Queensland forward Reuben Cotter has been rewarded for his non-stop effort by being named Man of the Match for State of Origin game one at the Adelaide Oval.
“I still can’t believe it,” he said in his post-match interview after being told he had been adjudged the best on ground.
The rugged Cowboy was a late inclusion in the starting side at prop and switched to the second row midway through the first half when Tom Gilbert suffered a dislocated shoulder.
He churned through 48 tackles after playing the entire 80 minutes and came up with a massive play in the second half when he knocked down a pass which led to a Selwyn Cobbo try.
Reuben Cotter of the Maroons is tackled by Hudson Young and Jarome Luai . (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
“There was a lot of talk about Reuben Cotter’s place in the side given the way Corey Horsburgh has been playing in Canberra and the fact Cotter hasn’t been as energetic and as ruthless and busy as he was last year for the Cowboys,”said Mick Ennis on Fox Sports.
“But it was another Nate Myles type performance where club form goes out the door and you get in the Origin arena and do whatever it takes. He was everywhere tonight – unreal.”
Former Queensland star Cooper Cronk agreed: “Guys like that who absolutely fight over every loose bone on the ground they’re the type of guys who win game ones.”
Cotter says a selfless Queensland game plan known as “Cyclone” inspired his heroics.
Cotter played 80 minutes in the State of Origin series opener in Adelaide and had a blinder after starting at prop and shifting in the 19th minute to play on the right edge in the second-row, a position he had never played before in club football for North Queensland.
The Cyclone plan, devised by coach Billy Slater, came to the fore when the Maroons faced adversity.
Starting second-rower Tom Gilbert dislocated his shoulder in the 19th minute and did not return.
Fellow second-rower David Fifita was out of action late in the first half with concussion. Winger Murray Taulagi was also concussed and did not finish the match. Winger Selwyn Cobbo limped off with a hip injury in the 68th minute.
Prop Tom Flegler was sin-binned with the Maroons trailing 18-16 late in the game. While he was off the field the Queenslanders scored two tries to steal the match.
“I don’t know how we won it but we kept turning up for each other,” Cotter told AAP.
“The Cyclone is a mixture of things. It is a process. It is about kicking to the corners, having a good kick-chase and getting good line speed on play one, two and three.
“Billy spoke to us about Cyclone at the start of the week and it’s all about turning up and playing for each other.
“I feel like everyone is buying into it and being selfless.
“I didn’t know I was going to be playing 80 minutes but it is real team first mentality with this group.”
Maroons captain Daly Cherry-Evans hailed Cotter’s display in just his second Origin match.
“Reuben Cotter didn’t do a single rep at right back-row during the week but when he was there I didn’t for one second think he would let me down or the team down,” Cherry-Evans said.
“I am really proud of Reubs and he’s a deserved man of the match. It looks like we are going to have a Queensland player there for a long time. He epitomises what it is all about.”
When Gilbert went off Cotter had extra motivation when he switched positions..
“I love Tom. He’s my best mate and a great player so it was sad when he got injured,” Cotter said.
“I wanted to do him proud.”
Cotter came up with a decisive play in the second-half when he dived on a loose ball to secure possession when the team was behind. The Maroons scored soon after to take the lead and did not look back.
“I didn’t want to let the boys down after I let in a try in the first half (to Liam Martin) when I stuffed my spacing up,” he said.
“After that I tried to lock in and focus on my role.”
Cotter was named on the bench but said he knew from the start of the camp that he was going to be starting.
“I had a couple of conversations with Billy and he was clear on what he wanted me to do. Then we got some injuries. That’s footy. That’s Origin,” he said.
“I just try and rely on my effort.”
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