Queensland coach Paul Green admitted his first Origin camp could have run differently after the side was beaten by a record margin in Townsville.
Green was left questioning his methods after Queensland suffered their biggest defeat in his State of Origin coaching debut.
The former North Queensland coach could only watch in horror as the Blues piled on eight tries in a 50-6 Townsville hiding that forced him to concede he could have done things differently.
With Kalyn Ponga an early camp casualty, Cameron Munster, Harry Grant and AJ Brimson nursing injuries and Dane Gagai battling tonsillitis it meant the squad didn’t train as a complete group until Sunday.
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“Obviously to rock up and play like we did tonight, we’ve got a few things wrong,” captain Daly Cherry-Evans said.
“Not just the execution tonight but probably in the way we prepared, so we’ve got a bit of time to think about it and the right people to fix it.”
Green admitted he would assess his own methods as part of a rigorous post-mortem before the sides meet again in Brisbane on June 27.
“It’s a new group in some respects, a new coach so what I might have let go through the week in terms of execution I may not have if I’d had a bit more experience with them,” he said.
“It’s about learning from it and making sure we don’t let it happen again.”
Green was disappointed the side looked for shortcuts after the Blues’ hot start.
“Once we felt uncomfortable in that position we tried to sort of trick our way out of it, which you can’t do in Origin,” he said.
“Where we needed to just tighten up and fight a bit harder we looked for an easy way out.”
No state has won a series 3-0 since Queensland in 2010, which is something Cherry-Evans can hang on to.
“It’s going to have to be the way we look at it,” he said.
“Tonight’s damage was pretty big, but it’s only 1-0 and it’s two games to go.
“We can turn the tide but they have a lot of momentum in their corner so we have a lot of work to do.”
the outsider
Roar Rookie
100% agree. Munster is renowned as an avg trainer. There was no way he could give 80 quality minutes in origin after so many weeks out.
bbt
Roar Rookie
Grant should have been brought on midway through the first half. Pity Brandon Smith is a Kiwi, but the tag team of a similar player with Grant would have applied more pressure. As a Storm fan, I am a great admirer of Munster but would have left him out of the side.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
Not enough has been said about the lack of game-time for 2 key personnel in Grant and Munster. Cherry needs/has to have another ball player with him or he's next to useless, as evidenced by Manly's lack of form without Tommy turbo. A couple of games onto those legs will be massive boost, it was actually a major selection blunder to have put so much expectation on them against such a classy opposition. Still they'll be better for the run and I can't see such an appalling performance from Queensland next game.
The Mexican
Roar Rookie
I think Queensland was terrible on the night right across the park but I think the halves went missing, specially Cherry Evans. He didn't cop as much criticism because he's the captain but I think he was the worst player for Queensland. The other thing I noticed was Paul Green's body language on the night, he looked Lost, Dazed and Confused like he didn't have a clue what to do, in comparison, Freddy looked Calm, Composed and in Control. From an impartial point of view I think the greatest advantages NSW had on the night were Cherry Evans and Green. Changes are definitely needed for Queensland to turn it around but it's unlikely they will drop Cherry Evans or change their coach, so this year's series will go to NSW 3 - 0
Kerry Hanson
Guest
Your probably safe :stoked:
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
No blame here, just noticing.
Simon SS
Roar Rookie
I hope people don't blame me when my replacements aren't as good as me
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Another gulf left by the filling and departure of Uncle Wayne. Brisbane, Dragoons, Knights, Maroons.... never the same afterwards.
mushi
Roar Guru
Tbh there a chasm in quality. There's only so many times you can spring a trap for the upset.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Kermit is not the only one lamenting “It’s not easy being Green”.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
It must have felt like deja-vu for Greenie last night. Turning up at a presser and explaining away a shellacking, the fact it was in Townsville and his last presser there was when he quit the Cowbies.