NSW- time to regather and look ahead to Game 3...

[Frank_Grimes]

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Debating the merit of all penalties Qld received in the opening 20 is for another thread. .

If that's what you want to believe then fine, but you can't deny that the glut of possession close to their tryline didn't help Qld in the opening 20, with every 50/50 call in their favour

:lol:

 

[Desert Qlder]

Game one was an aberration and the lacklustre Queensland performance flattered NSW.

Football teams make their own luck and create momentum with enthusiasm and energy.

Queensland delivered a near flawless performance and NSW are only kidding themselves if they want to lay blame on "rub of the green" and "things going their way". This is a losing mindset from stemming from a poor, undisciplined attitude that seems the culture of NSW football.

NSW supporters can fall into the same trap if they please but it only comes across as sour grapes and demonstrates an inability to accept defeat graciously and acknowledge both the failures of their own and the brilliance of their opposition.

Meninga demonstrated again why he is the greatest Origin coach in history making the correct adjustments and giving his side the perfect game plan. Someone please get him a beer.

Queensland proved also that there is no lack of hunger on their part, one area that NSW probably thought they had an advantage.

NSW will be better for having Hayne at the fullback, he is streets ahead of any of his counterparts and is a very good Origin player.

Gallen is not only a poor captain, but is also being shown as an Origin pretender. Will he ever show he can have a good game in Brisbane, away from his cosy surrounds at home?

Expecting a classic game in Sydeny. A much improved NSW but a Queensland side that will not play like it did in Game 1.

 

[Raider_69]

Pick as close to the game 1 team as we can. And hope the QLDers dont turn up. Quite simply talent and ability wise, we can not match it with Slater, GI, Thurston, Cronk and Smith.

Hopefully in 2014 we'll have Adam Reynolds and Todd Carney in the halves, as it should have been this year. We can build a pack around Gallen, Tamou, Fafita, Woods and Grant. And then we get Fergo, Hayne and Hoppa Jr back.

Hayne, Fergo, Jennings, Hoppa, Morris, Carney, Reynolds, Tamou, Farah, Woods, Watmough, Bird, Gallen
Fifita, Merrin, Grant and Lewis

 

[Knightmare]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I have stated that Qld made the best with what they had and it paid off for them. That is hardly saying it was handed to them by the refs. Making mass changes for NSW heading into the decider isn't the way to go. There is one obvious player who needs to be hooked, but regarding the halves, worst case scenario should be to put Reynolds in the starting 13 and Pearce to the bench.

 

[Shorty]

Knightmare at least be somewhat objective....you're like the Ben Ikin of LU.

 

[typicalfan]

Gallen was NSW best along with Fifita. Gallen doesn't play and we lose by 40-50.

 

[neutralsupporter]

None of the forwards made more than 100m besides Gallen. Pearce made 23 tackles, a forwards standard of tackling. If fkn Reynolds was there we lose 50-0

 

[typicalfan]

Fifita made 100 in 30 minutes as well. Quite remarkable in a well beaten side. Tamou back for 3 Woods will bebbetter for the experience and McManus or Uate onto the wing. Not great but better than Merritt. J Hayne in for Dugan as well.

 

[Hutty1986]

Really gutted after last night.

Queensland were absolutely outstanding... the rot starts in the very first set with that brainless strip from Maloney, Thaiday crashes through some woeful defence and we're under siege for a long, long time. Our forwards were going nowhere and you give a class side like that such quality field position and they will burn you every time. The way they played, you'd think they'd lost 7 straight series and were trailing 1-nil. What has always impressed me is that the maroons are not only a team of stars, they are a tough, resilient footy side who also defend well.

Way too good for us, but I'm just really disappointed in NSW's performance. At least now the Merritt myth has finally been exposed, we go to Sydney with Hayne & Tamou back and hopefully regroup. The momentum has swing big time, Qld will (or should be) favourites in game 3.

 

[Desert Qlder]

Gallen doesn't play and we lose by 40-50.

Extreme hyperbole.

NSW have deified this player to their detriment.

 

[Shorty]

Really gutted after last night.

Queensland were absolutely outstanding... the rot starts in the very first set with that brainless strip from Maloney, Thaiday crashes through some woeful defence and we're under siege for a long, long time. Our forwards were going nowhere and you give a class side like that such quality field position and they will burn you every time. The way they played, you'd think they'd lost 7 straight series and were trailing 1-nil. What has always impressed me is that the maroons are not only a team of stars, they are a tough, resilient footy side who also defend well.

Way too good for us, but I'm just really disappointed in NSW's performance. At least now the Merritt myth has finally been exposed, we go to Sydney with Hayne & Tamou back and hopefully regroup. The momentum has swing big time, Qld will (or should be) favourites in game 3.

Playing at Lang park will do things to a team both good and bad.
But I don't understand why some blues fans are acting like the sky is falling (some were even wailing as early as halftime!).

There's still one more game and NSW still has the better and younger forward pack.

 

[typicalfan]

Extreme hyperbole.

NSW have deified this player to their detriment.

Not really, I can recall 2 tries he prevented especially when he held up Parker. Take that and his 120m away and all that is needed is one more try to get to 40.

 

[Meapro Ham]

Having watched a replay of the tries scored, Merritt plays a big part in 3 of Qld's tries. Twice he runs in off his wing, giving Qld open space, and for the third he made a pathetic attempt to tackle Inglis that I can't help but think most other Origin wingers would have been able to execute and stop Inglis before getting to the line. Right there is 3 converted tries, 18 points which Qld might not have scored otherwise. Take 18 points from the Maroons' score tonight and you'd have a final score of 8-6, or 12-6 adjusted for the two penalty goals JT kicked.

