Men’s State of Origin Game 2 2026 - The Blues Vs The Maroons - 8:05pm Wednesday 17th June - MCG

Macca89 said:
So the Penrith game plan? I wonder if they’re letting Cleary and Yeo dictate what plan they want to play.
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Yep!

Think it’s easy for somebody to look at Penrith’s success and think they should model a team on what they do.

Even more tempting when you have a large contingency of current and ex Penrith players, and in theory maybe “grind them down” works.

But…Origin is passion. Explosive runs. Attacking football. QLD always give the impression they are a team and will do anything for eachother.
Queensland look to attack almost every set. It’s dangerous to defend against.

Our tries last night.
- QLD drop kickoff 5m out
- grubber in behind ricochetes, Munster can’t regather, pass over to Marky
- Marky beats 3 to score in the corner
- Barnett strolls over in the 77th minute.

Mostly sheer luck that kept us in the game at time. We never forced the issue. We never outplayed them to score.
 
The NSWRL should really remove Loz. 6 and 2/3rd series....one series win and one game away from another series loss.

He's a 40% win/loss coach with his whole coaching career being rep teams. ie. He's always had the best players to pick from, and he can't even break even.
 
NSW are known for changing the squad whether they win or lose, so I’d like to see this side seeing as QLD are an automatic lock for this series:

1. Dylan Edwards
2. Brian To’o
3. Casey McLean
4. Latrell Mitchell
5. Mark Nawaqanitawase
6. Ethan Strange
7. Mitchell Moses
8. Payne Haas
9. Apisai Koroisau
10. Isaah Yeo
11. Hudson Young
12. Haumole Olakau’atu
13. Cameron Murray

14. Isaiya Katoa
15. Jackson Ford
16. Jacob Saifiti
17. Dylan Lucas
18. Tolutau Koula
19. Keaon Koloamatangi

20. Jack Bostock
 
MattyM said:
NSW are known for changing the squad whether they win or lose, so I’d like to see this side seeing as QLD are an automatic lock for this series:

1. Dylan Edwards
2. Brian To’o
3. Casey McLean
4. Latrell Mitchell
5. Mark Nawaqanitawase
6. Ethan Strange
7. Mitchell Moses
8. Payne Haas
9. Apisai Koroisau
10. Isaah Yeo
11. Hudson Young
12. Haumole Olakau’atu
13. Cameron Murray

14. Isaiya Katoa
15. Jackson Ford
16. Jacob Saifiti
17. Dylan Lucas
18. Tolutau Koula
19. Keaon Koloamatangi

20. Jack Bostock
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I like the look of a team without Cleary in it. It feels like he either shouldn’t be there, or they need to pick the entire Penrith team for him to shine.
 
I think Casey is out for a month, and To'o is a shadow of the Origin player he was, and has been completely dominated. Needs to go for game 3.


It occurred to me that 1 series in 7, Loz is only behind Smith, Slater and Thurston in establishing QLD dynasties.
 
Lucas was set up to fail under Daley who's proven to be a very poor coach. Daley's bench rotation was a disaster and there's no identity or plan compared to Billy's.

I'd be surprised if Lucas returns for game 3 but be interested to see how he goes under a competent coach and play him in his preferred edge.

Had KP not been sent off in Game 1, Queensland would have already won the series.

Queensland 13+ in Game 3.
 
mozza said:
Luke Keary just referred to Nathan Cleary as the ‘best defensive half’ that’s ever played the game.

CTE has kicked in. The Chin missed more tackles last night than Dyl Brown will this season.
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Completely disagree. He mustn’t have seen Joey defend.
Defensively, Joey has been the best defensive half I have ever seen in my 60 plus years of watching the game.
Daylight second.
 
Defence wins games said:
Completely disagree. He mustn’t have seen Joey defend.
Defensively, Joey has been the best defensive half I have ever seen in my 60 plus years of watching the game.
Daylight second.
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Joey goes without saying. There’s a few current players ahead of Cleary too.

He normally defends well to be fair but he’s nothing special defensively.
 
Cleary is a robust figure who handles contact well, but Dylan Brown brings the same physicality but imo reads the play better than any half running around atm.

I know Keary he's a good fella but that's a **** take and probably something said in a moment where he was short an insight and needed to fill a gap. Cleary cost the Blues dearly in the 2nd half with basic misreads. He isn't special.
 
MattyM said:
NSW are known for changing the squad whether they win or lose, so I’d like to see this side seeing as QLD are an automatic lock for this series:
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I wouldn't have a problem if Cleary played G3 but have Cleary or Moses and not both. Lean to Cleary because he actually was alright G1

listo said:
Paul Crawley gave Lucas a 4.5, commented on his lack of carries.
Hard to make carries when Cleary won’t pass you the ****ing ball!
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Paul Crawley is an idiot as well, surprised people actually read what he says or take it seriously.
 
It was 26-18 with 17 minutes to go, then Staggs got sent off and Queensland score 3 times while he is off. If he doesn’t get sent off, it’s a different story. Basically we were in it until that moment. Yes, Queensland’s attack was amazing but it wasn’t against 13 in that defining period. If Api is on and Staggs doesn’t launch himself at Ponga off the ball, it’s at worst a much closer game.
 
scott said:
It was 26-18 with 17 minutes to go, then Staggs got sent off and Queensland score 3 times while he is off. If he doesn’t get sent off, it’s a different story. Basically we were in it until that moment. Yes, Queensland’s attack was amazing but it wasn’t against 13 in that defining period. If Api is on and Staggs doesn’t launch himself at Ponga off the ball, it’s at worst a much closer game.
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It was 32-18 when Staggs got sin-binned though, Queensland scored before he was marched.
 
The Blues 18 were two fluke tries and one bit of individual brilliance from Marky after some pretty meh lead up play. The scoreline flatters them.

I’m forgiving every Blues player under this coach except the guy who’s doing the same **** as always regardless of coach.

Cleary has literally never had a great or even particularly good performance in Origin when the deck wasn’t completely stacked in his favour. And also there was a whole 30 minute period where Haas had us running downhill and they couldn’t create jack crap. I thought multiple Queensland players were clear defensive weak links and they were never targeted, contrast with how ruthlessly Queensland worked over Staggs/Mark, To’o’s kick defence (sadly, my GOAT is washed), etc.

Sam Walker has pretty handily been the best halfback in this series, after Dearden was last year. I look forward though to getting to Origin next year again and again it’s “but who’s playing better than Cleary??? Who else can we realistically pick???”
 
R_A said:
I wouldn't have a problem if Cleary played G3 but have Cleary or Moses and not both. Lean to Cleary because he actually was alright G1


Paul Crawley is an idiot as well, surprised people actually read what he says or take it seriously.
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I heard Keary mentioned they were not playing short to the second rowers in 360. And also playing him on right on debut out of position. Most of media are not blaming Lucus and it more a bad Laurie decision.
 
The changes I would make
Trell for Koula
Turbo or Critter for Staggs.
Strange to 6
Keeping Cleary over Moses. Cleary will play better with a running half.
Either swap Young and Lucus there sides or Olakuwatu or Martin back in the side. I’d actually be more leaning towards Martin as he plays with Cleary.
Cam Murry to start 13, Yeo to prop.
Brailey if available or Api but bloody use them.

I love Laurie Daley as a legend player, but yeah unfortunately some really poor decisions with his bench, and player selections he needs to get that better Game 3.
 
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