State Of Origin - Game 2

Yeah, I can't believe they didn't pick Hannant or even Kennedy. Papalli will probably move to the middle and make an impact, but they still could of made things a lot tougher for the Blues with some better selections. We now clearly have the far superior forward pack and can own them up the middle once again.
 
Wouldn't it be good to do to them what they did to us last year or the year before, whenever it was. Keep them within their own 20 pretty much the whole game, monster them with our superior pack and not even give the likes of Slater and Inglis a sniff. I don't know if they'll have that mentality though, hopefully they come close.
 
We did that for most of the first half in Game 1 and were absolutely dominating. In the second half we made far too many errors and had to do a lot of defence which let QLD back into the match.

If NSW were patient in the second half and didn't try to push the pass, we win 13+.
 
After I saw the QLD team named I became even more confident of winning...

I would've stuck with Shillington & Harrison and selected Hannant....
 
Aaron Woods has overcome tremendous odds to make his Origin debut





This is the kind of State of Origin story that makes you feel good to be a NSW fan after a couple of days of ugly headlines.

Blues rookie prop Aaron Woods had just taken his place in the back row of the NSW team photo yesterday when he walked over to the waiting media scrum wearing a giant smile.
First up, he shook everyone's hand.
Then he told us all how his mum Rebecca cried when she found out he was going to make his Origin debut in next Wednesday night's game in Brisbane.
Woods was at training on Sunday morning, he said, when Laurie Daley called to break the news.
At first Daley told him to keep it a secret. "And I sort of paused for a little bit,'' Woods said, "and just said to Laurie: 'Well, is it alright if I tell one person?'
"He said: 'Who?'
"I just said: 'Mum'.''


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Aaron Woods shares a laugh with Andrew Fifita during a NSW Blues training session. Picture: Sam Ruttyn




So Woods phoned his mum and told her he needed her down at training. He said he didn't want to break the news on the phone.
But by the time his mum turned up at Corcord Oval where the Tigers train, Rebecca was already in tears because she knew something was going on.
"I just had to get her to calm down a bit because all of the boys were around,'' Woods laughed.
You talk about a young bloke happy with his lot in life.
People at the Tigers talk about Woods with the same sort of pride they used to talk about big Blocker Roach in the old days.
Born and bred in Balmain, they say this young bloke is just like Blocker in that he is old-school tough and one of the world's great blokes to boot.
Probably a big part of the reason they're so proud of him now is because they also know what he has been through the last few years to get to stand where he is today.
Three years ago a surgeon told the then 18-year-old he would never play professional sport again after he tore his hamstring right off the bone.
"I hadn't even made my first grade debut at that stage so I just wanted to play footy,'' Woods recalled.
Then after sitting out the entire 2010 season Woods exploded into the top grade in 2011and he hasn't taken a backward step since.
Some good judges thought Woods was unlucky to miss out on the Origin opener because his form in a struggling Tigers side this year has been enormous.
But, as is his way, Woods just got on with the job of playing well for the Tigers - knowing hard work has a habit of making its own luck in this game.
Then came the news James Tamou got kicked out of the NSW side when he got done drink driving after a boozy night in Townsville.
So Laurie Daley called up Aaron Woods - and with that, all the bad news ended in a dream come true.




http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...his-origin-debut/story-fni3fqyo-1226665797657
 
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Chris McQueen to guard Jonathan Thurston in crucial Origin starting role








CHRIS McQueen will be handed Queensland's most important task in his Origin starting debut when he acts as bodyguard to star playmaker Johnathan Thurston on Wednesday night.


The South Sydney second-rower has been named in the No.11 jersey and will play inside Thurston on the left-hand side of Queensland's defence at Suncorp Stadium.Thurston was a focal point of the NSW attack in Origin I, with man-of-the-match Luke Lewis singling out the five-eighth at every opportunity leading to a team-high five missed tackles from the Test star.With Ashley Harrison dropped and Nate Myles moved into the front row, it will be tattooed warrior McQueen's job to defend shoulder-to-shoulder with Thurston as Queensland try to save the series."We'll talk about it over the next few days and the coming week," McQueen said."The main thing I want to worry about is my defence. If my defence is right, the attack will come naturally. Defence is the big one for me. If I'm on JT's side, I'll back him up, work hard and keep things tight."Thurston admits his defence was below par and is determined to make amends.

"I need to be better in that area," Thurston said. "That is what was disappointing from my personal performance."They had a plan there to attack me and they were pretty successful at it. Obviously it's something we need to talk about when we're in camp."Getting a start in only his second Origin game was a surprise to McQueen, especially with the notification coming through a text message from his cousin Cindy at 12.03pm on Tuesday. The message simply read: "OMG, you are 11!"McQueen had been told only to report for Origin duty, not that he had been promoted to the starting side.He actually feared the sack and was left speechless when told he would be in the run-on side."I couldn't believe it," McQueen said. "Ever since the end of Game One I have been looking forward to Game Two, coming up to Queensland and playing in front of the mighty Maroons supporters, so I just can't wait."

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Chris McQueen has a crucial role to play for the maroons in Origin II.




http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...in-starting-role/story-fni3fr51-1226666530423



 
David Shillington pledges to fight back and earn Maroons recall








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HOPE REMAINS: David Shillington has been dropped from Origin after a disappointing performance.Source: The Daily Telegraph



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A SHATTERED David Shillington refuses to give up hope of resurrecting his Queensland career, as he comes to terms with his axing for Origin II on Wednesday night.


