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As an enthralling night of football came to a close and the icepacks were being strapped on in the sheds, there was a sombre mood among the Queensland faithful.
The supporters at home and at the stadium were shocked by what they had seen. Queensland had been handed a record beating on their home turf.
A deserving New South Wales team had the drive and the stamina in the second stanza to overpower a tired and bashed Queensland. There was immediate talk of future score blow outs, dynasties and Queensland’s spectacular fall from grace.
One scribe in the Sydney Morning Herald went as far to say that Queensland selectors needed “to sift through the charred remains” and come up with a new side.
Full credit to New South Wales for their persistence, stamina, and line speed. Their forwards set the platform and rolled on for the full 80 minutes. The backs were always searching and every player in the cerulean blue jersey backed up and showed more desperation to return to the defensive line or scramble to save the half break or try.
I see the game a lot closer than what many are reporting. Queensland was out gunned in the second half – without doubt, but they managed to hold their own in the first 40 minutes and potentially could have found themselves ahead on the scoreboard at half time had Dane Gagai been a little more fortunate. He has a very good strike rate in his limited Origin appearances and always looked dangerous.
(AAP Image/Dan Peled)
Queensland were held up over the line and Dugan forced a dropped ball in the in goal in a desperate try saving tackle. If luck ran their way, Queensland may well have got out of jail on a night when they were destined for solitary confinement.
For Queensland, far too much ball was kicked on the full into the waiting arms of the Blues. In a game where the big men are struggling to gain line advantage, kicking into space is vitally important. As dangerous as Cooper Cronk can be his kicking game on the night was off the mark. fifth tackle options were average and Queensland were caught out in that department too many times.
Cronk’s Storm cohort and captain, Smith looked a yard slower than his opposite number and in hindsight the decision for a short restart from the goal-line dropout heaped the pressure on the Queensland defence and they simply never recovered. It is not often both these men play back to back games poorly so they will improve.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Boyd, while stable at the back, didn’t inject that spark and extra man play in attack that has been a shining light for the Broncos this season. The lofty floated cut-out ball to Gagai in the second half summed up the off timing of the Queensland team on the night.
Milford made some interesting runs when on the field and was illusive down the left centre of the park and the plan to have him turning the opposition around in the last quarter never eventuated. Milford is a dynamic player, but is not the owner and controller of a game like Thurston and when Cronk didn’t fire consistently, it showed Queensland were a little rudderless.
But full credit to New South Wales, they owned the game, took the advantages and showed the required desperation to make the luck go their way. It was extremely impressive to watch.
There will be changes in the Queensland team – O’Neil played himself out of a Maroon jumper. The forwards lacked starch, speed and penetration. And there will be calls for Slater and Holmes to be included to inject a little ‘Tedescoism’.
As a whole unit, Queensland will improve. It is not the first time they have started a series since 2006 and looked sluggish, tired and out of sync from the outset.
Queensland won’t play this flat again in Game 2. The real question of whether New South Wales can repeat such an intense and impressive performance will be answered come June 21 and I can hardly wait.
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