The New South Wales Blues have won the first game of the 2017 State of Origin series by 24 points away from home in a superb performance. Here are The Roar‘s player ratings for the Blues
James Tedesco – 8.5
Tedesco’s first half was solid without being sensational, but he turned it on during the second half big time! His defence was brilliant, the try saving on Matt Gillett springs to mind, while his running game saw him collect 189 metres, a try assist, a try and a couple of line breaks.
There’s no threat of the fullback not retaining his spot in three weeks time.
Here’s how the Queensland Maroons rated in Game 1.
Brett Morris – 6.5
A pretty typical Morris-type performance. No errors, no silly decisions and a lot of good ball running as well as a game modelled around defensive skills. He shut down the Maroons attack every time the question was asked with conviction and never looked out of his depth in a return to the Origin arena.
More State of Origin Game 1 coverage
» EXPERT REACTION: Queensland’s dynasty is over
» Five talking points from the Blues’ Game 1 victory
» Match report: Blues’ onslaught stuns Maroons in their own back yard
» WATCH: All the Origin 1 highlights
Jarryd Hayne – 7
The selection of Hayne was critiqued before the game, and for good reason. He quickly silenced his doubters though, reminding everyone exactly how valuable he is. A try in the second half was the headline act, but it’s hard to remember a bad touch or poor defensive decision.
Josh Dugan – 5
The mark isn’t a knock on Dugan’s game – it’s just that he didn’t have a whole lot to do. Made some solid runs, but only just cleared 100 metres and was easily the quietest of the Blues’ backs.
He won’t be losing his spot for the performance, but he does need to fix some of his decision-making. A couple of kicks were interesting to say the lead and he certainly didn’t get as involved as we are probably used to seeing.
Blake Ferguson – 8
All of the outside backs played solidly enough, but it was a lot of running off their own line more than anything else.
Ferguson was the best of the lot for the Blues. He was constantly ducking into dummy half and bending the line to clear the Blues’ red-zone, and while Queensland’s only try was scored over the top of him, it was an impressive performance from the Roosters winger.
James Maloney – 6
Maloney was solid without standing out or doing anything special. His long kicking game was strong and he found the grass more often than not, but he allowed Pearce to dominate much of the play close to the line.
Still, he had some good moments running and passing. His defence his still an issue though – eight missed tackles could have proved costly.
Mitchell Pearce – 7.5
Probably Pearce’s best ever performance in the Origin arena. He still made a couple of errors, but going a full (well, full-ish) without a single blemish isn’t expected. His kicking game was strong for the most part and he made smart decisions, backing up for the try that cracked the game wide open on the stroke of halftime.
Unfortunately, he was injured and couldn’t see the game out, but it was all over by that point.
Aaron Woods – 7
I was sceptical about picking Woods. His form hasn’t been outstanding for the Tigers, and his running style has always been a bit too soft for Origin.
Personal opinions aside, full credit to the Tigers prop. His performance backed up Fifita’s beautifully and got the Blues off to the sort of start they absolutely had to have. He ended up with 136 metres from 15 runs and looked dangerous every now and again. Solid job.
Nathan Peats – 8
Better than solid on debut could be a statement used to describe Peats’ first foray into the Origin arena. He came out firing, not overplaying his hand, providing high-quality service and lasting the full 80 minutes. He took a few solid runs here and there and worked hard on defence, making more than 50 tackles.
The difference between Robbie Farah last year and Nathan Peats this year was astronomical.
(AAP Image/Dan Peled)
Andrew Fifita – 9
The big prop made an incredible start to the match, getting the Blues off to an absolute flier. He bended the line with every run, assisted the opening try for Sharks teammate James Maloney and held his own on defence.
It was no surprise he took out man of the match honours, ending with 183 metres from 18 runs.
Boyd Cordner – 7.5
In his first game as captain, Cordner excelled. He wasn’t the standout – far from it – but he didn’t make an error and was always willing to take the extra hit-up when his side needed it. Cordner really led from the front, broke the line once or twice and had the Maroons defence concerned.
He also defended well, adding 37 tackles in a solid all-round performance.
Josh Jackson – 5
Jackson was strong in defence as he always is at Origin level. It’s what he gets picked for, and there’s no question he lived up to that part of his game. Unfortunately, his ball-running went missing for a large part of the game and he only touched the ball seven times for 31 metres.
He didn’t need to do much more because of the way the rest of the Blues pack played, but he would be disappointed with his personal effort in attack.
Tyson Frizell – 5.5
Frizell didn’t do a stack more than Jackson, but he also defended well and looked menacing with the ball a couple of times, bending the line. Like Jackson, he didn’t need to do much more, but will be looking to get more involved come Game 2.
