Picture one shows the play-the-ball prior to the try. Darren Lockyer is at first receiver and Thurston is at second receiver. Jarryd Hayne, circled, is the first trigger in Thurston's thinking as he had dropped back off the end of the NSW defensive line. Hayne's positioning encouraged Thurston to move the ball wide to Greg Inglis and Darius Boyd, who had room to move. Hayne, however, is not out of position - yet. If Hayne was up on the end of the line, then Thurston, or Lockyer, would have kicked the ball deep into the corner, possibly forcing a NSW drop out.
Giving himself a head-start on this type of kick is the right move from Hayne as field position is important in every game. But he must also ensure that he isn't so deep that he can't get himself back on to the end of the defensive line to make a tackle if the ball is passed and not kicked.
Picture two shows the same play a few seconds later after Lockyer passed the ball quickly to Thurston, who had accelerated at the NSW defence with a number of options at his disposal. In these circumstances, it is imperative that the members of the defensive line are communicating with each other and working together.
The quick pass from Lockyer to Thurston was a signal to everyone that Queensland were intending to try to go around the end of the NSW line. Trent Waterhouse (D1), Luke Lewis (D2) and Jamie Lyon (D3) are all sliding out towards the edge of the field while Jamal Idris (D4) is turned-in and waiting. Idris's contrasting body position stands out like a sore thumb to Thurston, who consequently throws a cut-out pass to Inglis, who is on the outside of Idris and in the clear.
Idris needed to be sliding like the rest of the line. He had to trust that the players on his inside were going to make their tackles while he slid out to cover the most dangerous ball runner on the field - Inglis. Had Idris been sliding, then Thurston may have decided on another option. He may have passed short to Dave Taylor or dummied and run himself. Neither of these options would have been as dangerous as Inglis in space.
Once Idris made his decision, the one player who could save the try was Hayne - however, he also missed his cue. He realised too late that the ball was being passed and not kicked. Hayne, out of shot in picture two, rushed forward, but only in time for Inglis to draw him in and pass to Boyd. Had he reacted a few seconds earlier, Hayne would have hit Inglis as he caught the ball, stopping the play dead.
:lol:
Idris!
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