2022 State of Origin

That 2017 Storm side was a cut above every other team in the NRL era to that point for my money in terms of combining defensive control with free-flowing attack, they raised the bar. 2018 was a weird year due to the rule changes and Cronk jumping ship, but the standard the Roosters reached from the back half of that season till the end of 2019 was again a step above what we’d seen before. And now this Panthers team which has emerged may be the greatest club footy team I’ve ever seen, and they’re running around at the same time as a Storm side which I reckon might be the greatest attacking side ever.

People complain about the talent base not being big enough, there’s not enough to support a 17th team, but I honestly think the best few clubs have just raised the bar - you have to be better to properly compete with them than you did to compete with the sides running around during what were IMO the lower standard years in the mid 2010’s. I think this magnifies how bad the weaker or even mid table sides in the comp look.

Go back and watch some of the losses the premiership winning Bunnies and Cowboys sides had in the mid 2010’s - the 2014 Bunnies in particular I recall losing to bleh sides in games where they leaked like 5 tries in 20 minutes. Back then you’d say it was just an off day, but if that happens today you put a line through the team it happened to as premiership contenders.
 
So Cam Murray has to do a HIA, Angus Crichton replaces him - makes sense - but he goes onto the left edge, with Liam Martin swapped over to the right.

Murray comes back on 15 minutes later, for Jake Trbojevic… but it looks to me like he’s back on the right edge, Liam Martin is over on the left again, and Crichton goes into the middle.

Seriously is Freddy high on bath salts at all times?
 
Great hands down the left. Burton showing he can be classy when he isn’t the man. For his own sake he should stick to centre, he is a reserve grade standard 5/8th.
 
Cleary has to be the best front running halfback in NRL history, once you’ve got a bit of a lead and an ascendancy the way he turns the screws with his kicking game is unbelievable.
 
Night and day between Cleary from game 1 to 2. Totally different player and standout man of the match for me with his control of the game.

Really poor defence by Nanai and Gagai there though. Queensland have been soft all night.
 
This is embarrassing by Queensland. The whole game they have lost first up contact and had zero intensity.
 
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