Shillington and veteran lock Ashley Harrison were the victims of Queensland's push for generational change, with the Maroons summoning Josh Papalii and Daly Cherry-Evans to save the series at Suncorp Stadium.Shillington was eager to succeed retired Petero Civoniceva as Queensland's forward leader, but he was dumped after making just 52m from nine hit-ups in the Maroons' 14-6 loss in Origin I.The Raiders prop turns 30 on Monday and it is believed Shillington's eighth Origin game in the series opener at ANZ Stadium will be his last.Shillington said he was disappointed, but was determined to work hard to stay on the Maroons radar."I'll put my head down, bum up and work hard, that's all I can do," said Shillington, who will turn out for Canberra against the Tigers tomorrow night at Campbelltown Stadium."Right now, I just need to keep my head out of the media, train hard and hopefully play well."Maroons coach Mal Meninga personally phoned Harrison and Shillington, who made his Origin debut in 2009, to inform the duo of their demotion.He said the experience was one reason why he could never again coach in the NRL."It was difficult talking to Ash and Shillo," Meninga said."You get attached to the players, but I had to be honest.

Ash kind of knew a little bit about it but if anything happens to Cozza (Corey Parker) in the next week or so, he is the next guy in the footy side," Meninga said.At 32, Harrison might find it difficult to reclaim his Maroons spurs, but Queensland skipper Cameron Smith believed he and Shillington could fight their way back."It's hard to see guys miss out, particularly guys who have been involved in the team for such a long time and been part of our success over seven years," he said."But Mal and the selectors have looked at what we need for Game Two and those guys missed out. Ash and Shillo are not forgotten, they have not been thrown in the trash, we are aware of what they have given our side. But I'm excited by what the new guys will bring."'



http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...n-maroons-recall/story-fni3fr51-1226667079659

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Queensland fullback Billy Slate admits Maroons are under pressure ahead of State of Origin II








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Queensland fullback Billy Slater admits the Maroons are under pressure coming into State of Origin II. Source: Getty Images



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BILLY Slater admits Queensland are under immense pressure as the weight of expectation and the quest for eight straight Origin series wins mounts on the mighty Maroons.


Twice in Queensland's incredible seven-year run the Maroons have managed to save the series after losing the first game, but this NSW team is coming at them stronger than ever.Slater said the impressive performance of the Blues in Origin I combined with the expectation of a home Suncorp Stadium crowd and the incentive of eight straight series wins had heightened the pressure on the team."I suppose it does put a little bit more on you, obviously it is a must win game for us," Slater said."Back at Suncorp, it's an advantage if start well and bring the crowd into the game."But apart from that it's important that we just concentrate on preparing well and fix up on the things we think we can improve on from game one."It's a good challenge for us. We've been faced with this in the past."Obviously there's some things we need to improve on from Game One and I'm sure we will be looking to do that this camp."Maroons winger Brent Tate, who along with Cameron Smith, Nate Myles, Johnathan Thurston and Sam Thaiday played in both the 2006 and 2008 series comebacks, said the team had accepted the pressure was squarely on their shoulders."It's a huge occasion for us, obviously the series is on the line for us.

We are at home which adds a little bit more pressure too, I think," Tate said."I know we've got to be better. I think when you peel it all back at the end of the day they just ran harder and tackled harder than us. We just need to match them with that, it's pretty simple."We need a real focus on starting well again and having that right attitude come Wednesday night to be nice and aggressive getting in there."Aside from fixing their starts, the Maroons are determined to get strike centres Greg Inglis and Justin Hodges involved more often given how much they trouble NSW defenders.It was the work of Hodges out of dummy-half and the strength of Inglis that dragged Queensland back into the Origin I contest."(Hodges) is like GI. I think in the first game the more he had his hands on the ball the more dangerous we were looking," Tate said."We need that from those two boys, they're both big men and they're both hard to handle."We need to get the ball to them a little earlier and a little bit more space."I'm sure that will be a focus for us going forward because they are such damaging ball runners. "The more times those boys have got the ball in their hands the better we are going to be."


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ate-of-origin-ii/story-fni3fh9n-1226667077267

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Ben Te'o crucial to Josh Papalii's pledge to play for Maroons





  • TRAVIS MEYN
  • GOLD COAST BULLETIN
  • JUNE 21, 2013 12:00AM




MAROONS hitman Josh Papalii has revealed Ben Te'o was the man behind him pledging his allegiance to Queensland.


Te'o secretly helped Papalii through the eligibility process last year as the Kiwi-born Raider became involved in a tug-of-war between New Zealand and Queensland.Te'o, a former Junior Kiwi, went through a similar situation before making his Maroons debut in last year's decider.And the Gold Coast-raised Te'o was a key figure in Logan product Papalii declaring himself available for Queensland."I spoke to Benny and he told me to not be selfish, but to look after my family - that's all I'm doing," the Canberra star said."To be honest, it wasn't (a tough decision). I had my family there and I put them and God before everything else."It's paid off and I'm thankful I stuck by my decision."The Te'o and Papalii cases have created a stir south of the Tweed, where sensitivities become more raw with each try Macksville-raised Greg Inglis scores against the Blues



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QUEENSLANDER: Josh Papalii. Picutre: Bradley Kanaris



Te'o moved to Australia as a 17-year-old, but never held strong ties to his motherland.Papalii migrated to Logan when he was five and said Queensland was the only home he'd known."I don't remember my life until I was six," he said."I felt like I owed Queensland something for everything they've done, not only for myself but also my family."If you don't want to play for a state, country or club then don't. Play for who you want to play for as long as it's in the guidelines."If anyone needs help with decisions like that, especially young Polys (Polynesians), I'm always willing to help."Papalii originally pledged his allegiance to New Zealand before defecting in September last year and Maroons coach Mal Meninga said he didn't try to sway the 110kg enforcer."I said 'I'd love you to be part of it but at the end it's your decision'," Meninga said."He sat down with his parents and manager more than he sat down with me and made the decision that he wanted to play for Queensland. It's great for Queensland."He's in his third year of first grade now and is getting good game time."He's a player of tremendous talent and his better days are in front of him. He's well-suited to Origin footy."


