I’ll begin by stating I’m a Maroons fan so that will immediately put many off my thoughts on the Blues.
I was very confident the Maroons would win Game 1 at home and can’t understand the excessive hype that this Blues side has around it. They won last year but it wasn’t domination as many commentators have said. Like Game 1 of this year, the better team won but they weren’t miles ahead.
This Maroons team is very underrated and look like they will improve if they keep these guys together for a few years. They look dangerous moving the ball and they have a lot of improvement in them.
This was many people’s opinions of the Blues last year so what’s happened?
First off the Blues weren’t that bad in Game 1. They were making yards, James Tedesco and Damien Cook were hurting QLD and they got on the front foot easily at times. The problem was the halves couldn’t provide fluency or direction in attack. I love Nathan Cleary and he’s a solid young player but let’s be honest. He was a passenger last series and James Maloney was outstanding.
Latrell Mitchell, Cook and Teddy got all the attention and accolades but in my opinion Maloney was the catalyst for how the Blues played. I rarely see Cleary put doubt into a set defensive line but this is where Maloney shines.
Does James Maloney deserve an Origin recall? (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
It’s the little, subtle things he does that make him so effective in the tight contests. He holds the ball a second longer before passing or fires it out quick at the right times.
He understands his role so well that when the pressures applied he doesn’t have to think about what to do it’s instinctual, footy nous. The bloke’s a class ball player and he’s the only one the Blues have had since Joey.
The difference in the blues this year wasn’t Cody Walker’s fault because he showed glimpses of promise. It wasn’t Cleary’s fault, he’s already exceeding expectations for someone his age.
The Blues selectors need to be highly critical of themselves. Why wouldn’t they realise pairing a very young and still robotic 7 with a ball running 6 isn’t the best way to go? The rest of the team is entirely stacked with damaging ball runners so you would think they would try to balance the side.
Mitch Pearce is the form half and probably deserves the spot over Cleary but why put that extra pressure on the side.
Pearce being the scapegoat during the Blues drought isn’t right. As an opposing fan I was much happier to see Paul Gallen and Greg Bird overplaying their hand. Or Robbie Farah contribute his two or three high risk, low odds plays.
When the Blues attack featured these things they were heading for a loss. Sure Pearce was the halfback but these senior players stifled more attack than Mitch. His confidence must have taken a battering but to his credit he always comes back stronger.
I don’t doubt Pearce coming back and succeeding but I trust Nathan to improve on last year if given the same role.
Cleary’s not going to individually turn a games momentum like some halves but he’s effective and reliable beside a dominant half.
Cook and Teddy will terrorise the middle all game but it’s in vain if a 30m break isn’t followed with a quality attacking raid.
If Maloney doesn’t play in this series I strongly doubt the Blues can win it. If he does the Maroons will need to be a lot better than Game 1 to reclaim the shield.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Besides, Maloney is 33 years old. How much longer will NSW keep using him and Josh Morris (33 in 2 months) as a crutch? Cooper Cronk and Jonathan Thurston both retired from rep football at Maloney's age or a year older. Like it or not there is a used by date for halves just like any other player and Maloney's form has only picked up in the last 2 weeks. Before that he was "phoney baloney Maloney".
up in the north
Roar Rookie
Well I'll be damned. Very succinct, eloquently expressed and true. As a QLD resident and long suffering Blues fan, it's nice to hear what I've been thinking for years, but the selection group still fail to come to terms with the fundamentals. Ditch politics.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I rate him too...I just don’t agree with the hype that he’s born for origin and miles above any backrower. I think the older he gets the more he turns into a genuine 13.
Snoop Bloggy blog
Roar Rookie
When they used him properly in his first 2 series. He hasn’t been as explosive recently but I still rate him.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Frizell made zero line breaks in game one 2019. Zero in 2018. One in 2017. Two in 2016. So I don’t know when he set this record number of 30 metre linebreaks. His two origin tries both came from within 10 metres. One was a really strong run. The other he went in untouched (one of his linebreaks) from five metres out. I don’t want to make out that he’s a dud, he’s not. He’s a very good player. But there’s so much mythology about him that’s just not true.
The Barry
Roar Guru
When has he made all of these 30-40 metre linebreaks in origin? I’ve watched every origin game. I don’t recall seeing Frizell making any 30-40 metre breaks let alone more than any other NSW forward.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Brilliant again maxy. Excelling with these insightful observations. As usual you offer zero opinion of your own. I have no idea? You’re a f-wit. So what part of Frizell’s 38 minutes in game one were “NSW best” or “made for origin”. Was it the 11 runs for 75 metres? The 20 tackles? The zero tackle breaks, zero linebreaks, zero offloads? Zero tries, zero try assists, zero line break assists?
The Barry
Roar Guru
Nice try but lightweight niggle by your standards maxy. Did I ever say Johnson won games for Queensland. That’s my whole point. You need superstars and you need workers. You can only get so many big names working effectively in one team. Queensland have never resiled from picking someone like Johnson. You say Finucane wouldn’t, I say he would. So what?
Snoop Bloggy blog
Roar Rookie
Name another forward the blues have had in the last decade who has made the number of 30-40m breaks Frizzell has? Offloads are how ordinary teams look better, I certainly put less value on them than making fast metres that result in quick play the balls.
Max power
Guest
You have absolutely no idea
Max power
Guest
Yeah Dallas Johnson is the reason Qld win, not thurston, cronk, inglis, smith or Lockyer. Finucane would not have played that many times for QLD
The Barry
Roar Guru
I mean flashy as more style than substance. Everyone uses phrases like “destructive ballrunner” when he really just takes regulation (albeit at pace) hit ups. Doesn’t break many tackles, doesn’t break the line, rarely offloads, doesn’t create LBAs or tries. Doesn’t play 80 minutes. He’s good but this “he’s NSW best” and “he’s made for origin” is a myth. To me Frizell isn’t near the best by the eye test and the numbers don’t have him anywhere near the most productive or effective.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Because his halfback, whose job it is, was MIA
Snoop Bloggy blog
Roar Rookie
Souvlakia you’re backing up my point. You don’t see JT or Cronk taking hit ups on tackle 2 coming out of trouble. Why is Gallen calling for the ball on tackles 4 or 5 or when’s there an attacking threat deemed ok just because he makes lots of metres?
souvalis
Roar Rookie
He was doing it because he was the best yardsman in the team..by a long long way..
souvalis
Roar Rookie
That’s true re Klemms minutes, you’d think there’d be more for Jurbo in there..but with the breaking stories, changes have become a necessity..love Cody Walker, but the team needs a leader..
Snoop Bloggy blog
Roar Rookie
I wonder if it’s serious. If I was Pearce I’d have massive reversations about running back to play for the blues. He’s better off concentrating on the Knights.
Snoop Bloggy blog
Roar Rookie
Flashy isn’t how I would describe Frizell. Him and Cordner are the best edges the blues have and Jake should start lock. I’d trust them all to play big minutes. I’d call Graham flashy and wouldn’t pick him. Instead of picking so many backrowers just trust the ones you pick and rotate your props.
Snoop Bloggy blog
Roar Rookie
Yeah I totally understand your point but Gallen was a senior forward -and captain who should have shown better leadership. He was doing it constantly at the Sharks before Ennis and Maloney came in.
Emcie
Roar Guru
But at least you're getting great access to the sheds now