NSW should stop whinging and ask why they couldn’t score points
Roar Guru By mushi, 25 May 2012 mushi is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk, Greg Inglis, Rugby League
126 Have your say
Darius Boyd scores a try while being tackled by Akuila Uate during State of Origin 1 between Queensland and New South Wales at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Wednesday, May 23, 2012. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Renee McKay)
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Nothing is more certain than the bleating Blues post a close Origin defeat. Of course the Blues didn’t lose the match, the referees conspired to steal it from them.
Just like every other defeat since they started caring about Origin.
Sure Hayne punching Thurston is perfectly acceptable and of course NSW were allowed to grab Cooper Cronk as he attempted to race back to the 20 for a quick restart and pull back Billy Slater as he ran in support of a break.
There were mistakes that went both ways and it is amazing how selective the memory of a poor loser is.
Let’s ignore the Greg Inglis try for a second, which I’m sure NSW would be defending if the roles were reversed and pretend we are at 12-10 with seven minutes to go.
Yes the match has a different complexion, but why is there this great faith that NSW would have found a way to pick up the points in the next seven minutes from their own end?
All game, NSW seemingly had no plan to actually convert pressure into points other than hope QLD made an error. Their philosophy seemed to be “let’s wait till Billy Slater screws up”.
They got two tries out of it, but was this supposed to be some grand master plan to unlock 30 points?
Gallen laid the platform but his team seemed incapable of producing anything that would pierce the line and deliver points ball in hand. Frankly, I think he was the real man of the match and that NSW selectors are doing Gallen an injustice with this claytons forward pack.
There were some sweeping movements for Jennings and Hayne but those came with the knowledge that it allows the defence to cover and either needed a ball inside or some kind of structure for the next tackle.
Neither were forthcoming.
Even when T-Rex was introduced and caused nightmares for the QLD pack, where was the straight runner off his hip to take advantage?
At one point, I think he sent an offload to a QLD player out of pure exasperation.
This is where I look at Gallen’s decision to let Carney take the shot at goal and ask was it a brain explosion or just pure desperation after being repelled time and time again.
The whole approach of the Blues in attack just seemed very odd given this was supposedly a team selected to rack up points faster than new fly buys.
Instead, we were treated to the new stage production of ruck. Kick, Pray
As a Queenslander, I certainly hope they continue to focus on their attention of the great injustice of a 50-50 call going against them.
Much better than focusing on why they were trailing 12-10 anyway, despite a very poor performance from Slater, horrible tactical kicking from Cronk and Gallen having one of his best matches in a sky blue jersey.
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- Explore:
- Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk, Greg Inglis, Rugby League
May 25th 2012 @ 3:48am
Johnno said | May 25th 2012 @ 3:48am | Report comment
Mushi a bit hard on the blues i might add, they were only behind by 2 if carney didn’t take that shot at goal they could of got a try they had the momentum and the confidence to score a try and cross QLD’ advantage line just a rush off blood deciding to take the goal .
And mushi 8 minutes to go they had lots of momentum or was it 12 to go but NSW were in control QLD were tiring rapidly.
May 25th 2012 @ 8:34am
mushi said | May 25th 2012 @ 8:34am | Report comment
So if they’d have scored more points then they’d have scored more points? Do Queensland get an “if” button as well. In that case we’ll take it on the two Billy Slater drops?
Clearly Gallen didn’t have that confidence when he went for the two.
They had 7 mintues (the NRL games stats put the try at 73 minutes). I don’t have the minute by minute bookies line but I would be stunned if NSW were favourites when that kick went up.
May 27th 2012 @ 12:24pm
Ronnie the Eel said | May 27th 2012 @ 12:24pm | Report comment
I wonder why biased QLD supporters are allowed to have a role in the media? E.g. Lewis, Fatty, and now the new kid on the block, mushi. 50-50 decisons going against us… that’s an almost laughable comment… a good role model for you (and others) would be Sterlo, he is an Eels and a Blues great and shows no bias in his commentary, etc. Gallen’s decison was a brain explosion pure and simple, and Stuart was seen pulling out his hair in the box after the decison was made.