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...play-for-maroons/story-fni3fr51-1226667094243

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New Blue Aaron Woods determined to make the most of his chance to play State of Origin football







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NSW prop Aaron Woods (centre) shares a laugh with Andrew Fifita. Picture: Ruttyn Sam Source: The Daily Telegraph




AARON Woods is here for more than a yearly invitation to Blues reunions.


"Definitely not here to be a fill-in," the hulking NSW Origin rookie insists. "I realise I've come into this side under different circumstances ... but I'm not looking to walk away with only one jersey."Of all the unique clubs in Origin footy, few come more populated than the Blues' One Game Wonders, a stunning list of 52 New South Welshman who boast just the sole appearance for their state.Led by Blues godfather Tommy Raudonikis, this gifted mob includes everyone from David Peachey, Terry Campese and Kevin Hastings to Steve Edge, Jamie Buhrer and Steve Carter.Right now, suspended Blues centre Blake Ferguson is among them. Will and John Hopoate too. And who could argue gifting the position of patron to livewire Moree product Phil Duke?

Which brings us to Woods and Rabbitohs flyer Nathan Merritt.They are a pair of Blues newbies who, despite initially missing selection for Origin II at Suncorp Stadium, have been rushed into the squad following suspensions to North Queensland prop James Tamou (DUI) and Ferguson (assault charges)."What happened with Jimmy, it's sad but I've got to take my opportunity," Woods says. "I don't consider myself as being here to fill in. I've been given a chance and it's up to me to grab it with two hands, go hard and cement a spot in this side."And heading up to Suncorp Stadium next week, I can't wait. I've never been to an Origin game there before. Been to plenty in Sydney live, but never up there ... I'm really excited."It's a similar story for Merritt, who after several near misses is determined to avoid having his name alongside fellow pick 'n' swingers like Duke, the Hopoates, Darren Albert, Steve Turner, James McManus and Hazem El Masri.



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NSW debutant Nathan Merritt. Picture: Sam Ruttyn Source: The Daily Telegraph


"I'm really happy to be here and would love to stay for the series," Merritt says. "But who knows what's going to happen? It's been a while coming, so I'm really excited to be here, really proud."Apart from those players who boast no Origin appearances despite being named for the Blues - think footballers like Aaron Raper and, right now, Josh Reynolds - the One Game Wonders is the most notorious."And arguably the most populated too," Fox Sports statistician Aaron Wallace says. "It started with Tommy Raudonikis in 1980 and since then there's been a lot more than you'd think, another 51."Even in the last few years we've had players like Terry Campese, Michael Gordon, Jamie Buhrer and Jarrod Mullen."Despite having to play Monday Night Football after being named for his Origin debut, Woods said he had no problem getting through the 80 minutes knowing the biggest game of his career was ahead."Didn't worry me at all, mate," the prop grinned. "I was on top of the world, couldn't wipe the smile off my face, and just wanted to get out there with the same mindset I always have."That's the key to it. Go into the game knowing 'do your hit-ups, do your tackles, then get yourself off to camp'. That's it."You know how it is. If you go into those games trying to protect yourself, you'll get injured. So while obviously when I got called Sunday morning I was over the moon, I didn't give it a thought on game day."


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-origin-football/story-fni3fqyo-1226667134265

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Stress-free Johnathan Thurston ready to bust Blues in Origin II









MAROONS coach Mal Meninga believes Johnathan Thurston is motivated to hit back in Origin II, admitting the stress of personal issues took a toll on the champion pivot in the series opener.


Thurston endured a nerve-wracking build-up to Origin I as he sweated on the welfare of his fiancee Samantha Lynch, who was heavily pregnant with their first child.To compound Thurston's emotional week, the Maroons playmaker also battled a virus before Origin I and then aggravated a groin injury in his night of woe at ANZ Stadium.But Thurston entered Camp Maroon on Tuesday rejuvenated in body and mind.Two days after Game One, Thurston celebrated the birth of daughter Frankie Louise, with a one-week layoff giving his niggling groin complaint sufficient time to recover.Meninga has no doubt off-field demands weighed down on Thurston, but is confident the Maroons maestro will fire in Origin II."There was so much pressure on Johnno," Meninga said."Regardless of what he says, you will always think about your family and how your partner is going and what will happen when the baby is born.

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BACK IN BUSINESS: Johnathan Thurston directs the action at Maroons training. Picture: Adam Head



"Johnno is happy and his partner has the support of family, so he's in a better space now."Those sorts of things away from football can take their toll mentally, but Johnno will be better this time."Thurston's personal struggles had a residual effect on the Maroons' structures in Origin I.Halfback Cooper Cronk was forced to assume most of the general-play kicking and managed 487m - 77 per cent of Queensland's kick-metres at ANZ Stadium. By comparison, an injury-plagued Thurston managed just six kicks for 144m, well shy of the 200-plus metres he usually delivers for the Cowboys.But in an ominous sign for the Blues, Thurston says he is again fully fit and believes fatherhood can make him a better footballer by providing perspective."It's been great becoming a father," said Thurston, who produced a man-of-the-match performance against the Dragons last Friday night."I've loved every minute of it so far. She's adorable and I can't wait to see her when I get home each day.


