It was a game between two depleted teams occupying the NRL cellar. What insight could last night’s Rabbitohs-Titans clash possibly offer us about Wednesday’s forthcoming Origin game?
At first glance not much, but if you froze the game just before halftime, when Konrad Hurrell’s brain departed the station for Crazy Town, there was a sliver of something the Maroons can work with.
Ah Hurrell, such an entertainer for the fans. Such a nightmare for his coaches.
For those that missed it, after being in a confident, comfortable rhythm at 14-0 up only minutes beforehand, the Titans slipped back to a slender 14-10 lead after two quickly conceded tries.
The second of those incursions came about because of a one-man implosion attributable to the Hurrell-cane.
Coming off his line, the Titans centre tried a hurried, messy play-the-ball that ended in a handover of possession.
Unable to accept the referee’s decision and likely enraged by the precarious position he placed his side in, he then gesticulated, verbalised and shook with anger.
It earned him another 10m penalty for dissent, and when the Rabbitohs chanced their arm, they knew exactly who to run at, suckering Konrad in for the big collision, then sending the ball wide for Alex Johnstone to score.
Still not content, Hurrell remonstrated further with the referee as Adam Reynold’s took his position for the conversion attempt, needing to be restrained by both teammates and Rabbitohs hooker Robbie Farah.
Surely at that point if Titans coach Neil Henry had any options, he would have hooked the Kiwi talent – not simply because he was a liability on his own, but because his reactive temperament changed the whole mindset of the Gold Coast.
From being assured and positive, even after conceding a previous try, the inexperienced Titans became unsettled and distracted at the doing of a supposedly senior player.
That flowed through to the second half, where the Rabbitohs kept the upper hand and discovered a focus missing for most of 2017. The Titans never fully got things back on track.
Even before his minute of madness, Hurrell was showing signs of vulnerability, looking fatigued far too early, but disguising that with his trademark bustling runs.
Later in the game he was trailing teammates on kick-chases and made a similar play-the-ball stumble which surrendered possession again.
So what relevance does this have to Wednesday’s Origin rematch?
Queensland’s best hope – maybe only hope – of stopping the fearsome Blues machine is to frustrate them, fatigue them and put them off their game.
(Supplied)
If you look through the Blues side, it’s a squad packed with speed, size and dynamic footy smarts.
But it’s also a line-up with a few trigger points which need to be tested.
Keeping Andrew Fifita, David Klemmer, Blake Ferguson, Josh Dugan, Jarryd Hayne, Jack Bird, Nathan Peats and Wade Graham on an even keel is a monumental task for coach Laurie Daley. Even James Maloney and Mitchell Pearce are prone to the odd mental combustion.
Exploiting that will come down to the application of consistent pressure through a multi-pronged approach.
1. Firstly, it all starts with line speed. Getting up and chopping down the Blues early in their run will not only stymie their advance, but also frustrate those forwards who had it all their own way in Game One.
2. Twisting and manipulating the attacker until they are uncomfortable and cannot find their elbows and knees.
3. Good judgment and communication out of marker, not over-playing the role, but being prepared to move quickly, accurately and simultaneously to exert pressure and plug gaps.
4. Being prepared to win a battle of fatigue. Queensland waved the white flag by kicking for the sidelines when both teams were struggling for breath at the end of the first half in Game 1. That’s when the Blues got the stiff whiff of blood. The Maroons have to keep the Blues forwards constantly in motion.
5. Great kick chases and pressure on the kicker.
(AAP Image/Dan Peled)
6. Clever passes and variation which open up channels either side of the ruck and trough the centre. Keep the Blues’ inside men chasing, turning and guessing. Gradually this will present opportunities both in close and out wide.
7. Accepting responsibility for every outcome and not losing focus. As much as the task is to disrupt the Blues, the Maroons have to guard against distraction and drama themselves.
Without Matt Scott, Greg Inglis and Corey Parker, and with many of the team running on ageing legs, Queensland cannot afford to bunker down and try and match New South Wales in a power and momentum game across the park.
If they can successfully put at least one Blues player off their game early – whether it be via a fumble, a show of poor discipline, or an amplified sense of pressure before a home crowd – that vulnerability will spread.
As Hurrell showed last night, distraction and ill temper can be cancerous, overpowering the focus of teammates rapidly.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Interesting tactic you use RB. Instead of enjoying the debate generated by your article, and joining in, you seem to only seek out those that are critical and then attack the contributor. Pretty average use of your time I'd suggest. Perhaps a look at ROC's work would be beneficial.
Robert Burgin
Expert
Oh please Albo! You've broken my dreams by telling me Hurrell won't play for NSW. I'll be sure to use smaller words and diagrams for you next time.
Raugeee
Guest
Maybe they should play it at a suburban ground....
