Frustrating that for the second time in 3 series, ultimately it comes down to controversial calls in Game 1 (with Kaufusi holding down and time-wasting in the dying seconds on both occasions) in deciding who wins the thing.
Ben Hunt must be the happiest/ most relieved guy in RL tonight. Maybe at last some Broncos fans will get off his back about 2015?
Cleary got rinsed in Game 1, praised after Game 2 and is now getting rinsed again. On another day his chip kick pays off and he is right now getting praised as a clutch player. You can all but mark PENRITH!!! down to go back to back unless injuries wreck them. He'll be determined to make a statement from here the rest of this season.
On the Panthers, I understand the logic in wanting to have the core players from the NRL front-runners in your Origin team. The Storm connection literally won series for Qld during their 8-year run.
I disagree that Tupou's knock-on changed the game. There was over an entire half of football still to follow. Ultimately what worked for Qld was the amount of attacking opportunities they had within 20 metres of the NSW try line, and it paid off for them. NSW turned over too much football coming out of their half when a more conservative approach was needed (Critter WTF- no need to force that offload!) There were also a couple of 50/50 calls (Talakai ruled to not have played the ball correctly when he was pushed) that didn't help either. I can understand the logic in wanting to keep the same (or near the same) squad as the one who put the cleaners through Qld in Game 2, but all candidates being fit next year I'd expect to see Latrell and Turbo back.
Not sure if Freddy is already signed for next year? If so, I am willing to give him another series and see how it goes with the aforementioned players back and available. For the slating they are copping here (as inevitably comes regardless of who loses the Origin games) NSW were excellent in defence tonight, especially on their line, and showed real resolve. On another night that gets them home.
In a nutshell (and yes I've had a couple):
Tonight Qld did just enough to get the points they needed and showed grit. NSW squandered possession (especially in the second half) and then were unlucky in the dying minutes with the Hunt charge-down on Cleary's kick.