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BACK IN BUSINESS: Johnathan Thurston directs the action at Maroons training. Picture: Adam Head


"It's definitely changed my life. Some of the things you used to worry about, you don't have to think twice about it any more ... that can help my football."I'm feeling good again, my groin is back to 100 per cent so I'm looking forward to getting out there."NSW's confidence is sky high, they have that self-belief they can beat us on any ground, so we have to make sure we are a lot better than we were in Game One."Maroons winger Brent Tate says his Cowboys cohort can now focus entirely on terrorising the Blues."I know JT will be stinging after that first (Origin), he is a competitor," he said.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ues-in-origin-ii/story-fni3fr51-1226667126086
 
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Allan Langer, Cooper Cronk help Ben Te'o in Maroons camp









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NOT ALL AT SEA: Ben Te'o at Coolum beach for a swim with teammates. Picture: Adam HeadSource: The Courier-Mail


QUEENSLAND forward Ben Te'o has revealed the two contrasting characters of the Maroons team that are helping him persevere through the toughest period of his career.


Still under police investigation for an alleged assault of a woman in Brisbane in April, Te'o has taken inspiration from reuniting with the Queensland family - in particular larger-than-life former great Allan Langer and current halfback star Cooper Cronk.It is the jovial and fun-loving nature of Langer that helps ease the tension while Te'o is determined to learn as much as he can from the committed professionalism of Cronk."I love being around Alfie Langer. For me, he reminds me why rugby league is enjoyable and why I first started playing it," Te'o said."This is a special time in Origin, we have a very close bond."The most important thing is learning, I get to play with and train with some of the best players in the world. For me it would be silly not to try and pick their brain and enhance my game.

"Someone I like to sit around and ask a lot of questions is Cooper Cronk. The way he gets better and better every year (is incredible)."Speaking to the QRL website, in his first interview since the assault allegations were aired, Te'o also had special praise for coach Mal Meninga who has stood by him throughout the assault allegations and backed the South Sydney forward to keep delivering for the Maroons on the field."Mal definitely has an aura about him," Te'o said."I respect everything he has done for the game and I just listen, when he talks I listen and try to do what he wants."Te'o was named on the interchange bench for his third Origin next week, but there remains a chance he could be promoted to the starting side to ensure the Maroons get a flying start at Suncorp Stadium.It has been a more intense welcoming to Origin than most for Te'o, given his debut last year was in the high-pressure decider and his second game came amid the developing assault scandal where he was interviewed by police midway through camp.

Te'o said he is far more relaxed than this time last year."I think I'm a little bit more experienced with how to handle the week," he said."My first Origin game I was a nervous wreck, pretty much the whole week."But now I've learnt to relax during the week, get into my training but not think about the game too much."


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-in-maroons-camp/story-fni3fr51-1226667768388

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Josh Paplii to dedicate Queensland State of Origin debut to Alex Elisala








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Maroons debutant Josh Papalii. Source: Getty Images



ON WEDNESDAY night in the bowels of Suncorp Stadium, Maroons debutant Josh Papalii will take a Nikko pen to his wrist tape and scrawl the name that inspired his career-best form - "Alex Elisala".

Elisala, a promising North Queensland Cowboys rake, took his own life in a Mackay hotel room in April.

The incident rocked Papalii, who grew up with Elisala in Logan before moving south to take up a contract with the Canberra Raiders.

Their friendship was solidified three years ago when they wore a Queensland jersey for the first time in the Maroons under-18 team.

In the lead-up to that match the pair of Samoan teens candidly discussed their dream of walking out together for a State of Origin game.

That is no longer possible so Papalii has dedicated his debut Origin to the good mate who won't be there.

"This game is dedicated to Alex, one of my brothers," Papalii said without prompting. "His name will be on my wrist for sure.

"We came through Queensland under-18s a couple of years ago and we were actually sitting together in camp, saying how good would it be if one of us made it."


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Alex Elisala in action for the Cowboys' U/20 side. Picture: Wesley Monts Source: Townsville Bulletin



Another young NRL contracted player who took his own life this year, Wests Tigers forward Mosese Fotuaika, also grew up in Logan. Those deaths made Papalii realise a culture change was needed among rugby league players.

"I'm pretty open myself," he said. "If I'm feeling down, the first people I tell are the closest boys to me or my parents.

"But that's what we need to change, not only in my club but the NRL itself if the boys need help (they need to know) there's help available."

In a month where the behaviour of rugby league players has devalued the game they claim to love, Papalii, 21, is the welcome contrast.

Not only does the cousin of heavyweight titleholder Alex Leapai accept he's a role model, he thirsts for the responsibility. Logan is the multicultural epicentre of Brisbane and the scene of recent race riots. The region's much publicised ills are why Papalii absorbed all the boxing knowledge he could from Leapai growing up.

"Alex is very close to me and because he came through that boxing arena I was taught some stuff but just to protect myself, not to hurt anyone," Papalii said.

"There were a lot of youth gangs. The more fights you have the better your name is.

"I was never involved and just tried to keep my family out of that system.