David Klemmer – 7
Fifita and Woods started the game strongly for the Blues, but it was then down to the bench to keep the momentum going and that was led by Klemmer. The intimidating Bulldogs front-rower came on and made an immediate impact, ending with 172 metres.
Wade Graham – 6
Played plenty of minutes off the bench and his best moment in the match came when he threw a lovely inside ball for James Tedesco at the end of the first half which set up the aforementioned Pearce try.
Was solid in defence, got creative when he needed to and ran the ball with plenty of energy every time he got the chance.
Jake Trbojevic – 6.5
Like Peats, the Manly lock made a solid Origin debut. He joined Klemmer in the original onslaught off the bench, made some impressive carries and held his own in defence.
Jack Bird – 4
Simply didn’t have enough game time to do anything. His five runs all looked dangerous, but he wasn’t able to create much with importance on it.
Given the pace of the game, he could have been well used at the back-end of the first half, but it wasn’t to be for the Blues utility.
Total: 112/170
Roarers, what did you make of the Blues in Origin 1? Drop a comment below and let us know.
Andrew
Guest
Your never going to convince the pearce haters, Two trys why he was out there, he played a part in one and scored the other. His long kicking game was obviously planned and carried out to perfection. Everyone agrees the NSW attack was well organised which is pearces job, but again no credit. Once people get a set on someone, there is no telling them they are wrong, especially when its obvious that thay know so little about the game, they cant even recognise an obvious game plan of kicking it high to a certain player and giving the defence heaps of time to get there. There tactics was two fold, kick to oates who why he is a strong runner, he is less lightly to beat players in an open field situation and set up a length of the field raid and secondly oates normally takes the first hit up after a kick and makes strong metres, if he is catching the kick, he cant do so, which means one of the smaller backs has to do so or a forward has to rush back and take it.
Andrew
Guest
Did pearce not run across field and turn the ball back inside to fifita, it put fifita in a half gap in which he capitalised, pretty sure without pearce running across and turning it back inside, the try would not have happen.
Carlos
Guest
Strange Dugan saved a try with a brilliant bit of desperate defence... Hayne had a few defensive miss steps that cost us. Pearce missed half the game and bombed a couple of trys / repeat sets. You obviously missed Maloney scoring a try and kicking all those goals... My Ranking Tedesco - 9 was superb in every facet of the game. Morris - 7 great defence and made plenty of ground in attack. Hayne - 7 if not for his great try and slamming O'Neail would've been 6. Dugan - 6.5 ran strongly and saved a certain try. Ferguson - 6 Played well but was poorly positioned a few times and let in Qld's only try Maloney - 7.5 excellent try, a menace all game kicked well. Pearce - 6 Great backing up for his try and generally played with great enthusiasm... didn't get a repeat set and his kicking game was OK at best he'll need to do way better in Sydney. Woods - 8 I thought his selection was a mistake... but he was great particularly in the opening 20. Peats - 8.5 How much have we needed him over the last few years. Fifita - 9.5 What everyone already said. Cordner - 8 massive game did the heavy lifting in defence solid hit ups never looked tired earned the right to be captain for a few years at least. Jackson - 6 didn't let anyone down worked hard in defence in the first 20 didn't seem to get much game time Frizzel - 6 exact same comment as Jackson applies Bird - 6 Didn’t get much time but had the Qlders at panic stations when he had the ball, was an obvious handful. Klemmer - 8.5 Was superb. He lifted the Tempo of the game when he came on was brutal in D and attack. Big part of why QLD looked so shattered. Trbojevic - 6.5 Didn’t let anyone down bonus points for try saver on Gillet in the second half. Graham - 8 was a handful his combination with Maloney and Fifita was devastating for QLD.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Absolutely it was. But if Hayne holds his place in the line instead of charging into no mans land and makes a simple one on one tackle on O'Neill, Cronk isn't in position to put on the kick.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I'm not talking about missed tackles, I'm talking about poor defensive reads and positioning. Don't play dumb and act like you don't know the difference. For the break that led to the try Hayne didn't get credited with a missed tackle, he was so out of position he didn't even get a hand on O'Neill (not Nielson). And yes, three in one half with the game in the balance that lead to 30-40 metre line breaks and one try is a liability. Cronks kick for Oates was an absolute pearler but without Haynes poor defensive read Queensland wouldn't have been in position to do it.
