Thread: State of Origin 2018 ... this year it will be different !

Originally Posted by crackerjack101

The first half stats look bad for the maroons.
They really need to pick it up.

4/1 penalty count didn't help

T R Y !
sorry ...

T R Y !

And the Maroon surge ahead.

That'll do it.

Splendid boot.

FUCK..............

No, it's NO TRY>

Excellent.


Nope FUCK again it's a try.

Bugger.

But he missed the kick so it's still on.

This is not good.

And back again. Good game.

Originally Posted by Cujo

And back again. Good game.

Excellent game.

The surge is on..............

Looks like the maroons might take this one.

and not.

OH well it's only game 1.

Good try.

NO TRY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh well.
Well done the Blues.
Well done Brad.
But it's only game one.

Excellent. I can't wait for game 2.
A big learning curve for both teams today.

It was good to see that the refs only had minimal influence on the game.

Good game Fittler coached them well,bring on game two.

I couldn't agree more.

State of Origin opener a blueprint for NRL to follow


STATE of Origin revealed the best of what rugby league has to offer, but in doing so, Wednesday night also exposed its biggest problem.
FOR all of Greg Inglis’s aggression, the maturity shown by 11 Blues debutants and the speed and strength of James Tedesco, Origin I exposed something very wrong with rugby league in this country.


That’s the view of former NSW coach Phil Gould, who acknowledged that by showcasing the very best of what footy has to offer on Wednesday night, the interstate clash also revealed a glaring flaw with the regular weekend action fans are treated to.


Referees Gerard Sutton and Ashley Klein blew just five penalties for the match — and none after the 27th minute. Four of those went to NSW and one to Queensland.


Fans and commentators alike praised the performances of the two whistleblowers, who let the game flow.


That’s not what’s been happening in stop-start contests that have plagued the NRL in 2018, where there’s been on average 17 penalties a game. Slowing down the play the ball and standing deliberately offside have been so commonplace they’ve actually lent credibility to the favourite catchcry of supporters standing on hills at suburban grounds: “He’s been doing it all day, ref!”


Speaking after NSW had wrapped up the series opener 22-12 at the MCG, Gould questioned why we can’t see Origin-esque officiating every weekend and took a pot shot at refs who take it upon themselves to become the centre of attention in the NRL.


“Why can’t we have that every week?” Gould said on the Channel 9 telecast. “Why can’t we have that every week at every club game? That’s football.


“They (referees) just can’t get it through their bone heads of what football really is.”
Gould had plenty of support in the form of recently retired Queensland captain Cameron Smith, who was singing from the same songsheet.


“It makes for a better spectacle,” Smith said. “It’d be great for the game to see it go that way.


“It makes for a great game for the players, but most importantly for the fans watching it.


“The players get to play the match out, not the officials.”


In a rare show of unity, former NSW skipper Paul Gallen agreed with his adversary from north of the Tweed, saying the pace of the game allowed smaller men like Blues hooker Damien Cook and Tedesco to take advantage of tired big men through the middle of the field.


But it’s not just the referees who can learn a lesson from Wednesday night’s action. Speaking on the Triple M Grill Team this morning, Newcastle great Matthew Johns said the players need to take credit for not cheating the system in the biggest game of the year.


He said the whistleblowers’ performance depends on the willingness of the men they are in charge of to play fairly and if the 34 players stick to the rules then the game is better for everyone.


And it was.


Outside of a 50-50 call where Dane Gagai was ruled to have knocked on — as opposed to having the ball stripped by Angus Crichton — the referees had few controversial moments to adjudicate.


“Those little calls go your way and go against you,” Queensland coach Kevin Walters said. “On this occasion it could’ve gone either way, It went NSW’s way and then we just weren’t quite good enough to defend that set.”


Blues coach Brad Fittler was far more forthright in his views. “He dropped the ball. He should have been better,” he said.


“I don’t think there were many things the referees had to rule on.


“There was the Gagai one and the Maloney forward pass was a 50-50 call against us and they scored just after that.


“Outside that I think it was pretty clear-cut. There wasn’t many questionable decisions. They did a good job.”

Game two sold out in Sydney.

A few soft tries for the cane-toads but shit that happens.

The Blues will be better for the second game.

State of Origin: Matt Prior a shock inclusion as three added to injury-hit NSW squad

Cronulla's Matt Prior has come from the clouds to be named in the NSW team for State of Origin II.
Prior, Gold Coast forward Ryan James and Sydney Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary were included in a 20-man squad
announced late on Saturday night by coach Brad Fittler.

The only player missing from the team who beat Queensland 22-12 in the series opener at the MCG is Penrith's
Reagan Campbell-Gillard, who broke his jaw on Friday night against the Roosters.

Roosters centre Latrell Mitchell will need to prove his fitness after suffering a neck injury in the same game, while
Canberra's Nick Cotric — 18th man for the Blues in game one — has been left out.

Sharks coach Shane Flanagan revealed Fittler only asked about Prior's health on Friday night.
"He didn't say he was in. He just said he was looking at him and asked a few questions about him, about how his
health and fitness is, how many minutes he's been playing," Flanagan said.

The stunning call-up for the 31-year-old comes after 11 seasons in the NRL, including a major role in the Sharks'
maiden premiership in 2016.

NSW 20-man squad for game two:

Josh Addo-Carr,
Nathan Cleary,
Damien Cook,
Boyd Cordner (capt),
Angus Crichton,
Jack de Belin,
Tyson Frizell,
Ryan James,
Luke Keary,
David Klemmer,
James Maloney,
Latrell Mitchell,
Tyrone Peachey,
Matt Prior,
James Roberts,
Tariq Sims,
James Tedesco,
Jake Trbojevic,
Tom Trbojevic,
Paul Vaughan.

---

Queensland coach Kevin Walters will name his Maroons squad for Origin II on Monday in Brisbane.

Maybe another Member could post the QLD up when it's announced?

QUEENSLAND SQUAD:
1. Billy Slater
2. Valentine Holmes
3. Greg Inglis (C)
4. Will Chambers
5. Dane Gagai
6. Cameron Munster
7. Ben Hunt
8. Dylan Napa
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Jarrod Wallace
11. Gavin Cooper
12. Felise Kaufusi
13. Josh McGuire
Bench: Kalyn Ponga, Josh Papalii, Coen Hess, Jai Arrow. 18th man: Tim Glasby.

Munster played like a superstar in his last club game against the Knights.

I hope the Blues can control him..

^He's a good player with a bright future but by all accounts he's a bit of a rat-bag, more so when he's had a few drinks. I can't imaging Craig Bellamy letting that get out of hand on his watch, but he needs to keep his head in check or he'll end up in the Barba - Carney - Bird scrap heap.

Everyone is talking about Ponga but he's nothing more than a kid with talent finding his feet at the top level. He's played the full 80 mins in all of 15 NRL games, lost 9 of them, and was shown to be seriously wanting when the Sharks then the Eels put the Knights to the sword a few weeks ago. I think he'll get smashed when he tries his fancy footwork against the NSW pack, but let's see....

I just hope that Munster's passes find Addo-carr in clear space, just like they did against the Knights.......

^The Fox scored 2 x 80m tries yesterday. It's pointless even chasing him.

Anyone know a live stream that will work for todays match. I'm hopeless at that shit.
Thanks.