New South Wales played rubbish rugby league at Suncorp last night, gift-wrapping a 26-6 win to Queensland to level the series with the decider in Sydney on July 17.
There was no zig, no zag, and no zip in the NSW lineup, apart from the 54th minute all-in brawl when Trent Merrin and Greg Bird copped 10 in the bin, along with Queenslanders Brent Tate and Justin Hodges, and Brett Morris’ 70th minute try.
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The rest was zilch; zero.
The 51,690 predominantly Maroon crowd loved New South Wales looking so ordinary as Johnathon Thurston and Cooper Cronk toyed with the men-in-blue.
Thurston spent Tuesday night in hospital with a viral infection, then infected the Blues with his brilliance last night. He’s a wizard when he’s in that commanding mood.
And Cronk wasn’t far behind.
But as a spectacle, Origin 2 fell way short of what was expected.
Very rarely can I sit at the keyboard and type that the Wallaby Test was a far better spectacle than an Origin game.
The Wallaby-Lions Test was a cracker; last night was a fizzer.
New South Wales dragged the mighty Maroons down to their level. Any one of the previous seven Origin series winners would have hammered the Blues of last night by 40-50 points – the 20-point difference flattered them.
Coach Laurie Daley look like a rabbit in the headlights as he watched his troops surrender with hardly a whimper.
They hadn’t scored a try in three halves of football until Morris went over since leading 14-0 at half time in Origin 1.
Many changes must be made for the decider with Adam Reynolds and Todd Carney at the top of the list. They would have sparked their lethargic team mates to at least make a contest of it.
Queensland dominated the stats – possession 53%, sets 40 to 32, completed sets 31 to 24, and missed tackles 22 to 33 – while New South Wales made the most tackles, with 362 to 291.
So it was a big night for Queenslanders: the Maroons won 26-6, and Kevin Rudd won 57-45 over Julia Gillard in the Labor Party leadership spill.
In fact, there was more action in Canberra than at Suncorp.
Let’s hope for far more intensive rugby league in Sydney’s Origin 3 on July 17.
Bigjohn
Guest
Could not agree more re the Morris offside try. It was right below us, and everyone was surprised when it was given straight away. But that also happens in club games, when the losing side is awarded dodgy points to make them feel better about themselves.
Bigjohn
Guest
Well Myles certainly did not have time to fall down, which is what Gallen would have done if he had been punched.
Dave
Guest
There was more on a contest in Canberra than in Origin 2. Some of the NSW forwards need a break from origin - for good. Bring in Glenn Stewart and Fetti Mateao. Gas up the Hayne Plane and bring Flash Gordon from Cronulla onto the wing. And for heavens sake get rid of pearce and put that rascally rabbit Reynolds in as half...then you have a contest.
damien
Guest
How bad were Nathan Merritt and Mitchell Pearce.....fair dinkum' his kicking game was terrible! Bring in Hayne on the wing and Adam Reynolds to half.Pearce has had his chances and is not an origin player!
Top Secret
Roar Pro
what if i watched it from home. where would i then go, to sandcorp?
No Cigar
Guest
That might be the case if anybody watched the rugby.
No Cigar
Guest
All I can here is whinging from supporters of the losing side.
No Cigar
Guest
"I was really looking forward to a cracker of a game. Instead I found myself dozing off every now and again – it was as you say, so boring." Funny enough I was doing the same during the Union test.
Cameron
Roar Guru
amen.
Cameron
Roar Guru
God I feel for you guys... :D
Felix
Guest
I was at the game and I can tell you right now it was far from boring. Watching NSW surrender enormous metres through the middle of the ground was a show of pure class. Watching a winger forget to go back was one of the most entertaining things I've seen in a long, long time watching this game. I think NSW could genuinely feel aggrieved by a few coin-toss calls early on, but it's a problem generally solved by scoring points.
Gaz
Guest
Only those south of the border would consider that game boring. If you did please go home.
JimC
Guest
I disagree with this article. I thought Origin 2 was a great spectacle. The speed and intensity of Queensland was something to behold....The passing was faster and more accurate than anything we saw last Saturday and Thurston could surely give the Wallabies goalkicking lessons. And the Queensland crowd was full-on - singing constantly. You won't get that from the gold pith helmet wearing crew in melbourne...that's for sure. Anyway looking forward to Sat...Go the Lions!!
Top Secret
Roar Pro
union is boring,
Top Secret
Roar Pro
qld is a great team. they lifted last night after being outclassed in sydney.
Top Secret
Roar Pro
it was boring. get over yourselves. go back and watch qld's great win in match one or three of 1991 or there great wins in 88 and 89. they were great wins. last night was booooooooooooooooooooring.
Top Secret
Roar Pro
he didnt have time to do anything.
Elijah Weightman
Roar Guru
I thought it was a great game, although I am admittedly a Queenslander. I do agree that there were a few missed opportunities for the Maroons but bear in mind Queensland's biggest winning margin over the Blues has only been 30 points. So Mr Lord, I don't know where you got this little nugget "Any one of the previous seven Origin series winners would have hammered the Blues of last night by 40-50 points " from. It was a great defensive effort from Queensland but Inglis was quiet again. When he made that break he should have taken on the defence and not passed the ball onto Boyd. Oh well, that just means he's due for a blinder in Game 3. The Lions game was epic as well though, I am hoping for another great game come Saturday but this Origin game was certainly not a fizzer.
Ian
Guest
Never seen a game where the ref gives penalties to help keep the score close? That happens in a fair percentage of NRL games actually.
fishes
Guest
I hate union but I may have to change after last night. The refs are a disgrace. The referees made the mistake of NOT putting Gallen in the bin in Game 1, they have doubled the errors by sin binning Bird and Tate, who didn't even throw punches. Seriously, David Smith's position should be seriously looked at. He doesn't understand the game, he has taken the wind out of the sails of our greatest spectacle. I blame him and Daniel Anderson for losing the battle for Suncorp this time.