There’s nothing more dangerous than a Queensland rugby league side that has been humbled. They take on New South Wales at ANZ Stadium tonight with many points to prove.
It has the potential to be the very best of the 110 editions of rugby league’s Holly Grail – State of Origin.
State of Origin 2 coverage
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» Check out all the highlights from the thrilling Game 2
» WATCH: Andrew Johns unleashes a furious rant about the Blues’ woeful second half
With seven changes to the side that lost 28-4 in the opener at Suncorp, Queensland’s renowned pride, passion, and culture will be on show.
Five head-to-head match-ups stand out.
James Tedesco and Billy Slater will be a mouth-watering contest – it’s the world’s best with his successor, Tedesco, ready to pounce.
In my book, Tedesco has won two man-of-the-match awards in his two Origin outings, but he’s never played against Slater at this level, where the Melbourne custodian grows a leg.
It will be close and exciting, but Tedesco will tick this box.
Then there are the halves – Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney up against Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston.
The latter pair are the world’s best, and even though Thurston is returning from injury, he’s a field marshall whenever he takes the field.
Cronk and Thurston to tick this box.
Up front, where all the pain will be felt, it’ll be the enforcer Andrew Fifita turning on the power against Dylan Napa and debutant Jarrod Wallace, who certainly won’t shirk their responsibilities.
But it will still be Fifita to tick this box.
And the battle of the hookers between Nathan Peats and Cameron Smith.
Smith doesn’t know how to play a bad game at any level, but Peats stitched him up at Suncorp in a superb debut.
But champions like Smith will never be done twice and he’ll lift tonight as champions do. He ticks the hooker’s box.
That’s two boxes ticked apiece, with Aaron Woods’ clash with Maroons debutant Coen Hess the decider.
No prisoners will be taken in this head-to-head, with runaway train Hess off the bench early to tick the deciding box for the Maroons.
There’s one more exercise, and that’s the predicted individual points out of ten for the 34 squad members.
Backs
1 – James Tedesco (8) – Billy Slater (7).
2 – Brett Morris (5)- Valentine Holmes (6)
3 – Josh Dugan (4) – Will Chambers – (6)
4 – Jarryd Hayne (7) – Darius Boyd (7)
5 – Blake Ferguson (4) – Dane Gagai (7)
6 – James Maloney (7) – Johnathan Thurston (8);
7 – Mitchell Pearce (7) – Cooper Cronk (8).
NSW 42 points – Queensland 49.
Forwards
8 – Aaron Woods (6) – Dylan Napa (7)
9 – Nathan Peats (7) – Cameron Smith (8)
10 – Andrew Fifita (8) – Jarrod Walker (7)
11 – Josh Jackson (6) – Gavin Cooper (6)
12 – Boyd Cordner (7) – Matt Gillett (6)
13 – Tyson Frizell (6) – Josh McGuire (7)
NSW 40 – Queensland 41
Bench
14 – David Klemmer (7) – Michael Morgan (7)
15 – Wade Graham (7) – Josh Papalii (7)
16 – Jake Trbojevic (7) – Coen Hess (8)
17 – Jack Bird (7) – Tim Glasby (7)
NSW 28 – Queenland 29.
Overall
NSW 110 – Queensland 119.
So Queensland to win tonight in a showcase for rugby league.
And that will be assured if the referees Matt Cecchin and Gerard Sutton consistently control three vital aspects:
1. Get the defending player off the ball carrier quick smart.
2. Keep the play the ball honest.
3. And keep all 13 players onside at every kick-off, not just nine or ten of them.
So buckle up, Roarers. Origin 2 will be one for the ages.
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