New South Wales have wrapped up the 2021 State of Origin series in straight sets, putting Queensland away with a second straight flogging in Brisbane. Here are my talking points from the game.
Ronaldo Multialo being scrubbed out was a farce
Unless you were living a rock all day, you’d know Ronaldo Mulitalo had his Origin debut taken away from him by a technicality in the eligibility rules.
There are plenty of layers to unpack from the fiasco which marred match day, with Mulitalo only originally called in as an injury replacement himself for fullback Reece Walsh, who broke down at yesterday’s captain’s run.
While some will wonder why anyone would have complained, the bottom line is that everyone involved in selecting teams knows the eligibility rules.
More worryingly, this isn’t a new issue. The fact Mulitalo has played for Queensland in junior Origins, yet was called out before the biggest game of his life is a major blight on the NRL’s showpiece event.
Rubbing Mulitalo out of the fixture would have been the right decision if the verdict was decided upon months, or even years ago, but it most certainly wasn’t the right decision when the verdict came just hours before the game started.
There must be better processes put in place to avoid a repeat of this situation.
More Origin 2
» REPORT: Blues stifle Maroons to claim series
» Origin 2, as it happened: Play-by-play commentary
» VIDEO: Trbojevic’s sensational try-saver on Coates
» VIDEO: Latrell’s amazing intercept try
Where do Queensland go next?
For the first time in Queensland’s State of Origin history, the Maroons have been held to nil at Lang Park.
Granted, Queensland haven’t played a minute of this series at full strength like it could be argued the Blues have, but their performances simply haven’t been good enough no matter which way you look at it.
They will have to find a way to front up for Game 3 and, despite the fact Kalyn Ponga and Harry Grant will be back, there is simply not enough one or two returning players could do to change the way this series has played out.
The problem when looking at the long-term ramifications of this series for the Maroons is that they don’t have the talent coming through to match a New South Wales side who are only likely to get better.
Brad Fittler’s team are, for the most part, still quite youthful with long careers ahead of them. Nathan Cleary has only played a small handful of Origin series, while Jarome Luai was on debut. Match that with players like Tom Trbojevic, Payne Haas and Latrell Mitchell, and this could well be a New South Wales dynasty on the way.
Dynasty isn’t a word I like using around the Origin arena, because it is so, so hard to create one. Queensland did it, but they had the best team ever rolled out onto a rugby league field.
Queensland, to turn things around in the coming years, will have to focus on using the feelings of this series and turning them into something positive, however, you feel they are better than they showed across the two games.
Whether it be Cameron Munster, Daly Cherry-Evans, the forwards who will only gain more experience as well, or the return of players like Ponga, they will improve.
Enough to stop the Blues though? Big, big changes are needed if that is to become a reality.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
James Tedesco is still the best option to play fullback
It’s not as if James Tedesco was quiet during Game 1, but he picked his stage as Suncorp Stadium to remind us why he has been the best fullback, and the best player, in the game for some years now.
While other fullbacks in Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic, who played in the centres, were again outstanding in their roles, roaming all over the park and putting Queensland on the back foot, it was Tedesco who stole the show.
His work on the right-hand side of the Blues attack and combination with Josh Addo-Carr, was simply outstanding, but the man they call Teddy was popping up everywhere.
Through the middle of the park, he barely put a foot wrong, and it shows in some ridiculously good final numbers.
234 metres, a pair of try assists, ten tackle busts, four offloads, and only a minor error with no missed tackles in what was a complete 80-minute performance from Tedesco.
More importantly though, it’s clear to see just how good of a communicator Tedesco is. His work in organising the Blues defensive line was phenomenal right throughout the series, and just six points scored by the Maroons in 160 minutes of football is testament to his contributions.
James Tedesco (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Cameron Munster has had next to no influence and it shows
Stretching the mind back to the 2020 State of Origin series, where Queensland put on a performance for the ages to create one of Origin’s greatest ever upsets, and it was little surprise that their main man was star half Cameron Munster.
He was everywhere last year, and the difference in the one game the Blues won was, quite literally, his presence on the field.
But this year, Munster struggled to get into either game, and it shows on the final scoreboard. I wrote before the series started that if Queensland were to make any headway against the ferocious attacking outfit rolled out by their opposition, Munster would have to have a monumentally large series.
But simply put, he didn’t. He had next to no involvement in Game 2, and even the parts he could control defensively, were of no use. Munster had racked up six missed tackles by half time, and ended the game with eight.