"If I can be a role model to young kids then I'm thankful for that to let their parents know that they can be safe doing something useful instead of being on the streets wasting their time.

"Logan is not a bad place ... (it's) just that if you do something you have to pay the consequence."


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/josh/story-fni3gmmu-1226667823752

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Nothing separates twin NSW State of Origin stars Brett and Josh Morris







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Josh (left) and Brett Morris at Blues training at Coogee Oval. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Daily Telegraph




EVEN 110km apart, nothing separates twin brothers Brett and Josh Morris.


After Josh crossed for his first try of the season in the second minute last Friday against the Sea Eagles at Brookvale Oval, Brett followed his lead two minutes later at WIN Stadium in Wollongong.That has always been the twins' way.Rooming together again ahead of State of Origin II at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday, Josh Morris yesterday said the chance to spend time together was a massive incentive for the pair to play representative football because it is often the only time they get to spend together during the season.When Brett gets married later this year, Josh will be his best man."That's the best thing about being twins, you're born with a best mate," he said."It's a special bond."The 26-year-old twins' connection goes beyond the bond they share.They shared bedrooms growing up, fighting for the top bunk at their dad's home.Lately, they've started sharing injuries.It's why Josh has always been more than interested in his brother's condition."Yeah, that's the thing. When Brett gets injured I usually get something similar a few months after," he said."It's the same for him too.

When I get injured, he wants to know all about it because he's gonna get the same thing in a few months as well."It comes in handy because whenever I'm injured I can just ask him what I need to do for rehab. We're twins so we have pretty similar bodies."He had a hamstring problem last year and then I got the same thing. I just gave him a call to see what I was in for."That's normal for us. People might think it's a bit strange, but we've grown up like that. That's always how it's been for us."Their twin intuition has not been fully used by Blues coach Laurie Daley, who plays them on opposite sides of the field with Brett on the left wing alongside centre Michael Jennings and Josh right centre alongside Nathan Merritt.Josh, who plays on the left side at club level for Canterbury, says he is happy to switch to the right to let Jennings play on the left edge and believes the Roosters speedster is the best left centre in rugby league right now.

But he still has a very real desire to one day be back playing alongside his brother in the NRL."I'd love to one day, but at the moment I'm happy at the Bulldogs and I'm still contracted until the end of next year," he said.The distance between them with Josh at the Bulldogs and Brett at the Dragons may not remain so great.


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-and-josh-morris/story-fni3fqyo-1226667835286

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Laurie Daley and the NSW Blues are firmly focused on the Origin II and the Maroons







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NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley during a team training run in Coogee. Picture: Bradley HunterSource: The Daily Telegraph




SOMEONE asked me yesterday how the week in camp had been for the Blues.


Without even thinking back to the start of the week, I said: "It's been great."The bloke laughed at me and said: "C'mon, Loz, how has it really been?"I told him again: "It's been great, why?"I'd completely forgotten about what went on earlier this week because for the past few days it hasn't even rated a mention with us.A lot of other people might want to dwell on what happened with Blake Ferguson at the start of the week but the players and staff moved on from that long ago.We leave for Brisbane tomorrow and I truly believe we will go up there ready to perform to the best of our ability. That is all I or anyone can ask of these players.While the camp hasn't been without some adversity, the way the players have handled themselves makes me tremendously proud to be a part of this group.To give you an insight into how the week unfolded, the first I heard about the problem facing Blake was on the Monday morning when I arrived at the team hotel in Coogee.Our media manager Tristan Hay informed me that there had been an incident involving Blake on the Sunday night. To be honest with you, it did cause some disruption on the Monday when the players first gathered in camp because we were all in the dark at that stage and it was not an ideal way to start the week.But we dealt with it as best we could and left it to the NRL's Integrity Unit to decide the appropriate action as they did their investigation into the allegations that were made against Blake.I got the players together in my room on the Monday evening and I simply told them that, as a group, we couldn't allow the investigation to disrupt our focus. It was decided Blake had to leave camp to return to Canberra and so on the Tuesday morning I decided Nathan Merritt would get the call up in his place.

You talk about a bloke living the dream. Nathan was smiling when he arrived at Coogee and I don't think he's stopped smiling since.It makes you feel good just to be around him. When I decided Nathan would replace Blake I tried to call him but I couldn't get hold of him.So I got in contact with Mark Ellison from Souths who told Nathan he had an hour to get to Coogee for the photo scheduled for 10am.I was so happy to see him sitting there in the front row of his first State of Origin team photo.If you caught a glimpse of the TV interviews he did that night you'd understand what this means to him.

Let me assure you, Nathan won't let anyone down.I've got to say since those frantic few hours on the Monday everything has gone pretty smooth since.We've had a couple of players nursing niggling injuries throughout the week but you expect that with any team at this time of the season.The good news for NSW is Choc Watmough trained with us yesterday and I expect him to be close to 100 per cent when we regroup in camp tomorrow. That is when we will have our main training session of the week before we fly to Brisbane.Choc is one tough customer and sitting out a few sessions this week is no big deal for him and it certainly doesn't worry me.All week we've purposely focused on ourselves, not Queensland, because at the end of the day our performance is what we have control over. We know Queensland will improve on their performance in game one and we have to do the same.

I know they can't wait to get up there and embrace what is sure to be a lively atmosphere.We will head to Brisbane with the utmost respect for Queensland - but I believe in our boys.They are ready to do NSW proud.Go the Blues.



http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-and-the-maroons/story-fni3fqyo-1226667792932

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Luke Lewis is NSW's last link to Origin glory







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Luke Lewis in action for the NSW Blues during Origin I. Picture: Porteous Gregg Source: The Daily Telegraph

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IF LUKE Lewis had his time over, he would stay longer. Party harder.


