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Every way I look at it, New South Wales beat Queensland at their own game with their masterly 14-6 triumph in the 2013 series opener at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night.
Laurie Daley’s Blues out-thought, out-muscled and ultimately out-played the Maroons in a tough and uncompromising performance in front of an 80,00-plus gallery.
I’m a Kiwi and have no allegiance to either state but this was riveting stuff and I loved every minute of it.
All the hallmarks of Queensland’s incredible seven successive series wins were shown by the men in Blue. Did someone switch jumpers before they ran on? Was this really NSW dominating one of the best rep teams ever assembled over 80 minutes?
NSW were on their game from the opening seconds and except for a brief Queensland rally in the second half, they were never in serious danger of defeat.
Everything the Blues did was achieved with speed and precision we haven’t seen from them in many, many seasons.
They smashed the Queenslanders time and again. Superstar category players were made to look like run-of-the-mill journeymen.
The footwork and agility shown by the NSW forwards really caught my eye.
Luke Lewis, for mine the standout player of the match, had a whale of game. This guy was inspirational in attack and defence and the Blues sure followed his lead.
Anthony Watmough wasn’t far behind him and I really liked the efforts of Paul Gallen, James Tamou, Robbie Farah and Greg Bird.
Out in the backs, the spotlight was well and truly on Mitchell Pearce and debutant James Maloney. Both excelled, I take my hat off to both of them.
Jarryd Hayne at fullback, the Morris twins, Blake Ferguson on the wing, Michael Jennings at centre – everyone in this NSW team performed superbly. Where will all the critics be hiding as this emphatic result sinks in?
This was no one-off performance. There is a new toughness, a new mindset, to the NSW Blues and they’ve got the team-work and firepower to bury Queensland over the next two games.
Well done to Laurie Daley for a top notch Origin coaching debut. Tactically, he didn’t miss a beat and his interchanges were spot-on throughout the contest.
Queensland have problems they probably didn’t see coming.
Most of their superstars were out-enthused and out-muscled on the night. There were occasional flashes from the likes of Justin Hodges and Cooper Cronk but for the most part Billy Slater, Greg Inglis and Johnathan Thurston weren’t sighted.
I cannot see NSW making any changes for Origin 2 in three weeks time but Mal Meninga might have to change things a little to get his men back on track.
Ben Hannant, if fit, would probably come into the picture. And I’m wondering if he’d consider switching Inglis to fullback to get him more involved in the action.
The pro-NSW crowd was a mighty factor in the Blues’ stirring win and the Maroons are going to need something similar at their backs if they are to turn the tables on this fiercely committed and well-drilled NSW combination up at Suncorp.
I think the Blues of 2013 are no flash in the pan. I saw enough tonight to suggest Queensland’s brilliant Origin run could come to a shuddering halt.
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