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What a white-knuckled piece of gear we were served up for last night’s 2014 interstate opener at Suncorp – the 100th instalment of State of Origin that came with a seemingly 100 year long pre-match program.
In case you decided instead to hide in a sinkhole in Newcastle or endure Masterchef like some kind of loony flake, here’s how the combatants rated in NSW’s gritty 12-8 upset victory over Queensland, at Suncorp Stadium.
Jarryd Hayne – 9
Pre-match fluff stated he is single, but his eHarmony account will now be flooded with date requests from four million fawning New South Welshmen after a virtuoso showing in attack and defence that hauled his team to a famous victory. This was one for the pool room. Man of the match.
Brett Morris – 7
Scored the opener for the Blues and then rose like jeebus after popping a hinge, and don’t forget his late clutch tackle on Darius Boyd to deny a match-levelling try.
Michael Jennings – 6
Wasn’t able to totally kick up his heels in attack but worked his backside off for yards when the going got tough.
Josh Morris – 7
Policed his side with authority and linked nicely for the opening try with his doppelganger. Is fast proving himself as the closest thing around to Inglis-kryptonite.
Daniel Tupou – 6
Had some hairy moments in defence under the high ball but in the early stages of sets showed initiative and went looking for work, defying the trend for most 21 year old Australian men.
Josh Reynolds – 7
Added polish to the end of the Blues sets with some tidy kicks and served up his brash sparkage in spades. Looked at home – however could come in for some forced leave without pay after a dangerous lift in the first half. On report.
Trent Hodkinson – 7
Psyched out the Maroons halves with his inked-up nipples when he got shirtless in the first half and never looked back. Despite a few grass-free kicks, look composed.
Aaron Woods – 7
Set his PB for Origin with 9 runs for 96 metres, topping his previous best of curdled crap on mouldy toast. Worked as hard as a man with that much hair should.
Robbie Farah – 7
Probed and directed in attack as well as topping the tackle count with 37- and only had one club game in preparation. Invaluable resource.
James Tamou – 7
Got on the front foot early with some zesty charges and finished with an impressive 30 tackles.
Ryan Hoffman – 7
One of the rare instances of a Melbourne Storm employee making it to the end of the game without the need for surgery. Will be playing four different positions when he returns to club duties.
Beau Scott – 7
Worked hard and wrangled the Maroons edge-men like he was back on the farm dealing with those uncooperative boars. Unfashionable, balding, easy-to-miss but showed his value with telling defence, especially at the death.
Paul Gallen – 8
Another captain’s knock with a mammoth 22 runs for 173 metres and a lazy 29 tackles. Would’ve earned another rating point had he punched Nate Myles while he was doing push-ups before kickoff.
Trent Merrin – 7
For a low-gravity chubster, he sure does bring the energy. Copped some bone-bruisers when the Maroons roared back to life but never shirked the task.
Anthony Watmough – 7
The reformed madman from Manly played like a security blanket with his reliable runs. Provided great back-up to Hodkinson in the bird-tattoo department too.
Luke Lewis – 6
Didn’t see a great deal of minutes but provided some thrust when the whips were cracking late on. Give him a week or two on ‘Lite and Easy’ and some club games and he’ll be back to his best for game two.
Tony Williams – 6
Asked a few questions with his brute size and ran 4 times for 40 metres.
Billy Slater – 7
Produced a couple of slashing runs and was his usual solid self with the custodian duties. Made a rash choice at the death. Will be helping Hoffman share the load at the Storm in coming weeks- due to shortages he may have to feed the ball to himself in the scrum.
Darius Boyd – 7
“When you put on the maroon jersey you lift a cog” – Boyd’s Theorem now proven as scientifically watertight after his two try resurrection from his gratis club malaise. Played like a man recompensed.
Justin Hodges – 6
Had a quiet match by his own high standards except for at the halftime hooter when he entered in to Suncorp Question Time with Jarryd Hayne.
Greg Inglis – 7
Engaged in high-class flank warfare with Josh Morris but didn’t influence the match like we know he can. Showed a few glimpses when he found space to unleash the slick finishing of the light-pocketed Boyd.
Brent Tate – 8
One of the Maroons best with some searching pressure-relieving runs totalling 164 metres. An old-stager who keeps on showing up to provide relief for his forwards and Roger Ramjet gags for the Twitterati.
Jonathon Thurston – 4
A highly uncharacteristic showing from the mercurial five-eighth that was dotted with some untimely dropped ball and misdirected passes. Undoubtedly demoralised by Hodkinson’s bird tatts.
Cooper Cronk – 2
Departed in the 9th minute with a suspected broken arm sustained from contact with the titanium car-bonnet forehead of Nate Myles.
Matt Scott – 8
Was an absolute leviathan in the middle third for the home side with 24 tackles and 9 barnstorming carries. Queensland’s best forward by a country kilometre.
Cameron Smith – 8
Shook off a limp in the 45th minute to produce another sterling performance in the engine room. Tackled his rump off in the Blues first half surge and finished with a monster 46 tackles. Conditioning himself nicely for tax time.
Nate Myles – 7
Produced a bomb in the 3rd minute, proving that he read the coach’s instruction leaflet upside down when he was on the physio table before kickoff. Produced some defensive brutality in the Queensland second half rebound.
Chris McQueen – 4
Gave his all but was dwarfed in a beaten pack. For a man riffing with his employers for a contract upgrade, that’s officially Advantage Souths.
Matt Gillett – 6
Was barely sighted in attack in the first half as the Blues ran roughshod but put in a worthy shift in defence with 30 tackles. Spilled a soda 10 metres out from the line in the first half that would’ve almost certainly have been points.
Corey Parker – 7
The silver fox continues to age like a pungent Shiraz- he produced another sweat-soaked representative showing with 33 tackles and 12 runs.
Daly Cherry-Evans – 5
Was still having the Dencorub applied to the thighs when he was called in to action for the one-armed Cronk in the 9th minute. Took a while to find his groove and couldn’t quite unlock the Blues defence in the final stages.
Ben Te’o – 6
Provided some much-needed punch off the pine in the second half, proving his Ronnie Palmer-like fitness levels after a taxing week of Zumba classes.
Aiden Guerra – 6
Showed he’s no mug at rep level by providing impact when he was called in to action in the second half. A sturdy debut.
Josh Papalii – 5
Another who’s attacking numbers were victim to the Blues domineering first half but was in no way disgraced on the defensive end. His display will be fondly remembered by Queenslanders for his attempt to splice Gallen between the shoulder-blades in the second half.
Other ratings:
Suncorp Surface – 2
Players slipping constantly hurt the game. Gets two points for being green and being similar to grass. Must improve.
Mount Franklin – 10
Coaches were getting through the water bottles in their coaches box. Seriously, they’re drinking more than the players up there.
MORE ORIGIN:
>> Highlights, live blog and reaction
>> Full time report
>> SMITHY: New Blues show discipline is the trick
>> O’CONNELL: Five talking points from Origin 1
>> Cheap Seats Podcast: Origin 1 special