There can be no excuses for the Maroons this time.
While Daly Cherry-Evans is the heir apparent to Johnathan Thurston’s crown as the game’s best player, he does not possess the experience to organise the Maroons attack like Cooper Cronk, and his tactical kicking is also not as strong.
Big games are generally won by communication from the key position players as was evident in the series deciding Game 2, when Robbie Farah double pumped to put halfback Trent Hodkinson through a gap to score the decisive try.
It is not a negative reflection on Cherry-Evans that the Maroons lost Game 1 when Cronk was forced off the field after only nine minutes with a broken wrist.
He had only previously trained as the dummy half during the week and did not know what to expect from the players around him, especially his right centre Justin Hodges and winger Brent Tate.
There was also a dropped pass which went to Matt Gillett when he had the line open, which Cronk would expect to ice.
NSW backed up the Game 1 victory with an historic win in Game 2 to claim the series. Both sides were unable to play their natural game. The referees ensured that a small ten metres and holding down in the ruck was the order.
It was always going to be a coin toss.
The Maroons lost Matt Scott and Brent Tate during the game and had a controversial try by Sam Thaiday disallowed. Cherry-Evans was injured before the game and could not train but he still played. He missed the vital tackle on Hodkinson that gave the series to the Blues.
The NSW Blues were worthy winners, but it is very easy to mount several arguments why Queensland was unlucky. A third win to the Blues will knock any hard luck stories on the head.
The Maroons most senior players were shocked at the gulf between Cronk and Cherry-Evans when it came to running the team.
Make no mistake the guy who ‘blows the whistle’ and screams out the orders on the field is Cooper Cronk. He is the best ‘general’ in the world. He sets such a high standard and players rely so much on him that when he is not there the structures fall away.
You only have to observe how the Melbourne Storm has been going without him.
Given that Game 3 is a dead rubber, it would have been an ideal time for a fresh and uninjured Cherry-Evans to play a full 80 minutes in preparation for when he finally succeeds Cronk.
However, the Maroons are smarting over losing their crown and are desperate to get back into the win column.
Coach Mal Meninga did not hesitate when Cronk assured him that he will be 100 per cent fit to play, three weeks before the doctors advised date.
Who is going to argue with a general?
djcooper
Roar Guru
Any half would struggle if teams are only getting back 7-8 mtrs, hence why no one stood out in origin 2.
Mac
Guest
Yea you'd think some of these guys never heard of an injury in a contact sport before. Never happens ay...
soapit
Guest
yes you certainly have "documented" those particular excuses very well. though i actually was making my comment in response to the discussion about thurstons form.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Myles wouldn't exactly have been the first forward in the QLD pack I'd suggest was part of the problem, if nothing else he's got a good work rate, generally provides a fairly reliable 8 meter hit up, and his defensive efforts are punishing without giving away an endless stream of penalties to piggyback the opposition out of their own end. His meters per run were down in game 2 this year largely because he had to play 72 mins and make a huge number of tackles to cover for Scott being injured early (which was a big part of the problem, a problem made worse by a mix of handling errors and Lillyman sitting on the bench until the second half for some reason). Perhaps a pretty hard look at the interchange forwards (who this year have been some mix of: Te'o, Papalli, Guerra, Taylor, McQueen, and Lillyman -- you'll note there's only one specialist prop or lock in that mix) is in order. I'd also suggest that Hoffman is at least a fairly threatening ball carrier, he's usually heavily marked but has good capacity to offload and his decoy runs look legitimate and often cause defensive misreads. I think it'd be a shame if this was JTs last origin, though if he wants his last rep game to be at Suncorp it's 2 years until another chance for that -- I suppose father time has to catch up eventually but he still seems to have plenty to offer.
Andrew
Guest
I think JT is awesome and stats/ a cv like that don't lie. I am also a one eyed blues supporter just for the record.
V.O.R.
Guest
the big difference was Game 1 Cronk gone after 10..QLD down to 16 men....Game 2 - ..Matt Scott gone early on to an illegal head shot..QLD down to 16 men....the refs quite remarkably closing the game down into a slugfest....no 10 metres...well documented.
soapit
Guest
the big difference is we've managed find defensive systems to shut down inglis as well as slater chiming in in that move everyone does. this essentially cuts out alot of thurstons playmaking options from the pass and makes him more predictable with his remaining options.
V.O.R.
Guest
I agree...I always had him on my bench...he's there because he can open a game up with a linebreak...which he almost managed in game 2...I.M.O. starting him or McQueen in Origin would not of been my preference. Gillette off the bench is o.k. but his defense still has question marks over it. I still believe they have stuffed it by snubbing Hannant...not sure if there isn't more to his exclusion. The team I put forward for game 1 was the game 3 team but Hannant instead of Taylor and of course Scott for Lillyman.
Jackson Henry
Guest
Fair enough, but if you watch the replay, everyone else is flat in the line moving as one...except Teo. Having said that, I thought he was one your best. If I were you, I'd be asking some serious questions about Gillett. That bloke is a momentum sapper if every there was one. When in the game did all his errors come? For mine, Teo is a much better option.
V.O.R.
Guest
Teo was held up as Gallen provided a dummy run. Locky mentioned that he put it down to Manly and Souths having different defensive patterns.
Jackson Henry
Guest
Geez, I would have thought Teo would have been more at fault than anyone. He was one step behind the rest of the line on the slide out...and that's all it took. Maybe that's what you mean by "technically".
Jackson Henry
Guest
That's not my wife is it?
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Muzz Fair call Muzz, but I can assure you they are all switched on now.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Alex I agree with that mate. The go forward from the forwards is ordinary. You can look at Nat Myles numbers and they will read well, but in reality he does not make much ground on each hit up and does not scare anyone. He is NOT a prop IMO and he has this bad habit of hogging the ball when a move is on out wide. To be fair Gallen, Hoffy and Scott do the same thing, but at least Gals number are real. Alex, I would not be surprised if this is JTs last Origin. he may call it quits for rep footy after this year.
WQ
Guest
Thats Gold!
WQ
Guest
Just preparing everybody I guess Scott
WQ
Guest
Been here a fair while eagleJack
Muzz
Guest
I'm amazed at how quick Cronks wrist has healed and his desire to play game 3.He is the consummate professional and must feel bitterly disappointed with his fellow team mates who were out on the sauce till 3am.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
I tend to think JT is getting way too many knocks for QLDs loss, I'll grant that his pairing with DCE is undeveloped and has led to JT trying to do too much but he honestly hasn't had much to work with -- the forwards haven't been making meters, the backs have been dropping like flies to injuries, and with Cronk gone he's having to organise the team and be the X-Factor in the halves which I think is too much to ask of any player.
Isometric
Guest
To sum up JH here- Maybe he's the best, or the best of the worst. But probably then he is the best, the best of the best or maybe the worst of the best bunch. Then again locally he could be the best but not presently the best. Or on a good day he might be the best but on a bad day hes not the best etc.... But sorry, this is what your argument seems to boil down too.