"And definitely celebrate with more than one beer," he grins. "But I was 19. A kid. So I won my Origin series, had a schooner ... then got a lift home with mum."Sitting now at a small cafe inside the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Coogee - clad in purple trackies and black beanie, inked arms poking from beneath a white tee - Lewis is trying to explain just what some might call the Origin magic, the secret.See, of the 21 Blues already called on this year by coach Laurie Daley, only one knows what it's like to actually win whole shebang. Louie.This unassuming Sydney westie who, way back in 2004, was thrown headlong into a chaotic mix all Fire Up!, Freddy Fittler revivals and that Shaun Timmins field goal.Gus Gould was the coach. Big Willie the cult star. And as for which roomie helped prepare him for Origin alongside childhood hero Brad Fittler?"Aaah, you know what?" the 29-year-old stammers. "It's so long ago I don't even remember".Indeed, since his sole Origin triumph, life for Lewis has moved through nine years, three houses, two clubs, even one wedding. A wait stretched so long, the back-rower knows Origin heartache almost as well as wife Sonia."Yeah, she and I met only a couple of weeks before the first game," Lewis recalls. "Sonia actually came to both Sydney matches of that series too, which we won."And still it doesn't seem quite real does it?Almost impossible to believe that when this Australian Test forward last won Origin, he was a wiry, rookie winger."After winning that Origin series, I didn't enjoy the night, the moment as much as I should've," he says.""I enjoyed the game, of course. I can still see 'Freddy' charging down that Darren Lockyer kick; still see him wagging his finger in the air while crossing the tryline like 'we've got this boys, we've won the series'."But afterwards, I didn't sit down and hang around with the boys."All I was thinking about was going back and playing well for Penrith ... I had no understanding of what we'd just done."But now, well, it's different.

While NSW would go on to win Origin again the next year, Lewis wasn't there. Nor the four winters after that. And yet, he was.Which is why, while fellow Penrith young guns Joel Clinton, Ben Ross and Luke Rooney basically rose and fell from the representative scene within two years, Louie is still pushing on almost a decade later."People probably forget but I was the Blues' 18th man for a lot of games," he said. "It allowed me to watch how guys prepared, how they defended, passed left to right, the lot."If that didn't happen, if I wasn't watching those guys and working out what made Origin winners ... I don't think I would be here now."So what does make Origin winners?"Hard work," he says. "Knowing that when you're training through summer and the legs are tiring, you say 'I wanna play Origin'. Or when your breathing gets heavy and the vomit starts rising, it's 'I wanna play Origin'."That's what I've learnt most since '04. That whenever you're at that point, in training or a game, of thinking 'this is ridiculous' ... that's when you're really preparing for Origin success."



http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-to-origin-glory/story-fni3fqyo-1226667824938
 
David Shillington and Ben Hannant pay the price as referees keep Origin teams poles apart





  • MAL MENINGA
  • THE SUNDAY MAIL (QLD)
  • JUNE 23, 2013 12:00AM


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Harsh cut: David Shillington carts the ball forward for Queensland. Picture: Brett Costello Source:The Daily Telegraph




MAKING changes to team selection is always a difficult process.


What was different in the selection of the Queensland team for State of Origin II is that some players missed the cut because of the way the game will be refereed.I feel sorry about David Shillington and Ben Hannant missing out on the team.The simple fact is that we could not afford to select them under the current interpretation of the 10m defensive rule.The way the referees are policing the 10m line in Origin at the moment, one of a football team's greatest assets - talented, big, yard-making forwards - is being reduced to a liability.You would think that 10m is 10m wherever you go. The line markings on the field were designed to take away some of the guesswork.But in Origin I, we were consistently brought back 11m or 12m in the defensive line.I personally do not understand the need for it. Why do we have to keep the two teams so far apart?Origin is a fast enough game as it is. I don't think anyone in the past decade has sat back after an Origin game and thought "well, that was slow and boring".All the current interpretation of the 10m is doing is taking the big fellows out of the game.


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Ben Hannant charges ahead for the Broncos.



When it came to picking the team for Origin II, our hand was forced to a certain degree into picking more mobile players who are better equipped to cope with the yards they have to cover in defence.As a result, through no fault of their own, players like Shillington, Hannant, Josh McGuire and Martin Kennedy become harder to select because they are no longer suited to the style of game Origin has been allowed to become.Under a regulation 10m, with a greater emphasis on gaining momentum in a set through the hard toil of the big men, those players and others like them come right back into the equation.Ultimately, instead of just picking the best Queensland team to beat NSW, Maroons selectors are being forced to choose teams that best suit a referee's interpretation.Unfortunately, that line of thinking also extends to match tactics and the style of game that we play.

We have to plan for the interpretation of the rules.To give you an example, we currently have one of the best if not the best players in the world at hooker in Cameron Smith.But we cannot formulate a game plan that maximises Cameron's fantastic running game, because it will be brought undone by the leniency currently shown to defenders standing offside at marker.Fans love these big games because we get to see the best players produce their best football against the best opposition.On paper, there are few better head-to-head battles than that between Cameron and Robbie Farah. Both players are exceptionally talented in every facet of the game, two of the best playmakers in the world, yet their influence on the game is being suffocated because every time they pick up the ball, they are immediately under pressure. I am sure Laurie Daley would tell you exactly the same thing.Complaining about referees is an easy avenue for a coach, I understand that.But this is not about lop-sided penalty counts, or decisions about the sin-bin or forward passes.We have got to the stage where the teams are being chosen, and the game is being played to suit the style and interpretations of the referees.It seems like the tail is wagging the dog.How do we want the referees to control the match? Simple play within the rules.