Don’t give us that mumbo jumbo about the NSW philosophy being waiting for Slater to screw up. I’ve lost count of the times that QLD have waited (for the invariably occurring) Blues brain explosions that occur when QLD just capitalise and score points off the back of. A few have cost us the series in crucial matches to decide origin series – the Brett Hodson fumble to hand Lockyer the winning try as an example that springs to mind. You are correct in stating that the Blues attack lacks potency and they couldn’t score enough points. QLD are a great side with the majority of their players making up the nucleus of the Australian side. But they aren’t the superhumans they are made out to be… QLD don’t win as many games as you think, NSW just LOSE them….
QLD also out-think and capitalise on NSW errors- that is the crux of the difference between the two sides for the past few years as well as the fact we haven’t had stars to pick from like the old days of Daley, Fittler, Clyde and Johns, for example. it’s a shame that the T-Rex wrecking ball won’t be available for the rest of the series, Watmough seems to be a logical replacement and Soward for Carney as his confidence was shot in Game 1 and asking him to kick for that penalty goal from 40m was an inconceivable decison by Gallen.
I was impressed with GI and Dave Taylor though on Friday night for the Rabbits as they were almost unstoppable and looked to be playing better than they did for the Maroons on Origin night…!
May 25th 2012 @ 2:57pm
pC said | May 25th 2012 @ 2:57pm | Report comment
that’s exactly the point tho Johnno. NSW had so much momentum and field position during the game. They were so dominant, but did nothing to convert that into points. seriously, who would have kicked from 40m out when the maroons were tired and NSW had all the momentum?
that’s where they lost it
May 25th 2012 @ 5:32am
Shungmao said | May 25th 2012 @ 5:32am | Report comment
NSW had more completed sets, more run metres, more time in possession, more penalties , less tackles made, less missed tackles and less kick meters So Mushi a good question…………
May 25th 2012 @ 7:34am
Blaze said | May 25th 2012 @ 7:34am | Report comment
Let’s just ignore any rub of the green that the maroons players admit to being lucky with… Look, I can understand general bad reffing, but when it is that one sided and followed up with “stick it up your clacker” articles like this, it makes me sick.
May 25th 2012 @ 8:27am
mushi said | May 25th 2012 @ 8:27am | Report comment
Yeah well you’ve got slew of articles written on this site from the experts and gurus bleating about the try, sin binning and one tackle. If self indulgent pity is more your style then please feel free to take a look.
There you will find no discussion of decisions or refereeing philosophy that went in your favour. More importantly you will find little discussion on why a team picked apparently to score points didn’t even look like scoring outside of three kicks relying on blunders.
May 25th 2012 @ 8:38am
Will Sinclair said | May 25th 2012 @ 8:38am | Report comment
Hmmmm…
Not sure about this Mushi.
I think most people agree that Jennings should have been sin-binned, that Bird should NOT have been penalised and that while it may be possible to find a technical justification for the Inglis try… anyone with two eyes and a passing understanding of rugby league knows a knock-on when they see one.
May 25th 2012 @ 8:49am
Blaze said | May 25th 2012 @ 8:49am | Report comment
So farah didn’t even look like scoring when he was held up over the line? Please, you all go on about us not being gracious in defeat, but say nothing about gloating over what was clearly a lucky and get out of gaol type “win”. That is what makes me sick. Majority of even qlders know that win was nothing to get all high and mighty over yet, here we are, trying to say that the blues were worse than the maroons…. Sorry but the only difference at the end of the day was the refs. Crystal clearly. It’s funny how even even you discribe other articles about the try etc, are written by ” experts and gurus”. Look end of the day, the blues lost, but don’t try and put it down to the blues being poor in attack… Yes it was a woeful decision to take the kick, but they were on a roll all the way through the game until the ref figured it out. By all means take the win, but don’t pretend it’s not hollow.
May 25th 2012 @ 9:06am
damoinaus said | May 25th 2012 @ 9:06am | Report comment
Bill Harrigan admitted yesterday that Matt Scott could have been sent off as well for instigating the fight. If he doesn’t throw the ball at Bird’s head, we don’t have an all-in to start with.
Could have been a different game completely.
It’s very sad that reffing decisions dominate the aftermath – but you have to admit, controversial calls seemed to happen at key times when NSW had QLD on the back foot.
May 25th 2012 @ 10:23am
The High Shot said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:23am | Report comment
If Bird didn’t needlessly shove Scott to the ground in the first place…
May 25th 2012 @ 10:50am
damoinaus said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:50am | Report comment
There’s a difference between a shove and a ball in the back of the head right? Did the shove cause everyone to run in, or the reaction to the shove?
