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Much has been written about the generation of underprivileged New South Welshchildren who’d never basked in the reflected glory of an Origin series win until three weeks ago.
Forgotten in all the excitement? The Queensland kids who’d never tasted defeat.
All around the Sunshine State parents had to placate stricken children last month, explaining to them that all of this had happened before and would most likely happen again.
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Those sobbing youngsters from drought-affected areas who witnessed Blues players celebrating after Game 2 hadn’t been so terrified since the first time they saw the heavens open and water begin to tumble down from above.
It’s for this generation of Queensland innocents that the Maroons will run away with Game 3, ensuring that the only 3-0 victory enjoyed in New South Wales this year is by the tightknit Spanish community when their heroes humiliated the Socceroos in Brazil.
There’s also the little matter of restoring lost pride for Queensland rugby league’s equivalent of the Socceroos’ much-vaunted golden generation.
Johnathan Thurston, Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Greg Inglis and Cooper Cronk are unaccustomed to losing when they pull on the maroon of Queensland, or the green and gold of Australia for that matter.
But in State of Origin 2014, Queensland have played not so much like they’re chasing victory, but trying to stave off defeat. The tactics have been predictable – bash and barge up the middle, then sweeping second-man plays to the left at the attacking end in the hope that JT or GI can find a way through the defence.
The Blues, to their credit, have been borderline indomitable.
With the shackles of history cast off and a (hopefully, maybe) capacity Lang Park crowd roaring their approval, the Maroons now have the freedom to abandon their structures and start playing the brand of off-the-cuff football that suits their left-edge weapons.
They’ll also welcome the return of Cooper Cronk to the No. 7 jersey. While many argue that Smith is the master controller of this Queensland locomotive, and just as many believe Daly Cherry-Evans is the conductor in-waiting, since Darren Lockyer decided to focus on his TV commentary career, Cronk has become the cool head this team turns to in a crisis.
Make no mistake – in the Queensland capital, NSW going #oneinarow is a crisis of ‘Joh for PM’ proportions.
There are also Maroons reputations to be made, and legacies to set in stone as legends eye off their sign-off from the Origin arena.
On the former tip, Will Chambers finally sheds his reputation as Queensland Origin’s Andy Bichel by turning his record-breaking 18th Man run into a long-awaited first 17 appearance. Chambers will have little fear of Daniel Tupou standing opposite him in attack, nor will makeshift centre Josh Dugan trouble either he or inside man Justin Hodges.
Instead of watching proceedings from the nearby Paddo Tavern’s saloon bar, big Dave Taylor will push through the dressing room doors and order the cure for what ails him at Origin’s last-chance saloon.
If those big thighs start pumping, the Blues trainers will spend much of their night administering concussion tests on the sidelines. If they don’t, Stadiums Queensland can order his FOGs plaque for the Lang Park forecourt, safe in the knowledge his Origin games played tally has topped out.
Still, it’s a trio of old stagers who I expect to have the biggest impact on proceedings tonight.
Playing his 30th Origin match in a row, Johnathan Thurston will be determined to improve on sub-par outings in his 28th and 29th. Nothing has stuck for JT this series, and with Cronk returned he’ll have more freedom to call the shots when required, as opposed to trying to do everything himself.
It’s also hard to imagine Justin Hodges and Billy Slater limping their way through another Origin-interrupted NRL season. Hodges has been solid but far from spectacular this series, racking up plenty of metres from dummy-half but only finding himself in open space on one occasion.
Slater, on the other hand, has been up there with Jarryd Hayne, Nate Myles and Paul Gallen as one of the series’ headline acts. As I wrote around these parts recently he’s not one to die wondering, and I’m expecting him to add a man of the match award to his honour roll tonight in what could be his last appearance in maroon.
Queensland by 12 in a free-flowing affair. Expect the sin bin to get a workout.
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