While the Melbourne-based half showed a little more attacking intent in the second half, the game was already dead and buried. Game 3 might be a dead rubber, but Queensland need to see something out of Munster.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Payne Haas off the bench at Origin level makes a difference
Judging by the way Queensland started the game, it was easy to tell just how much the Game 1 loss stung them. The first defensive set the Maroons strung together was simply outstanding, pinning the Blues close to their own tryline until a run from Tariq Sims broke the shackles.
Still, the opening in defence by Queensland set the tone for the first quarter of an hour, and New South Wales fans would have been more than just slightly nervous at the way things were beginning to shape up.
The Blues might have scored the opening try, but just when forwards from both teams were starting to slow down, on came Payne Haas. It might have coincided with Latrell Mitchell’s intercept and length of the field try, which certainly broke the Queensland spirit, but it’s impossible to underplay the role Haas had in putting his team right on top of the contest.
The numbers he churned out are only fractionally below the series opener, but with 105 metres from 11 runs, with 44 of those post-contact, and 24 tackles, he was a constant presence for New South Wales in the middle third during his stint on the park.
It means the Blues could go from in the contest to right on top of it in a matter of minutes, and without Moeaki Fotuaika playing quite as well as he did in Game 1, Queensland didn’t stand a chance through the middle portion of the game.
Defence into attack wins the series
The Blues attack has been outstanding this series, but none one bit of it would have been possible without the way New South Wales have defended.
There is no clearer example of it than in the 73rd minute, at 26-0 and with the game done and dusted, Kyle Feldt ran onto a grubber from Daly Cherry-Evans, only to be robbed of the try by a desperate, scrambling Brian To’o.
The whole team then raced in and mobbed To’o, celebrating his effort.
There was a similar moment in the closing minutes of Game 1, and plenty of others which you could point at through the series which have set the difference between New South Wales and Queensland.
New South Wales were then able to use that defensive structure and ability, combined with the pressure they put the Maroons under, and turn it into an attack which is better than just about any in recent memory.
It was the complete performance, an unbelievable mark on coach Fittler, and the way New South Wales prepared for the game.
More than that, it’s exactly how rugby league should be played
Roarers, what did you make of Game 2? Drop a comment and let us know.
Cat Brown
Guest
Can Queensland swap DCE and Munster for Turbo. Two for on. Great deal
Andrew Wright
Roar Rookie
New coach please. Green is totally out of ideas, in attack and defence. Go to either the Walker brothers, or a Smith/Slater combo, with assistants Thurston and Webcke. Blood the youngsters. Spine Ponga, Munster, Walker, Grant, Walsh bench. But new coach for sure. Couldn't motivate a sex addict in a brothel.
Sing The Blues
Guest
Well I was talking about that SOO game. You didn’t specify what you meant? You just said haven’t you watched the game in the last 18 months. As if you’re saying that 6 agains are just as valuable as a penalty ? So maybe you should specify what you mean? You certainly didn’t specify repeated 6 agains ? Maybe you think everyone can guess what you mean?
Larry1950
Guest
It's taken a few days to digest the Qld debacle this series (so far) but I can only really offer a simple congratulations to a blues team that played out of their skin for the full 160 minutes & showed spirit, selflessness and ticker often lacking in previous versions. On your Munster summation, I'd forgive many of those missed tackles which were often on his teammates opponents after they'd missed tackles. I observed in many previous comments about Qld origin teams that we'd dodged bullets at various times using makeshift centres but this time the experiment with a secondrower & winger never paid off. We got away with Morgan, Boyd etc because of the big 4 spine but Hodges was our last real centre although most of his best work came from runs as a dummy half. Tommy Turbo looks a faster version of that this year. Anyway, there aren't any excuses, our origin team is defending like our 3 state based clubs.
steveng
Roar Rookie
:laughing: as far as “CPITALS” are concerned Nat mate, have a look at your own posts on the “Ronaldo Mulitalo is not a Maroon - and he should have known as much” and I quote you… "Let me just refresh the cuppa, can’t wait to read all the NSW heads nodding furiously in agreement. Just because NSWRL ripped the heart out of this kid it’s ‘nothing to do with NSWRL, not us, it’s them, it’s him, damn Qlders. remember GI – DON’T LOOK AT US LIKE THAT!" If you want to take everything out of context then go for it but don’t be a hypocrite. :cricket:
matth
Roar Guru
I understand your view as well. If players were to pull out for lack of pay, don’t you think that would have happened in the 1980’s when the payments were relatively small? I suspect you are a NSW club supporter with the comment: “I don’t think there is the same passion for state as there is for club.“ That is not true for many in Queensland, primarily because the QLD Origin Side is older than any QLD club. Our club competition where we had inter generational support and history was eaten by the NSWRL. Then there is also the reason Origin was born. It was not about money or Channel 9, it was about QLD having its footy comp ripped apart by poker machine money, and having Queensland players represent NSW and sometimes even captain the state, when we could not hope to compete. As a result NSW belittled the started of QLD football when their money is partly what wrecked it. There is 40 years of Origin history to build on. I’d love to see Brisbane win another comp in my lifetime (it’s looking increasingly unlikely!), but I loooooovvee beating NSW. Articles today like putting up the NSW seconds to beat QLD whenever the superior blues have a series win, just adds fuel to the fire.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
old rules. they changed
Rob
Guest
I remember Tallis was and Matt Rodgers beating the Queenslanders playing for NSW in juniors. I suspect young Walker is a ?