Anyway, I’m making reference to Harrigan’s comment that Matt Scott could have been sent to the bin…he didn’t say anything about Greg Bird.
May 25th 2012 @ 11:45am
Blaze said | May 25th 2012 @ 11:45am | Report comment
The swinging arm in the brawl from Tate before Jennings got there was probably the decision maker of what Jennings was going to do when he got there too…. I would have been happy for Tate and Jennings to go for ten… But sending one player and no other shows bias to me..
May 25th 2012 @ 12:11pm
Handles said | May 25th 2012 @ 12:11pm | Report comment
If you want to be a pedant, neither the shove nor the ball to the head caused everyone to rush in. Bird turning and reacting to the ball to the head caused them to rush in.
May 25th 2012 @ 12:46pm
PLANKO said | May 25th 2012 @ 12:46pm | Report comment
The High Shot,
Bird did not needlessly do anything. I saw a need for him to do it.
Handles,
How does one be a pedant ? Is that some reference to a pendant scott put on himself when he threw the ball at Bird.
One more thing Mr Tate was playing on Jenning’s wing I thnik he came from a long way as well ?
May 25th 2012 @ 3:00pm
Dom said | May 25th 2012 @ 3:00pm | Report comment
You need to remember that Qld won the penalty for the Bird push….The Qld bloke then carried on.
May 25th 2012 @ 7:50am
KSI said | May 25th 2012 @ 7:50am | Report comment
I think everybody seems to ignore the fact because they won. But QLD were nowhere near what they are capable of. NSW played their best as a team. God help NSW when QLD click. It took till game 3 last year and we know how that first half went.
May 25th 2012 @ 10:13am
WQ said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:13am | Report comment
They were ordinary KSI and in my opinion going through the motions.
That will not happen again this series and I feel NSW may have missed an opportunity to bag an Origin game by trying to bag a QLD’er
May 25th 2012 @ 12:20pm
Terry Kidd said | May 25th 2012 @ 12:20pm | Report comment
Sorry KSI I don’t agree that NSW played at their best or Qld at their worst.
What was glaringly obvious was that in attack Qld had far more cohesion and understanding, probably gained from time together combinations, whereas NSW at times looked lost as to what to do next.
I groaned in frustration every time I saw Carney put up that short high kick to the line, cos Qld were protecting their catcher really well and had no trouble diffusing them. Where was the variation? Where were the grubbers to force repeat sets?
Forget the refereeing. Qld were the smarter team, and although they were on the back foot they got up and won. NSW dominated but were not smart enough to turn the dominance into points.
Hopefully they will learn from that for Game 2.
May 25th 2012 @ 8:12am
eagleJack said | May 25th 2012 @ 8:12am | Report comment
I love a good old high and mighty “Nothing is more certain than the bleating blues post a close Origin defeat” type article. Cause I’ve never heard a QLDer whinge. They are always so gracious in defeat and humble in victory. Us lowly southerners can only dream of reaching such lofty heights.
May 25th 2012 @ 9:09am
damoinaus said | May 25th 2012 @ 9:09am | Report comment
I spoke to a Queenslander at work the next day – she said “NSW are such good losers”.
She was trying to be humble, but jeez that comment p’ssed me right off.
May 25th 2012 @ 10:17am
WQ said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:17am | Report comment
Thank you eagleJack as a QLD’er I appreciate your comments. By the way never give up because dreams are free and they do come true even for lowly southerners.
May 25th 2012 @ 10:37am
Mals said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:37am | Report comment
Yep a bit like Oikee coming on here and congratulating the opposition when the Broncos lose! Bahahaha
May 27th 2012 @ 12:39pm
Ronnie the Eel said | May 27th 2012 @ 12:39pm | Report comment
Well said eagle Jack! I’ve also had enough of the ungracious QLD supporters (read 99% of them) and their need to continually talk up their team after they win. They must need to find reasons to raise their collectively low self-esteem or they still have resentments about being set up as a penal colony for the “worst of the worst’ and thrown out of NSW, and now continue to have a strong resentment toward us.
