Game 1 kicks off 11.10am our time today. Let’s keep all match discussion in here as I’m sure a lot of people will be watching on delay.
Blues look the better team on paper but I thought that last year as well!
Game 1 kicks off 11.10am our time today. Let’s keep all match discussion in here as I’m sure a lot of people will be watching on delay.
Blues look the better team on paper but I thought that last year as well!
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.
Thanks, I was going to do the same but you beat me to it. I am going to amend the thread title just to get the point over, hope you don't mind.
I think NSW back line and halves, on the whole are far better than QLD. It looks to me like NSW are starting their lighter props, maybe with a view to tiring out the QLD pack before bringing on their big boys. With that in mind, QLD starting pack is far far better than NSW so its a gamble for NSW.
I expect Welch to play a lot of minutes. If you look at the recent clashes between the Storm and Panthers, Storm have won 3 and in those games, Welch has basically shut down Cleary. Maybe QLD will apply this tactic? The game they lose, Welch didnt play
Im going to go for a QLD win!
That NSW backline is special, but I think the Queenslanders will do it
Sent from my SM-A716B using Tapatalk
I said when the teams were announced I was backing NSW, but didn't expect to see that much of a margin of victory! Brilliant by NSW and justified the team selection Fittler went with.
A blow for QLD to lose Welch early, but really I think NSW just have a better pool of players to pick from and playing in those types of conditions really suited NSW, regardless of having to play in QLD. If the conditions are similar in Brisbane, I think NWS will fancy their chances again in game 2.
The NSW 'centres' would both be picked to play full back for QLD- Mitchell and Turbo were outstanding. Then they've got Cleary whom is the best half back in the sport at the moment, getting them around the field.
*Not to be confused with Mike Stephenson, MBE
Yep, agree. Didn't see that one coming, well the margin of victory anyway. Comprehensive win. QLD will do well to come back from that, though with SOI, you never know.
I love how NSW put convention aside and let the likes of Trbojevic and Mitchell to effectively have free roles popping up all over the place. It was as if they were playing with 2 halves and 3 full backs.
How long do you reckon before we see someone else do this? I would love to see Welsby in more of a free role like that.
With the ball you can put players wherever they are most effective (rather than where their position dictates they should be) and so hard to defend against and plan your structures around. Could really open the game up.
Exactly. Take your 3 best players and give them as much ball as possible. Frightening that Mitchell and Trbojevic are only 23/24 and already this good. Thought the packs were fairly well balanced, even without Welch for the majority, but the NSW backline just tore QLD apart in a ruthless fashion.
Now Queensland are usually a different beast at Suncorp but it’s going to be a massive job to overhaul that performance. They have to find a way of getting more athleticism into their backline and make sure all their players are firing at 100%, they had 4 or 5 players coming back from injury recently and it really showed.
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.
I actually thought most of the game was very structured. To be honest the tactics reminded me of ours, virtually every set the first 3 PTB's were to a forward driving it in. The difference from our game, was the quality of the backs you mention when they got the ball. I had not watched an Origin game for a couple of years and didn't think that that was a particularly good example. Though I think NSW would take in England apart without breaking a sweat.
Little joke doing the rounds on Twitter: Woke up really early this morning.. about 5.10am.
Or as it’s known in Queensland.... 50 to 6.
I agree with most of the above, it wasn't a great game but you could argue there is a real gulf in class at the moment so the games shouldn't be classics as a result. I thought the Townsville factor may even things up a bit but the fast track and the warm weather actually helped NSW, and their fast start really nullified the home crowd. Saying that though, I really liked the change of venue and I would argue for Townsville to get Origin games again in the future.
I also really liked the Nine coverage, it was first rate from the Thurston and Cleary pre-game bits, the on the field stuff with Johns and Smith, etc, and I think the decision to move Gould out of the commentary box for Slater gave it a bit more energy than usual. We can look on in awe at how RL is covered down there really.
Strange, but I was the opposite, I thought the Thaiday bits were a bit tacky, but different strokes and all that.
On a wider topic, I kind of think having Origin every year dilutes the concept a bit. They all talk about the intensity and the passion, but having 3 games every year for me makes it alot less intense especially when you have so little time to celebrate winning it and the losing team can get it back a year after losing it. It'd be like having the Ryder Cup every single year, I think it would mean less, and I reckon Origin should go to every 2 years as well. Of course that'll never happen, it's too lucrative for the game and TV now (Game I was the most watched tv show in Australia this year by a huge margin), but I think they are possibly running the concept into the ground a bit.
I don’t like the way it’s spaced out with 2 and a half weeks between each game. Be much better to have it on 3 consecutive weeks, think it would ramp up the intensity even more. Surely it would be better for the clubs not to be without their players at 3 different times as well and the SOO teams could have a solid 3/4 week training camp rather than players coming in and out all the time.
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.
That's one way of doing it, and I think Saturday night Origins would be a better idea both there and also to try and get a bigger audience here on a Saturday morning (if they cared about that). It's annoying that Penrith had their long winning run snapped for no reason other than missing loads of key players for Origin, and you also have the weird rounds either side of all 3 games where stuff is very diluted and results are massively skewed.
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.
Just watched game 2...
Another great performance by NSW. I thought Tedesco especially, was really good in this one.
I'm not sure there's a single QLD player that would get in the NSW 17 at the moment. NSW so strong all across the field.
I think they could play game 3 in QLD as well and another NSW victory would be the likely outcome.
*Not to be confused with Mike Stephenson, MBE
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.
People were sceptical of two FBs at centre. They have excelled and can't fit in Gutherson anyway in the 17.
Cameron Murray is one player who probably won't grab the headlines but was excellent.
Did all his chores but some very subtle hands for a SR.
Queensland lacked the strike in the backline and the attacking shape consisted entirely of block plays that could be easily read.
Munster in that framework looked a shadow of the player he is for Melbourne.
A fantastic performance. Queensland are going to get another trousering in Origin III.
That's how I see it too and whilst I think Ponga, Harry Grant etc. are great players, NSW are too strong at the moment. I think that's 3 out of the last 4 series won and most of the team are in their early to mid 20's. QLD will be hoping that Walsh and Walker keep developing for the years ahead, they're only 18-19. I think the other big prospect- Suaalii, is from NSW though.
There's very few natural centres out there at the moment Gerry, certainly not at the level of what Tommy Turbo or Mitchell can offer out there. I think NSW have just picked their best players. As good a player as Gutherson is, Papenhuyzen would be picked ahead of him. They have an embarrassment of riches at the moment.
Cam Murray is a great player, who as well as his hands, gets the quickest play the ball in the NRL.
Looking like 3-0 as you say.
*Not to be confused with Mike Stephenson, MBE
Munster in that framework looked a shadow of the player he is for Melbourne.
Yes agree about Munster at this level, if things are not going his sides way he is either invisible or gets rilled up and makes errors.
Also thought Sims was great played his role to perfection.