The eye
Guest
So three(for the sake of arguement) tackle misses,in one game, in your eyes equates to a massive liability ? Gee,poor old captain Cam must be the mother of all liability on his one game of littered tackling incompetencies that lead directly to tries.. Please,the first try came off one of the sweetest kicks you will ever see..putting that on Hayne is a tad crazy.. Neilson..you honestly think Walters will subject him to that humiliation again ? You've got more chance of being chosen for Game 2 than he has. Anyway,this Blue side had no liabilities..he missed 2 tackles that lead to fruitless breaks..big whoop..and you wanna talk about lameness..
Sau
Guest
What else does Teddy need to do get a 10? I must have been watching a different game. James Maloney 6? You must be joking mate,
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Can't please everyone Barry.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
lol
KenW
Guest
Fergo's 8 does look a little generous. I remember a couple of muddles from him on the couple of occasions that the ball went down that side with space (he dropped it after Dugan got him clear, and on another trip steadfastly stuck to his wing rather than come in when it seemed obvious Dugan was being driven out). On the flip side though, his runs out of his own red zone were fantastic. A few of them really turned the tide of some sets where it looked like NSW might be buried in their 20m.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Queensland's try came from one of the best kicks I've ever seen in a game of Rugby League. It's hard to blame that on the defense.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
If they had gone on to lose , he'd have looked like a right F'n TOOL . Wait until the siren blows to celebrate.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Give Gallen a 10 and Rene will give you a big "make up"hug . After all it was the best game we've seen from Gallen in 5 yrs .
Oingo Boingo
Guest
How Shiite was Cronk then , if Pearce had a bad game?
Oingo Boingo
Guest
That was the game plan , kick it to Oates , don't allow the typical QLD ad lib style of counter attack to come off the back of a broken field return. Pearce executed it to perfection,yes he had a cuppla shockers close to the line , but I thought he looked a lot more comfortable as the game went on . There was no pressure on him after all.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Mate - the only reason I'm doing post after post because I keep getting challenged on it. I said three defensive bad reads and someone claimed I was inventing them! To be honest it's surprising to me that anyone would argue otherwise...it was blatantly obvious and has been for the Titans for a few weeks. Maloney wasn't even involved in two of Haynes reads and on the other Maloney tackled Cronk as he should have but Hayne failed to come in on Gillett. I really don't mean to target for Hayne but they were his reads not Maloneys. I gave Hayne 6.5 which works out as an 8 in attack and 5 in defence which I think is very fair. Pearce was heavily involved in NSWs first two tries. The two dud kicks aside his kicking game was executed perfectly in the first half. Pearce was continually landing those bombs within 10 metres of the line and giving his defenders time to get there. Queensland were continually starting sets 10 metres out from their line with no momentum and no Oates to bash them out of trouble. It meant their forwards had to cover more metres to get back, which in turn took petrol out of the tank. It was a clever strategy from Daley but perfectly executed by Pearce. One of those kicks goes a few metres long and Qld get 20 metres and seven tackles. I've been as vocal as anyone in bagging Pearce in the past but the way I saw the game his performance in the first half went a long way to setting up the win for NSW. Which is exactly what we've wanted from our 7. He also directed traffic and ran the show when NSW had the ball. Maybe an 8 for 50 minutes is excessive but I thought his contribution in that 50 was very good, even allowing for the dud kicks.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Wow. New phone?
The Barry
Roar Guru
He sure can. 100%. But I don't find that particularly entertaining. I find it a little cringeworthy if I'm honest. But good luck to him. He can do it all he likes. I'm really happy you enjoyed it.
The Barry
Roar Guru
It's not jealousy at all. I just don't enjoy that carry on. I'm glad that people do enjoy it and I defend Haynes right to do it. When I was playing if you carried on like that (particularly after a team try) you'd get a pasting from your team mates, a spray from your coach and a clip from your old man. I was pretty clear that the problem with the celebration was mine.
The Barry
Roar Guru
No, bringing up Hayne's game in attack to address his defensive errors is out of context. I'll happily say that Hayne was very good in attack. In my ratings in this article I gave him a 6.5 which probably works out as an 8 in attack and a 5 in defence. Extremely fair based on his performance. They might not of scored down Haynes side of the field but the first try came the play after his dud read in defence gave Queensland 40 metres. Just a lame response to say they never scored down Haynes flank. Gillett didnt run a great line at all. He was running gun barrel straight supporting Cronk. The gap was there because Hayne didn't commit to the tackle soon enough. Just a poor excuse to excuse a poor read. Neilson will never play origin again? I'm not just blindly saying Haynes a liability in defence I've provided three completely objective examples that led to Queensland line breaks and opportunities incl the time of the game they occurred and the best you can come up with is: - he made a good run afterwards - he had one 'air swing' - Dane Neilson will never play origin again - and a completely subjective opinion about Hayne being selected in a hypothetical Australian team.