Also, in their media, they will grab anyone who has any from of success and call them a “Queenslander” even if they might only have lived there for a month, just so they can jump on the winners bandwagon… we donlt hear much about the great successes over the past few years in the NRL of the Broncos, Cowboys, Titans, do we? Oh, that’s right, because there hasn’t been any! So much for the one-city wonders (the Broncos) and all their money, sponsorship and large supporter base…..
And who was up in Brisbane helping them when their little river overflowed last year? Lots of New South Welshmen and a few of the sydney-based teams… that’s who… if the shoe was on the other foot I wonder if we would see anyone from the Broncos or Titans rushing to our aid?
May 25th 2012 @ 8:24am
Gr8trWeStr said | May 25th 2012 @ 8:24am | Report comment
I agree that the awarding of the try was not what lost the game for NSW but not with much more mushi says, I suspect everybody agrees the decision to kick for goal was a bad one.. He clearly had his maroon coloured glasses on.
What lost the match for NSW was the second half of the first half where they let Queensland back into the match by getting away from playing disciplined football and starting the niggle tactics. This culminated in Jennings being sin binned and Queensland being able to exploit a defensive weakness down Uate’s wing.
What NSW need to learn is that you don’t beat an extremely talented side with niggle you beat them with disciplined, physical football.
May 25th 2012 @ 8:39am
mushi said | May 25th 2012 @ 8:39am | Report comment
It clearly was a bad decision yes. But even bad decisions generally have some kind of process around them.
So either Gallen is troglodyte incapable of cognitive thought (in which case great decision as captain) or he made a (bad) decision presumably based on his confidence in scoring the try.
May 25th 2012 @ 9:31am
Gr8trWeStr said | May 25th 2012 @ 9:31am | Report comment
Whatever the thought processes it did show a lack of confidence in their ability to score a try.
The fact still remains that, for the period of time both teams had 13 on the field NSW out scored Queensland 10-6, so Queensland’s ability to score points must come under question as much as NSW. Especially, when that 6 points was highly controversially, coming down to the contact with Farah’s boot, even though primarily cause by Inglis trying to ground the boot, being a kick and Inglis’s ensuing contact with the ball between the ‘kick’ and Inglis grounding the ball not being Inglis playing atr the ball.
May 25th 2012 @ 10:18am
Michael/Brisbane said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:18am | Report comment
Actually they only scored once when it was 13 on 12. So when it was 13 all the score was 12-10.
May 25th 2012 @ 2:25pm
Gr8trWeStr said | May 25th 2012 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
Oops!! I stand corrected.
Queensland still barely out scored NSW and mushi’s contention is that NSW need to ask why they couldn’t score points. I don’t think that’s a valid claim given that NSW were down a player for 10 minutes, had a number of debutantes and yet weren’t comprehensively beaten.
May 25th 2012 @ 3:05pm
Gr8trWeStr said | May 25th 2012 @ 3:05pm | Report comment
My original point was that the game was lost in the through NSW’s niggling indiscipline in the second 20 minutes of the first half and Queensland did score two tries in that effectively won them the game in that 20 minutes.
May 25th 2012 @ 11:35am
JVGO said | May 25th 2012 @ 11:35am | Report comment
Qld were dominated for 60 minutes of that game, totally dominated. The 20 minutes where Qld were on top were all on the back of Jennings sin bin. But seriously Ricky cannot coach sweeping backline edge play. Cronulla never even attempted it when he was there.
NSW however definitely have flaws but they are way younger than their QLD counterparts and once they learn to win the dynasty will be finished. If NSW had Inglis now, as they should, it would be over already.
May 25th 2012 @ 12:13pm
Handles said | May 25th 2012 @ 12:13pm | Report comment
The old classic – “We dominated everywhere except the scoreboard”!
May 25th 2012 @ 12:56pm
Australian Rules said | May 25th 2012 @ 12:56pm | Report comment
Indeed Handles.
NSW looked good…except when they had to score. Bombing and hoping all night long.
Also good that we were treated with the standard post-game whinge: conspiracy theories, reffing, he-said she-said, ‘we was robbed’…etc.
It all adds to the rich tapestry that is the Blues brand. And I see that Sticky’s come out and said he won’t do any media in the lead up to Origin II.
Outstanding!
With such a strong culture and rich tradition, I’m confident that the Blues legacy of being second-rate will endure for generations to come.