We have rules and guidelines there to follow. They are all written down. If everyone is working off the same page, there can be no room for argument.That is what the referees are there for to ensure the players perform within the boundaries set by the laws of the game.If those rules are breached, they are penalised. We shouldn't be in a situation where success in State of Origin football becomes less about ability, and more about adaptability.


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...eams-poles-apart/story-fni3fr51-1226668068300

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Roosters prop Marty Kennedy ruled out of State of Origin II with knee injury








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Martin Kennedy of the Roosters injures his knee while playing against the Bulldogs. Source: Getty Images

QUEENSLAND coach Mal Meninga is searching for a new 18th man with Sydney Roosters prop Marty Kennedy ruled out of contention for Wednesday's State of Origin clash at Suncorp Stadium.


Kennedy, named as Queensland's 18th man for the first time in his career, hyper-extended his knee in the Roosters shock win over Canterbury last night and was sent for scans in Sydney today.The Maroons have been told Kennedy will not be fit for Origin in four days' time and are now considering their options of who to call into camp at Coolum.With Gold Coast playing on Monday night it is unlikely the Maroons would select demoted lock Ashley Harrison or David Taylor with such a short turnaround until Origin.Raiders forward David Shillington, who was also dumped for Origin II, could be considered if he shows some venom in his NRL performance tonight.Other potential forward options include Brisbane pair Ben Hannant or Josh McGuire and Warriors prop Jacob Lillyman.The Maroons held their second training session at Coolum this afternoon with the full 17-man squad hitting the paddock in front of almost 200 fans.


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...with-knee-injury/story-fni3gn3s-1226668013390

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Ricky Stuart says the Maroons are desperate and have copied NSW's blueprint








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NSW coach Ricky Stuart (R) with captain Paul Gallen after NSW won Game Two of NSW v Queensland 2012 State of Origin series. Picture: Brett Costello Source: The Sunday Telegraph




ONE of Queensland's great strengths, they like to claim, is their pick and stick philosophy. For Wednesday night's game they have dropped two experienced players.


On form.It shows that for all their criticism Queensland aren't a lot different from NSW when circumstances are similar. It's easy to pick and stick when you're winning, when you haven't got the depth of player. It's a different pressure when you're coming off a loss and the series is on the line.I was amazed to see Ashley Harrison dropped. It looked like panic.Harrison has always performed at Origin level and most of all he has always performed when the stakes were greatest.They don't get any greater than they are now, with NSW 1-0 up and Queensland having to win to keep alive their winning streak. The other surprise was the sacking of David Shillington, and his replacement being a backrower.This Origin series is different from any other.For the first time, only three recognised props will play in the game. Aaron Woods and Andrew Fifita for NSW and Matt Scott for Queensland.


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Queensland Origin star Ashley Harrison. Picture: Jerad Williams



The rule for Origin used to be that you had at least four in each team, two starting and two on the bench, and more if you could justify it.Origin was a power game. It was about field position and yardage through the middle. It started to change a couple of years back when I was coach and we lacked serious contenders at prop.With few options, I decided to gamble. Instead of finding a prop and hoping he was up to it I found a player who was up to it and hoped he could play prop.That's when I picked Paul Gallen.Internally, it wasn't that big a gamble. The game is divided into middle and edge players these days and whether you've got the eight on your back or the 13, if you play in the middle it's essentially the same role.Externally it was a big risk, though. Queensland quite openly ridiculed the selection, wondering what I was doing.It was the biggest gamble of my career, and for that I will never be able to repay Gal.That was when he turned in one of the great Origin games, playing the entire 80 minutes and putting up amazing numbers. Best of all we won, and it became clear how footwork is crucial for your middle players.It was a strategy we stuck to while we developed our Blues In Waiting squad to start identifying big middle forwards coming through.More than anything, that's what the squad allows you to do.

Away from the pressure of Origin camp, it allows you to get players in and test their attitude, physical and mental toughness.If James Tamou was playing at Suncorp on Wednesday I'd say we were specials. He causes so many headaches for Queensland through the middle with his size and leg speed.That's why I'm confused by Queensland's strategy.They've moved away from that to mimic what the Blues have done, even though they had big props available. It can only be a rap for NSW.That's why we're on the cusp of something here.All that remains between here and the game is to get our preparation right.It all comes down to the individual.When they run out on Wednesday they have to ask themselves a few questions.Have we trained better?Have we prepared better?Have we improved the quality of our work?Has someone stuck up their hand and said I am going to be the difference?The answer needs to be yes.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...d-nsws-blueprint/story-fni3fh9n-1226668054317

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The kids who ignited Nathan Merritt's feelgood Origin story








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Nathan Merritt pictured with his children at Redfern Oval ahead of his Origin debut on Wednesday night. (L-R) Jade, Nathan, Jalen and Nakeeya. Source: The Sunday Telegraph




THE trademark smile disappears from Nathan Merritt's face when he thinks back to 2003. It is only now that he can admit how he almost threw it all away.