Pickett
Roar Rookie
Are you a Roosters fan, Ugly?
Rob
Guest
Soft Queenslanders with a lot of Kiwi blood in their veins unfortunately Ugly ?
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
I get most of what you are saying (though i think it will be quite different in Newcastle to NQ as the restrictions will limit any change in atmosphere in the build up and a half empty stadium won't help either). I don't think there is the same passion for state as there is for club. You ride the highs and lows of a club for much longer than you do a state team and a state team isn't made up of players you club develops or signs up. Club players choose to play for you, you get what you get for State. I'm sure i am just reflecting my own dismissiveness for Origin and i know i am in the minority in thinking it detracts and damages the NRL. I've been to half a dozen Origin games in QLD and NSW - been fortunate to only have to pay for a ticket maybe once. I don't find the atmosphere as amazing as the tv commentators (particularly in Sydney), but that is just me. I'm sure dead origin rubbers mean something to some. I guarantee if players got minimal payments for playing Origin, there would be plenty of players pull out with "niggling injuries" and they would start to matter a lot less. But with the unpredictability of what is ahead for the NRL, it seems an unnecessary game to play when the entire competition is under threat of being severely compromised. Just my view. I understand yours.
Rob
Guest
He’s a Meninga M2 IMO. I know the game has changed and numbers on jersey but he’s got more toe than Capewell and Turbo might be less potent carrying the football. I seen Turbo sucking in the big one after wrestling Fafita to the ground. Turbo doesn’t go low front on and Fafita is incredibly hard to stop up top? Fafita is very elusive at speed.
matth
Roar Guru
Andrew, I’m not sure it would be seen so poorly by the people of Newcastle. The people of NQ saw it as a huge event for the region. For many this was the only chance in their lifetime to see Origin or experience the atmosphere of Origin week. I’d think may in Newcastle would feel the same. Yes it’s a dead rubber, but each game is important, each game adds to the narrative for the history, both of players and teams. Otherwise, why would each club play any games once they reach a point where they can’t make finals? NSW will be motivated to make a bit of history. Clean sweeps don’t come along very often and they will be part of an all time great team. QLD will be desperate to salvage some pride and grab some momentum to take into next year.
matth
Roar Guru
No doubt that Munster is more an individualist and ideally needs a strong organizer beside him, however last year he was the architect of the kicking game that left NSW pinned in their corners for two games.
mushi
Roar Guru
— COMMENT DELETED —
mushi
Roar Guru
Sure in that specific circumstance. But that's not what you said you also included the other 80% of the field in your misguided analysis. Now are you trying to back peddle to say these all happened coming off their own line? The penalties definitely didn't
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
How? They will have to pay overs for tickets as it is a rep game. And it is a rep game that means nothing, will consist of 1 local player ( a prop) and will most likely see NSW start as20 point favourites and be the culmination of the most lobsided Origin series (By a long, long, long way) ever. Not to mention Newcastle is currently about 2 LGA's away form being added to the lockdown list.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
I wondered about Munster as well . He didn't kick often and when he did he seemed to hold back a little. Groin maybe?
Paul
Guest
So you don’t think many more Queenslander’s would watch & less people from NSW would watch , knowing Queensland’s going to win. It just goes without saying... As for the two heads? You can see yourself anyway you like? You don’t think more Victorian’s may also watch to see NSW lose? No matter your ratings. Queensland just winning all the time , did nothing to stop the TV being switched off well before the end of any game in NSW. You can bet on that! In any case. Don’t look to slow NSW down. Queensland have to improve. Same scenario with Melbourne winning!
Joey
Guest
You want the coach to be the guy that told the ref after Alex McKinnon was pile-driven into the ground, that he had caused it to happen? You want the biggest grub to have played ? I guess that is their style. You might be right.