May 25th 2012 @ 8:27am
turbodewd said | May 25th 2012 @ 8:27am | Report comment
Cronk crafted a cross-field kick to Slater which led to the Inglis try. Pearce launched bombs all night which Tate easily defused 4 times!
Cronk & Thurston are clearly 2 notches above the NSW halves – this is why the Blues struggle to score pts.
May 25th 2012 @ 8:31am
Will Sinclair said | May 25th 2012 @ 8:31am | Report comment
I really agree with this.
I reckon if you swap the halves on Wednesday night, then NSW win by 18 points or more.
Until the Blues halves start taking control of the game, then NSW has no hope.
May 25th 2012 @ 9:02am
damoinaus said | May 25th 2012 @ 9:02am | Report comment
True true…Pearce and Carney didn’t seem to have their heads in the game.
Pearce defended bravely, but his kicking options (or skills) let him down. Too often it was straight down a defender’s throat. Game 2 he will need to find more open space with his kicking and turn the backs around.
Carney was just overawed. He’ll be better for the experience – but is he really a player of representative calibre?
I think it’s great that NSW have plenty of kicking options in general play – Pearce, Carney, Hayne and Farah…but I really believe the 6 and 7 should shoulder the majority of the kicking duties. They need to feel that they are in charge of steering the team around, not playing second fiddle to the other kickers.
May 25th 2012 @ 9:09am
PLANKO said | May 25th 2012 @ 9:09am | Report comment
I agree that Carney did not have a good game but for some reason they were stealing space on each other(Pearce and Carney). Space is like oxygen to a ball player. Cronk is not a ball player and that suit’s Thurston. Cronk rarely runs to the line with the thought of giving a pass before the line. Pearce and Carney both stole space from the rest of the backline as well which in part explains Glenn Stewart sub par performance with the ball.
May 25th 2012 @ 11:23am
Renegade said | May 25th 2012 @ 11:23am | Report comment
“Cronk rarely runs to the line with the thought of giving a pass before the line.”
You either haven’t watched many games invlolving Cronk or are just kidding…..I don’t think our halves played well but at the same time for some reason Robbie Farah kept putting himself in a position to have the ball on the last tackle.
Somebody needs to tell him that he is the hooker not halfback or five-eighth. Carney really needs inject himself more and demand that he is to be the person with ball in hand on last tackle.
Brett Stewart also gave too much early ball each time he received it on a backline movement, big difference between Slater and him. Your right about Glenn Stewart though, he may as well have not been on the field he contributed very little and should improve ten fold in game 2.
May 25th 2012 @ 11:34am
PLANKO said | May 25th 2012 @ 11:34am | Report comment
Ok renegade i dont agree most of the time I have seen him play “I think” He runs to the line to go through it then pass. It is also just my opinion that when he does pass in front of the line it is a structured move from Bellamy with Slater running off him. Whereas thurston plays his best when there is no structure. He just drifted across and made it up as he went along like Marshall and Johnson do now and Lewis and Lyons used to. Half the key to these players you can’t defend them cause they don’t know what they are going to do.
I thought both the Stewart brothers were average and it was because both our halves were stealing the space and not using it. Happy to have them dropped.
May 25th 2012 @ 11:57am
Renegade said | May 25th 2012 @ 11:57am | Report comment
No i don’t think they need to be dropped….we just need more impact on the bench.
Watmough —-> Creagh
Hinchliffe —–> Buhrer
Learoyd Lars —–> Merrin
May 25th 2012 @ 12:56pm
PLANKO said | May 25th 2012 @ 12:56pm | Report comment
Renegade I am a Manly fan quite happy they got through the game and would be happy to see them just play for the mighty eagles. Nah Watmough terrible player should never play orgin again. When are team’s with Orgin players going to get compensation for supplying the players ? Forget raise the players payments most of them are one reasonable pay checks now.
May 25th 2012 @ 3:38pm
Toddy said | May 25th 2012 @ 3:38pm | Report comment
I think you will find that Brett Stewart also steals space he get the ball runs a diagonal, does not draw a players and shovels the ball to the centre and winger leaving no space.
I just don’t think he is up origin anymore. He may still look good at club level but in the heat of origin he does not have the pace he used too and offers little. He backs up well but has no passing game and struggles to beat the man anymore.