Krackpot
Guest
Who cares? Disagree with whoever you want. It's not a game to be right mate who ever the name is ....grow up!
Peter
Guest
Also, AGordon had it right. BOTH teams do it because they know the referees are too frightened to enforce the laws of the game. Try getting a scrum set according to the rules, or putting th ball in straight, or players not walking off the mark and rolling the ball back. Offside in defence has been a joke ever since the cheat Phil Gould taught the Bulldogs to use a so called umbrella defence decades ago. You just do it and bet on the refs getting tired of penalising you. So enough with the But Queensland. It has become as boring and biased as Donald Trump bleating But Her Emails.
Billy
Guest
What about John and Nick and Tim? And Mohamed?? You've lost it you poor fella
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
Yep nath and matt. And the mods have been advised. And i am going to keep them advised till they do something about you. Its fun.
Billy
Guest
Justin yesterday you were calling me Nath?? Are you all there?
Justin Kearney
Guest
Matt stealer couldn't have put it any better billy boy.
Fight Fair
Guest
Must admit , i wouldn't mind seeing that!
Billy
Guest
Na seriously this is supposed to be the best Rugby League competition in the world.. being only 3 nations play and care. 7000?? In a 84000 stadium?? A fantastic look
Soothsayer
Roar Rookie
I remember a test match several years ago when after tackling Adam Blair, Cam Smith tried the technique recommended here of twisting and turning Blair to prevent him playing the ball quickly. Blair simply struggled his way out and behind him lay the prone Smith who was stretchered off the field. Surely we don't want a repeat of this, do we?
db
Guest
The questions you ask are pertient and will be answered in the fullness of time. My excitement belies my trepidation.
Dr Yes
Guest
Queensland did quite a few of these things in game 1. The score was 6-4 after 35 minutes. But Qld forwards were looking tired and falling off tackles. Because NSW did quite a few of the above things, too. Leading to completions, territory and energetic defence 'clicking', the factors helping one-another. Qld will improve with Thurston. Were one-dimensional with Cronk controlling everything. So NSW need to repeat & improve. Still Qld will want to slow the play and wrestle. But the paper-scissors-rock answer might be fast, flat play. Tends to cut-down defence line-speed and give some chance of a forward still puffing back inline. Trickier to swarm if a big man gets fast ball on the advantage line at full tilt. Helps post-contact metres and the odd (well chosen!) offload. Guarding fast passes at/through the line and inside balls tends to flatten the defence. Combine that with completions, high kicks to the deadzone and energetic defence and you have yourself a faster game. Definitely not a given, because the Qld spine is ace. But with even possession, NSW forwards *do* have the size and motors to work over the top. Smith & Gillett don't just miss 8 tackles without being worked over. For bench minutes I'd guess Hess:25, Glasby:30, Papalii:40 & Morgan:30. So 50 minutes for Napa & Wallace, and 60 minutes average for the starting back row - injuries aside. How will they be travelling near the end compared to bigger-minute men in the NSW back 4 plus Fifita & Turbo? Just asking ;)
steveng
Roar Rookie
Overall the crowds at all NRL games are look bad TB in comparison to where they are played e.g. ANZ or Allianz. Yeah, SOO will get 65k+ at ANZ on Wednesday but this can't be more apparent and made to look more pathetic than at the ANZ Stadium when only 7k turn up. What a joke!!! Get these games to be played at other smaller stadiums or even 'out in the bush' like the up and coming Sharks v Roosters at Gosford, as an example.
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
Yep. A thread about origin 2 and somebody tries to derail it rabbiting on about last night's crowd. Blatant agenda.
Nat
Roar Guru
Don't even entertain them TB. You know what they say about the empty can.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Hurrell's defence is always crap even when he's perfectly calm... it's pretty much where he was confined to reserves at the Warriors before getting released.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I don't really get worked up about crowds and it was a shocker but... One of only four games is pretty irrelevant. As you know I'm a Dogs supporter and they're not playing this weekend. I wouldn't go to a Titans v Souths game at ANZ, 8pm kick off on a cold and potentially wet June Friday night, both teams bottom four, no origin players, no Inglis, no Burgess if it was the only game for a month. I'd imagine most people would be in the same boat.
AGordon
Guest
I suspect the only way NSW will get frustrated if Qld is allowed to cheat or break the rules consistently and get away with it. You mentioned this in your point 2 "Twisting and manipulating the attacker until they are uncomfortable and cannot find their elbows and knees". In other words, working a player on the ground which is illegal. Other methods of slowing down the play the ball, deliberately playing offside, the Cam Smith mouth, all could contribute to NSW frustration - but only if they're allowed to get away with it. Qld did not get away with this in the first SOS and were flogged so hopefully, if the refs are fair dinkum, they won't get away with it in the second game and NSW should win again.