Reflector
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That was the one. Hayne had a clear overlap on Morris late in the 1st half that would've taken it to 14-0, possibly 16-0 if the conversion was slotted. NSW were all over Qld and it looked like turning into a massacre. Going more than 2 converted tries ahead would (mentally) have broken Qld. But Hayne had to make it all about him rather than go for an easy team try and botched it.Didn't Hayne bomb a certain try going himself and then Wade decided to grub it up?
Or am I misremembering?
Second half NSW started trying to defend a 10 point lead from about the 50th minute onwards. Then (with about 10 minutes to go) Wade Graham tackles Gagai with Qld running out of their own half. Just needed a simple tackle, wrap up the man with the ball, wait for Qld to get to tackle 5 and the kick then regather possession and aim to score the knock out try or regather possession through a goal-line drop-out and run down the clock. But Graham savaged Gagai in the tackle and Gagai drops it. If Gagai was playing for the Knights it would've (correctly) been called a knock-on, stiff shit Dane, penalty against the Knights because who cares about Newcastle they're shit?
But this is Qld, they're 4 points behind and if they win it from here they can force a Decider (TM) at Suncorp, the Home Of Origin (TM). So of course- it's ruled a strip on Gagai. Qld go up field from the next set of 6 and score in the corner. JT (hobbling about with a busted shoulder yet untouched by the NSW attack all second half) kicks the conversion to put Qld in front by 2 and win the game. Never seen a side hobble over the line like that. Joey was rightfully filthy at f/t.
Game 3 and Qld put in a more polished performance, with Sharon Woods proving once and for all what a pea-heart he is and Wade Graham doing the exact same high intensity tackle he did on Gagai in Game 2, just after NSW had scored and ripping the momentum away again.
Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb. Felt more like NSW lost that series than Qld won it.
People can say what they like about Freddy, but never seen a NSW side play dumb like that/ lack heart like that since he took over. The difference in attitude was notably different the following series right off the bat. Wade Graham (who I never wanted to see in sky blue again) even ended up redeeming himself in Game 2 2019 when he was recalled by Freddy and tore up in Perth. I'd go so far as to say that if Freddy had coached that 2017 series, NSW either sweep the series 3-0 or go down in a tight one in Game 3.
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