May 25th 2012 @ 11:49am
davico said | May 25th 2012 @ 11:49am | Report comment
???? Confused. Surely what you mean Slate, Tate and Inglis were superior at taking the high ball as otherwise your post does not make much sense. Also the amount of interference run by QLD players when high balls go up at both ends I think needs to be looked at. Yes I am a Blue but still think the game was close and if decisions had gone differently we might have won, but, they didn’t so just need to move on.
May 25th 2012 @ 8:28am
Will Sinclair said | May 25th 2012 @ 8:28am | Report comment
“Sure Hayne punching Thurston is perfectly acceptable …”
That was gold! How about the Thurston dive afterwards – it was a love tap for God’s sake! Big Artie would be rolling in his grave.
It means that either Jonathon Thurston has the ultimate glass jaw, or he is a diving cheat.
I know which one I am leaning towards.
May 25th 2012 @ 9:11am
PLANKO said | May 25th 2012 @ 9:11am | Report comment
The long short at the time show’s Thurston giving a forearm to Hayne. Take out the maroon contacts out the game is over. You saw the channel 9 replay of half the event.
May 25th 2012 @ 10:33am
oikee said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:33am | Report comment
Listen to yourselves.
If Thurston forearmed Hayne to the head, why did he not just stay down, take a dive like Gallen is teaching them at the Sharkies,
This bloke is devoid of morals.
Swim in your own cesspool of ats’n'ilth. Big Mal was spot on.
May 25th 2012 @ 10:45am
PLANKO said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:45am | Report comment
Oikee how olde are you ? You do why Mal kept braking his forearm don’t you ? He taught Thurston how to use it …
May 25th 2012 @ 8:36am
Will Sinclair said | May 25th 2012 @ 8:36am | Report comment
By the way Mushi – I agree with your broader point about NSW losing the game because they couldn’t convert pressure into points (and I said as much yesterday).
You could see the established QLD connections – Smith, Thurston, Cronk, Inglis, Slater – clicking into gear when they had opportunities, and they were absolutely magnificent and ruthless in taking advantge of possession and field position.
Meanwhile, the Blues were tentative and struggled to find combinations. It takes years to become as good as the Maroons – these things can’t be learnt in 10 days.
So it’s important that the selectors leave their faith in this NSW team, and in the likes of Pearce, Carney and Farah in particular, and give them time to develop combinations.
May 25th 2012 @ 8:58am
mushi said | May 25th 2012 @ 8:58am | Report comment
Agree I’d give the combination positions time if I were making decisions for the sky blue (I’d give Gallen more support in the pack though). My biggest worry for NSW is that to me that seemed like a coaches loss.
Stuart was crafty in getting his team to test how far they were allowed to push it from marker (I’m not whinging about that, it is just like in Rugby when you get guys that test to see how far the ref will let you go at the break down – part of the game).
But his team couldn’t have done the basics better, had ample opportunity but there wasn’t any kind of plan to their attack.
I kept having my heart in my mouth when T-Rex stood up thinking we’re about to see Brett flash through onto a short ball but it never happened.
Surely having no plan sits with Stuart right? Maybe he’ll hold a press conference to say Trent Barret told him that he’d told the players the plan but was lying?
May 25th 2012 @ 8:45am
B.A Sports said | May 25th 2012 @ 8:45am | Report comment
i Agree that NSW did not appear to have any clear game plan.
I also could not understand why Glenn Stewart, who at Manly catches the ball in front of him which keeps the defence in two minds as to what he will do, simply caught the ball on his chest almost all night and just ran at the defence, putting MOrris and UAte to sleep.
May 25th 2012 @ 9:04am
MyGeneration said | May 25th 2012 @ 9:04am | Report comment
A good point B.A, but I’d give Qld some credit for making sure that Stewart had little room to work with. It is to the Blues’ discredit that they couldn’t find extra room elsewhere, but that’s the ball-playing skill gap between the teams. It’s a worry that Manly’s opponents can’t afford to target Stewart, but Qld can. Although maybe that’s the difference in speed between club defensive lines and Origin ones.
May 25th 2012 @ 10:42am
Mals said | May 25th 2012 @ 10:42am | Report comment
BA Sports – Ricky had Glenn playing closer to the ruck than he usually does at Manly. Hence is lack of space & not holding the ball out in two hands.
May 25th 2012 @ 12:15pm
Handles said | May 25th 2012 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
Glenn Stewart’s passing was crap, too. He had his worst game of the year in attack.