes for the Maroons! Queensland spin the ball through hands to the right, each pass perfectly weighted from DCE to Wash to Holmes to Cobbo on the outside who has room to dive over in the corner. Perfectly executed set play behind the penalty. Walsh was critical injecting his pace and directness, and he induced a slip from To’o to create the overlap on the flank.
The Blues only have themselves to blame for their indiscipline.
Holmes is a fraction skinny with his touchline conversion attempt.
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11 mins: What was I saying about Klein putting the whistle away earlier? A fourth penalty of the night is blown for yet another NSW infringement, this time for a two-man strip. Queensland again with decent attacking territory after the restart.
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TRY! Queensland 6-0 NSW (Tabuai-Fidow, 8)
And that spell almost begins with an opportunistic Hunt try only for a Cleary ankle tap to avert disaster. Queensland continue to probe though, gaining momentum, and by the last tackle, the attacking line is moving at pace – all except for Cameron Munster, who stops time and space while he drops the ball on to his left boot and dribbles it perfectly into the path for Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to dive on to over the try line. Textbook. Queensland strike first.
Valentine Holmes kicks the extras.
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6 mins: The first decent attacking platform of the night sees NSW spin the ball to both edges with Crichton and Trbojevic both making darts from the centres before being foiled by excellent Queensland defence. On the last tackle Trbojevic palms back Cleary’s kick but as the Blues try to keep the ball alive with multiple offloads there’s a forward pass and the Maroons escape. Almost immediately they’re awarded an offside penalty and Queensland have their first spell in opposition territory.
4 mins: Klein is quick to calm things down and allow DCE to kick the penalty clear. Replays show Frizell’s contact on Walsh wasn’t that severe, unlike Addo-Carr’s, which contained much more menace. From the restart Queensland go through hands early and make decent ground but Munster’s kick on the last tackle is poor and there’s no pressure on the NSW line. But a tackle after the handover there’s a ruck infringement and Hudson Young is again blowing up over something – Cherry-Evans in his sights this time. It’s just heating up nicely out there.
4 mins: The Maroons keep things tight on their first set of the night, but before their second begins it all goes off! Walsh is taken out in the air by Frizell, he’s then mauled on the ground by Addo-Carr, sparking an all-in. It’s mainly handbags but there are spotfires around the fringes with Hudson Young making his presence known.
2 mins: There isn’t the fireworks of the last Origin opening set but Queensland execute a series of bone shuddering tackles denying NSW any room to run into. Cleary kicks from range to test Walsh early, but he’s up to it.
Kick-off!
Nowhere near the scheduled 8.05pm start time, Reece Walsh gets State of Origin 2023 under way!
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A surprisingly political Welcome to Country, with a nod to the voice referendum, precedes the national anthem. It’s almost go time.
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And after a not insignificant pause, the Maroons are out on the turf as well, top to toe in the colour of rich Queensland soil.
Here we go … Out come the Blues, the nominal away side this evening, and they’re in an unfamiliar navy uniform with sky blue trim. They are met with resounding boos from the Adelaide crowd, peppered with only a smattering of cheers.
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Ashley Klein is once again the man in the middle after earning positive reviews for his handling of last year’s series. Expect him to blow the whistle only when absolutely necessary.
“The revelation that Origin 1 is not a sell out isn’t really that much of a surprise,” emails Phil Withall. “Australian sports seem to have a need to be loved, irrespective of the needs of supporters. The recent A-league grand final deal in Sydney being a case in point. The desire to be seen as massively important, to get government funding, is actually diluting the vitality of the game they claim to promote. Yes, I am a grumpy old man.”
The Living End are still giving it their all, by the way. It’s not doing a lot for the Channel 9 punditry panel.
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It’s unlikely to be a sellout in Adelaide tonight but a healthy crowd pushing 50,000 is expected nonetheless as rugby league bosses continue to take their most marketable asset around the country to increase the sport’s popularity outside its heartlands.
It’s mild and dry in South Australia’s capital, with a slight northerly breeze the only impediment to perfect playing conditions.
@NRL putting on an absolute show right now! #StateofOrigin pic.twitter.com/WdenVTtaiz
— Adelaide Oval (@TheAdelaideOval) May 31, 2023
In more sombre ruby league-rock n roll crossover news, Nick Tedeschi reflects on the sad news of the death of Tina Turner.
Turner was arguably as loved in New South Wales and Queensland as she was anywhere else in the world, a remarkable state of affairs for a grandmother born in Nutbush, Tennessee, who had no idea what rugby league was before becoming its voice.
“Ladies and gentlemen they have won six Arias,” crows the stadium announcer, unintentionally damning The Living End with faint praise. He goes on, adding plenty of qualifiers: “regarded as one of Australia’s most iconic live rock acts, here with their classic song White Noise!”
Cue a classic Triple M cacophony with the stadium lights down and the amps turned up to 11.
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Keith’s called it early.
According to Keith, Queensland run away with game one. NSW won’t even get a look in. I’m so sorry guys - I don’t make the rules 😳😢 #Origin pic.twitter.com/wne61R1y2M
— Darcie McDonald (@DarcieMcDonald) May 31, 2023
“I heard the game wasn’t a sellout,” emails El Rey. “That would be because the good folk of Adelaide are all in bed by 7:30pm, wouldn’t it?”
That’s the one and only cheap shot I’m allowing at South Australia’s expense.
And for all the snark from other states it is a salutary reminder that no sport can take it’s support for granted outside its heartland. Nights like tonight are about growing the game and if it isn’t a sellout it shows how much work is still to be done spreading the gospel.
Brad Fittler was optimistic when he had a word with the TV boys. “I feel good. The training during the week, they train at such a high level now. It’s quite impressive. We had some tough sessions and they just ticked all the boxes. Pretty happy with where they are at at the moment.”
