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NSW sells papers while Queensland win Origins

18th June, 2019
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18th June, 2019
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What a difference four points makes.

Queensland head to Perth for Origin two settled and keen to improve on their Game 1 performance.

New South Wales, on the other hand…

After their 14-18 Game 1 loss, I didn’t think NSW needed to make wholesale changes outside of those required by injury. It wasn’t a common opinion, particularly in the heat of the result.

So I’ve been bemused by Brad Fittler’s seven changes and even more surprised by the decision to can Latrell Mitchell, a genuine game breaker.

But even the most fired up, ‘sack ‘em all’ type of internet forum commenter had to be shocked at the decision to blow up the joint.

Three changes have been forced by injury, with Nick Cotric, David Klemmer and Payne Haas to miss at least Game 2 and maybe Game 3. Fittler and his crew now have four days left to shoehorn those seven changes into the side with the series on the line, including two brand new centres.

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A pairing of Manly’s Tom Trbojevic and Canberra’s Jack Wighton, who collectively have played a grand total of six games in the position.

Tom Trbojevic

Tom ‘Trytime’ Trbojevic of the Blues. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Not to say they can’t do the job, mind you. But it’s a big, big ask with the series on the line.

Queensland may not have made significant changes to the on-field setup but they’re reaping the benefits of Kevin Walters putting a broom through the back office over summer – which included punting Maroons icon Trevor Gillmeister from the coaching staff.

Walters then brought in a bunch of barely retired Origin greats – Justin Hodges is Walters’ assistant coach, Petero Civoniceva is the team manager. Eventual Immortals Johnathan Thurston and Billy Slater come to camp and impart their knowledge before heading back to Channel Nine’s broadcast team, where they are happy to talk but give little away.

Fittler has Greg Alexander (last played for NSW in 1997), Danny Buderus (2008) and Andrew Johns (2005) in his support crew. They’re also constantly on television as part of broadcast teams, happily answering questions and getting into debates about selection, a player’s performance and any number of other things that maybe they should keep schtum about.

Alexander, in particular, had an uncomfortable time after Origin 1, when he was drilled with questions about Mitchell’s preparation and mindset. As Alexander sought to defend the Roosters star Fittler was in the press as well, saying Mitchell “needs to work on his motivation” and suggesting the Roosters were unhappy with him (they say that’s wrong).

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Watching over this is the omnipotent Phil Gould, Fittler’s mentor. He’s NSW’s most strident critic and most passionate defender. As Ryan O’Connell pointed out yesterday, Gould may no longer be formally involved in the Blues setup, but his knowledge and willingness to share it is rarely ignored.

Phil 'Gus' Gould

Phil Gould (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

Walters has left his Queensland squad in no doubt that they need to do better, saying to the media “After reviewing the game [at Suncorp] I would probably give it a five, or maybe if I am being kind a six out of ten, and the players are aware of this.”

For all the jokes about ‘coach whisperer’ Bradley Charles Stubbs and the methods employed by Walters to prepare his team, it has worked. After a series to adjust to life without Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith, Thurston and co. Queensland have switched back to a ruthless, committed crew, a relentless machine created to win Origin games and do nothing else.

Maybe it’s because they’re (deliberately) not interesting, maybe it’s because they’re all too ‘on message’ and closed up, maybe it’s because the rest just don’t bother trying to get much info out of the Maroons camp, but outside of ‘Kevin Walters is a loon’ articles, I could count the number of press pieces about the Queensland side before Origin 1 and still have some fingers and thumbs left over.

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NSW reacted to a four-point loss by publicly berating Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker. They’ve axed half the squad. They’ve stocked up on second rowers including Wade Graham and Tariq Sims, undoubted talents who are also a genuine chance to give away a bonehead penalty at a critical moment. They’ve named players in completely foreign positions.

They’re bringing back Blake Ferguson, the same Blake Ferguson who got on the piss last time he was playing Origin, who ghosted the Blues’ pre-season camp without telling Fittler and who is capable of a match-turning error as much as he is a match-winning play.

One of those stories is much more interesting than the other.

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