QLD Maroons 2025

[10$ Ferret]

Ezra Mam.... LMAO

Disgraceful, they deserve nothing but failure.
I hope he isn't driving the team bus

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

f**k qld

 

[Marshall_magic]

Sounds like DCE is going to be axed for game 2... Whatever happened to pick and stick QLD??

Pick and stick is easy to trumpet when you have about 7 all timers in your squad and you’re winning every series off the back of it against a, frankly, very ordinary Blues side.

 

[RL The greatest game]

Sounds like DCE is going to be axed for game 2... Whatever happened to pick and stick QLD??

Slater’s shock DCE call confirmed; Maroons make two changes for crucial clash: QLD Team

Slater confirms shock DCE call as Maroons’ Origin changes revealed — QLD Team

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Big Pete]

It's easily the most controversial selection of Slater's career.

Like I wrote before Game I, I felt if Dearden was in the 17, he had to start and it should have come at the expense of DCE. It wouldn't have been an ideal selection, but then again, the Maroons halves situation is far from ideal.

The more concerning selection is Ezra in the extended squad. There's a lot of misinformation surrounding the Ezra situation, but even still, the cold hard facts show he shouldn't be considered for this level and I don't think you're setting a strong standard by including him.

Big call to pick Loiero. I like the amount of effort he puts in at Melbourne, but most pundits would have picked Horsburgh ahead of him. For Billy's sake, Loiero needs to produce a big performance.

Curious to see how the Maroons go in the opening 20 minutes. Fotuaika, Capewell, Cotter and Loiero don't exactly strike me as physically intimidating line-benders so I'm curious to see what Billy has up his sleave.

I have a soft spot for Capewell and love what he's doing at the Warriors, but his recall doesn't sit well with me. Especially since it's come at the expense of Nanai.

 

[beave]

It's easily the most controversial selection of Slater's career.

Like I wrote before Game I, I felt if Dearden was in the 17, he had to start and it should have come at the expense of DCE. It wouldn't have been an ideal selection, but then again, the Maroons halves situation is far from ideal.

The more concerning selection is Ezra in the extended squad. There's a lot of misinformation surrounding the Ezra situation, but even still, the cold hard facts show he shouldn't be considered for this level and I don't think you're setting a strong standard by including him.

Big call to pick Loiero. I like the amount of effort he puts in at Melbourne, but most pundits would have picked Horsburgh ahead of him. For Billy's sake, Loiero needs to produce a big performance.

Curious to see how the Maroons go in the opening 20 minutes. Fotuaika, Capewell, Cotter and Loiero don't exactly strike me as physically intimidating line-benders so I'm curious to see what Billy has up his sleave.

I have a soft spot for Capewell and love what he's doing at the Warriors, but his recall doesn't sit well with me. Especially since it's come at the expense of Nanai.

Billy's lost the plot mate. I don't think he's the mastermind everyone has made him out to be.

Game one it was clear Harry was having a shocker and needed benching at the 28min mark. I understand there would have been a rotational plan to bring Dearden on with 25 mins to go, but the lack of game time for Harry leading into the game meant he was 100% underdone.

The forwards for game 2 and who he has benched etc is going to be a disaster from my standpoint, however I want to be proven wrong.

 

[ALX25]

A wins a win but that was a very poor second half.

Capewell and Cotter were immense in defence. Dearden justified the decision to end the DCE reign.

 

[Big Pete]

Queensland 26 (Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2, Cameron Munster, Kurt Capewell tries; Valentine Holmes 5/5 goals) def. New South Wales 24

1-1

The Maroons have held onto send the game to a series decider.

After a slow start, the Maroons were able to rally and take advantage of a loose New South Wales performance and post a commanding 26-6 HT lead.

However a host of costly errors invited the Blues back into the game. The Maroons struggled to place any pressure on NSW and often let themselves down with costly errors.

With just over a minute remaining, NSW found themselves with a full set of six on the Maroons line. However a strong tackle by Capewell helped jar the ball free from Payne Haas and the Maroons were able to put the game to bed.

Capewell repaid the faith Slater showed in him with another top class performance that will secure his place in Origin folklore.

However it was captain Cameron Munster who took him the Man of the Match honours. While not a perfect performance, Munster led from the front and took the Blues on coming up with crucial plays in attack and defence.

They received plenty of support, particularly from Grant and Cotter who had come under criticism in recent times.

Cotter pulled off one of the biggest plays of the game when he made short work of Spencer Leniu off a kick-off, silencing the NSW pundits who cried a foul after Game One.

The Maroons will sleep easier knowing they have something to play for in three week's time. However they will need to find another gear against a NSW side that struggled in the slippery conditions.

 

[Pezz70]

Ashley Gomersall MOM

 

[ALX25]

Ashley Gomersall MOM

You can thank the brain fades from Luai & Lomax. Also your forward pack had too many passengers. Pick and stick from NSW?

 

[ALX25]

Match Report: State of Origin Game II - Perth

The Queensland Maroons have set up a showdown decider in Sydney after they held on for a heart-stopping 26-24 win over New South Wales in Game 2 of the 2025 State of Origin series at Optus Stadium in Perth.

www.qrl.com.au

 

[RecordBreakingMaroons.]

We were lucky to get away with our drop-off in the second half. Zac Lomax MOM for QLD definitely.

The first half at least shows that we have what it takes to outplay the best that NSW can throw at us and, that is a very, very good side that they threw at us. What failed us in the second half was waiting too much in defence. Toia particularly was a fail. He should not come back for Game 3. I think that Bill should consider alternatives to Ponga also.

I don't want to discuss NSW's soft underbelly in public. If we do our job properly we expose their big weakness. What happens in Game 3 fully depends upon which QLD team plays fo 80 minutes. The Game 2 first half team or the Game 2 second half team.

Bill was brave to make the team changes that he did. He was lashed by individuals on both sides for the changes he made. Game 3 is a dead rubber or a whitewash if he did not make those team changes. Bill, don't hold back making it a tighter unit for Game 3. You have it almost right. We can do this. The last 5 minutes of that Game showed we can control the game with our D.

Our D in the last 5 minutes with the series absolutely on the line was the best of the night. More of that in Game 3 please.