Debating the merit of all penalties Qld received in the opening 20 is for another thread. Fact is, when a side like Qld get continual possession within 20 metres of their tryline for the opening quarter of a match, there is a good chance they will score twice. That laid the groundwork for their win tonight. NSW had a huge defensive load in that opening 20 which had them chasing their tails for the rest of the game, but I can't fault the way they hung in there during the match.

I still give NSW a very good chance at wrapping the series up in Sydney. I doubt they will be put on the back foot even half as much as they were tonight. People are quick to blame Pearce and Maloney, but nobody was writing them off after Game 1. It seems that suddenly they are expected to have lifted NSW out of the mire tonight, but you can't ignore that fact that Qld made the best with what they were given. I don't think tonights' game was a fair reflection on the ability of the Blues. Had Qld been put under the pump to the same extent, I don't think the story (especially in the opening half) would have been too much different.

I only hope that Daley and the selectors don't panic over the scoreboard and shoot themselves in the foot with knee-jerk reactions. If Qld have everything go as smoothly in Game 3 as it did in the opening 20 minutes of the game tonight, credit to them. But I don't see it happening again. Tonight was a bizarre night in quite a few regards. I don't see it repeating in the decider, and I think NSW have what it takes to wrap up the series.

It's a good post. Blues just need to forget that game and focus on the next. A whole of stuff went against them that won't happen in the next game. Very feral atmosphere up there for a do or die game like that, the blues and refs where understandably intimidated by it all. Game 3 won't be like that.

 

[Knightmare]

NSW need to focus on ball control and giving more of the kicking options to Maloney. Poor ball control is what let Qld off the hook in Game 1, and sabotaged the Blues chances last night after the weathered the storm in the opening 20 minutes...

 

[gUt]

NSW can win in Game 3 provided they get their best forwards out there again. I thought a few of them looked off, eg Watmough.

They won't do it for this match but if they gave Adam Reynolds the Myth's jersey it would improve the Blues out of sight.

Also having Hayne back will sharpen them up. Game 3 is NSW's for the taking if they go into it with the belief they had going into game 1.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Playing at Lang park will do things to a team both good and bad.
But I don't understand why some blues fans are acting like the sky is falling (some were even wailing as early as halftime!).

There's still one more game and NSW still has the better and younger forward pack.

The despair comes from seeing this happen for 7 years straight tbh. We get a glimpse of what the side is capable of in game 1, gain confidence in the side then they go and crumble from minute 1 three weeks later. Where was the line speed? Where was the relenting defence? Where were the quick forwards angling away from the ruck?

Qld were way too good and would have won even if NSW were on their game, that side is hardened and has a winning attitude, but to watch the NSW team look so lost because some pressure was applied just brings back memories of years gone by.

NSW fans confidence in their team is fragile and rightly so

 

[greg]

NSW can win in Game 3 provided they get their best forwards out there again. I thought a few of them looked off, eg Watmough.

They won't do it for this match but if they gave Adam Reynolds the Myth's jersey it would improve the Blues out of sight.

Also having Hayne back will sharpen them up. Game 3 is NSW's for the taking if they go into it with the belief they had going into game 1.

I agree. Hopefully having Tamou and Hayne back, as well as the right mental attitude and we will still be in this. I too would like to see Adam Reynolds given a go but I cannot see it happening.Reynolds stats for creating goal line dropouts from his kicks are the direct opposite to Pearce/Maloney. I'm sure I heard the commentary on a bunnies game recently stating that he leads the stats in that department. If we lose game 3 though I think Pearce will surely have used up all his chances in regards to being selected next year.

 

[Knightmare]

The despair comes from seeing this happen for 7 years straight tbh. We get a glimpse of what the side is capable of in game 1, gain confidence in the side then they go and crumble from minute 1 three weeks later. Where was the line speed? Where was the relenting defence? Where were the quick forwards angling away from the ruck?

Qld were way too good and would have won even if NSW were on their game, that side is hardened and has a winning attitude, but to watch the NSW team look so lost because some pressure was applied just brings back memories of years gone by.

NSW fans confidence in their team is fragile and rightly so

I know what you're getting at, but NSW didn't really get a chance to reply until 20 minutes into the game last night, when they were down 14-0 already. You talk about Qld being hardened and their winning attitude, but they were similarly uninspired at 14-0 down in Game 1, with a less dominant opening 20 minutes from NSW than what we saw from Qld last night.

I think people are getting a bit too carried away with the scoreline, we've got Hayne coming back and you'd think Merritt is gone for good. Added to the possibility of Tamou and/ or Grant returning to the forward pack and I think NSW are still well and truly in this series.

 

[Joker's Wild]

I know what you're getting at, but NSW didn't really get a chance to reply until 20 minutes into the game last night, when they were down 14-0 already. You talk about Qld being hardened and their winning attitude, but they were similarly uninspired at 14-0 down in Game 1, with a less dominant opening 20 minutes from NSW than what we saw from Qld last night.

I think people are getting a bit too carried away with the scoreline, we've got Hayne coming back and you'd think Merritt is gone for good. Added to the possibility of Tamou and/ or Grant returning to the forward pack and I think NSW are still well and truly in this series.

My issue mate is our halves. In game 1 we dominated them early and scored 2 tries from broken play by powerful runners. After that we didnt score a point and last night we looked no where near scoring any until Farah spied a chance.

If game 3 is anything less than a full domination by the NSW pack, I fear we wont have a creative 6 or 7 to make things happen and be the difference.

In a close fought game, Qld have the edge

 

[Knightmare]

I think that is why Reynolds is on the bench- if the halves are not creating tries (or try scoring opportunities) then he can be substituted on. We'll see how it goes with Maloney, whether he is fit for Game 3 or not...