What will win it for the Blues? “Our kicking at the back end of sets,” according to Fittler. “If we can get to the back end of sets I feel like Nathan [Cleary] is experienced enough. Spoken a lot about chasing and getting down there being clean. A lot of work has to go into getting us to the back end of sets, so I look forward to seeing how he processes that part of the game. I think we can lean on Nathan with his professionalism and execution. He gives that advantage with his kicking.”
Billy Slater has had a word with the host broadcaster.
“I think to start with we have got to earn it, we have got to get our game on,” the Queensland coach said. “Obviously we are not ignorant to the fact they are a good side and they are going to bring strength and we have to shut them down.”
Asked about NSW selecting plenty of muscle up front, Slater responded: “Well, that’s obviously what they think suits them. We have got our own game. We will play our style, they will play theirs. That’s what makes this a great contest, doesn’t it? It’s an aggressive game. You’ve got to be aggressive to get the upper hand. We would like to think that we are going to be pretty aggressive.”
Nick Tedeschi reflects on the absence of NSW star Latrell Mitchell.
The NRL will also be devastated by Mitchell’s forced withdrawal. Tickets are not sold out, which is rare for State of Origin, but more worrying is the impact Mitchell’s absence in Adelaide will have on growing the game in South Australia. Adelaide briefly had a premiership team in the Rams from 1997 to 1998, and while it is not a city on the radar for expansion it is an area where the NRL is hoping to see a spike in week-to-week interest after this Origin clash.
Angus Fontaine runs the rule over the two squads.
New South Wales have gone back to the future for State of Origin 2023, recalling a host of stars to their Game One squad while Queensland have overhauled their winning combinations from last year to blood a batch of young guns and forge a new dynasty.
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NSW XVII
The Blues were dealt a blow when Latrell Mitchell was ruled out, but his misfortune hands an opportunity to the reigning Dally M Medalist Nicho Hynes. Six premiership-winning Panthers provide the core of the group (including Nathan Cleary who has recovered from an infected wisdom tooth), but it’s ex-Penrith rake Api Koroisau who’s worth keeping an eye on as he is the only hooker in the squad and will have a big 80-minute shift ahead of him.
NSW: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Brian To’o, 3 Stephen Crichton, 4 Tom Trbojevic, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Jarome Luai, 7 Nathan Cleary, 8 Tevita Pangai Junior, 9 Api Koroisau, 10 Payne Haas, 11 Tyson Frizell, 12 Hudson Young, 13 Isaah Yeo
INTERCHANGE: 14 Junior Paulo, 15 Cameron Murray, 16 Liam Martin, 17 Nicho Hynes
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Queensland XVII
It’s all about the youthful backline for the Maroons, headlined by 20-year-old Reece Walsh, the only debutant in Billy Slater’s starting XIII. Harry Grant provides an x-factor off the bench with Ben Hunt’s versatility and experience worth its weight in gold.
Speaking about Walsh, Slater said: “Hopefully he is himself, enjoys himself and gets his game on. He’s been fantastic this year for the Broncos. He got an opportunity a couple of years ago to play for Queensland and unfortunately tore his hamstring a couple of days before the game. So he is more ready now than he has ever been. He has had a great week at training. Got a good team that he’s in. Hopefully he can be himself.”
Queensland: 1 Reece Walsh, 2 Selwyn Cobbo, 3 Valentine Holmes, 4 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, 5 Murray Taulagi, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Daly Cherry-Evans, 15 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, 9 Ben Hunt, 16 Reuben Cotter, 11 Tom Gilbert, 12 David Fifita, 13 Pat Carrigan.
INTERCHANGE: 14 Harry Grant, 8 Tom Flegler, 10 Lindsay Collins, 17 Jai Arrow.
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Angus Fontaine sets the scene.
Last year at Suncorp, with a minute to play and NSW attacking close to the line, Cleary sniffed victory and put the ball on that golden boot of his. Ben Hunt saw the kick coming, charged it down and raced 90-metres to score a try that sealed the match and series. Yet again, glorious victory and abject defeat in Origin was decided in a single moment by a slight miscalculation and a sweet stroke of genius. When the chance comes on Wednesday and the lightning is there to be bottled, who will be the one?
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of State of Origin Game 1 between Queensland’s Maroons and New South Wales’s Blues. Kick-off at Adelaide Oval is 8.05pm-ish (AEST).
I say ish, because this is Origin. Normal rules don’t apply. Especially in South Australia. I wager it’ll be gone ten-past and there’ll still be pyro smoke drifting over the Chappell Stand as commentators gush about the Greatest Game in the World™ at the most picturesque stadium in sport™.
And you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Give me all the chintz and cliche. For three nights of the year I relish putting my snark in a draw in and embracing all the mate v mate™ chicanery. I love the Phil Gould supercuts, Andrew Johns’s “bullshit”, the legend of The King, and everything else that makes State of Origin so insular and compelling.
As for the action this year, there’s nothing to suggest it isn’t going to be as gripping and keenly fought as ever. Only two series this millennium have been swept, while the ledger reads three-apiece since 2017.
Queensland arrive as defending champions, upsetting favourites New South Wales last year in the most thrilling decider. The Maroons will again rely on the experience of halves Cameron Munster and Daly Cherry-Evans, and hope the instincts of Billy Slater are proven correct once more with the second-year coach selecting players in jersey numbers 1-5 with an average age of just 22.
The Blues come in with a point to prove, and bursting with star quality courtesy of half a dozen Penrith Panthers and three of the past four Dally M Medalists. However, the absence of Latrell Mitchell tonight robs the occasion of arguably the game’s most maverick and magnificent force.
If you want to get in touch at any point you can always send me an email or pop a tweet to @JPHowcroft. On with the show.
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