"Back then I was young and I got comfortable," Merritt now, 30, said."My discipline wasn't good and I just took things for granted. I could have easily ended up losing my career."Turn back the clock to when he was 20 and Merritt was lazy. The Alexandria Rovers junior was often late to training. He had a habit of sleeping in and his attitude was questioned by not only his coach, but his peers.Merritt relied solely on his talent and he thought that would be enough to get him through. It wasn't.The indigenous kid from Redfern got a reality check when he signed with Cronulla in 2004. Then Souths CEO David Tapp said he was lazy and could have been sacked on more than one occasion."I think the club weren't too happy with me," Merritt said. "Angry. I can't really remember what I did but I was often late and things like that."The club also gave me a traineeship and I quit. It wasn't too much fun and I couldn't do it being a fulltime player. I just reckon I was immature and not ready to be a top-grade footballer."


Merritt's slide continued. After playing just 16 NRL games for Cronulla, the big signing was sent packing to park football.And that is when things finally changed.Merritt's footballing saviours both came at once: twins babies, a boy and a girl."That was one of the good things that came out of going to Cronulla," Merritt said."I got out of my comfort zone. I didn't reach any expectations there but I matured as a person. I had to move out of home but it was becoming a father that really turned my career around. I was halfway through my second year and I had twins. A boy and a girl. It changed my world."Merritt could hardly look after himself until the arrival of Jalen and Jade, now 8. Contracted by the Rabbitohs when he was 16, the flyer went straight into grade when he left school. Before moving to Cronulla, he had never lived on his own, having bounced between his parents' home at Campbelltown and his aunties in Redfern."I was just young and thought that first grade was enough." Merritt said."I was really immature.

When you are young you just have fun. I didn't take anything seriously."I had to take care of myself and that helped me as a person and a player. I was little bit scared when I had the twins. One is scary, but two is something else. I was nervous and didn't know what to expect."I was only 21 and it was a challenge. It put everything into perspective."The arrival of Jalen and Jade awakened Merritt's inner beast. Stuck in Premier League with the Newtown Jets he went on a remarkable run, scoring 120 points in nine games: 13 tries and 34 goals. He even scored 40 points in one game."I just put my head down," Merritt said. "And worked hard. I had to play for my kids."But Merritt's Origin dream wasn't born until August 6, 2006. When the kid from Cleveland Street High School showed he could be a star."I was back with Souths and we were playing Penrith," Merritt said. "I remember that game. It was my first hat-trick. They were a good Penrith side with Rhys Wesser and Preston Campbell, Craig Gower. A tough side. I guess it was a highlight. People started taking notice of me."He may have been ready back in 2006, but NSW selectors were not. It has taken him another seven years to realise his dream."It was an amazing feeling being selected because it was a childhood dream," he said. "It has taken me a long time and I am just happy about finally getting the opportunity."Apparently, at 90kg, he is too small, and he can't tackle.But Merritt has three reasons to play. And Jalen, Jade and the youngest Nakeeya will all be in Brisbane to watch the punctuation point in a remarkable story.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/th...ood-origin-story/story-e6freuy9-1226668038842

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Wests Tigers and NSW prop Aaron Woods a chip off the old Block









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NSW State of Origin prop Aaron Woods with former Blue Steve "Blocker" Roach at Coogee beach. Picture: Brett Costello Source: The Sunday Telegraph




EVEN in the middle of winter, Balmain legend Laurie Nichols would stalk the sidelines of Leichhardt Oval in his black and gold singlet, shadow boxing as he talked-up his beloved Tigers.


Come Wednesday night at Suncorp Stadium, Nichols, gone but never forgotten, will no doubt be looking down at the Brisbane cauldron, throwing left uppercuts and right hands while chanting one of his famous, rhyming one-liners.The reason for the Balmain icon's celebration will be the 109kg, 1.94m Leichhardt Juniors product, Aaron Woods, making his debut in the front row for NSW.The rise of Woods, from a kid who grew up living above the newsagent in Norton St, Leichhardt, to the Blues engine room is a throwback to the halcyon days of the 1980s.Back then, Darling St would be decked out in black and orange every time the Tigers were on a roll into September and the Balmain District Junior Rugby League proudly launched champions like Wayne Pearce, Paul Sironen and Benny Elias all the way to the NSW front line.In State of Origin II on Wednesday night, Woods will make history as the first Leichhardt Junior to represent the Blues.Dig a little deeper and it's impossible to miss the charm associated with his ascent to the state side - a wonderful story about how his mum Rebecca, herself born-and-raised in Leichhardt, became pregnant at 17 and raised Woods on her own for the first five years of his life.What rocks you back when you initially meet Woods is his maturity. He's 22, but he could easily pass for 32.Ask about his background and you begin to understand his old head on young shoulders.He has only met his biological father a handful of times and no longer speaks to him. On Wednesday night, Woods won't know if he's watching or not.


"It happened when I was young. I don't talk to him at all. I've met him a couple of times, but it was Mum's decision and that's what happened so I just stay out of it," Woods said.Aaron Woods actually started his life as Aaron Graham, taking his mother's maiden name until she married his step-father, Clint Woods, years later."I can't remember how old I was, I get asked that a lot. I think I was about nine or 10," Woods said. "Mum married him when I was younger and so I took his name on. She changed her name, so I changed mine."He was our footy coach for quite some time at Leichhardt Juniors, but him and Mum split up last year. I haven't spoken to him for a while."These days, Rebecca Woods works at the Leichhardt bus depot and drives buses around Sydney. Back when Aaron was growing up, she juggled jobs at the Victoria Hotel in Annandale and the Imperial on Norton St as well as raising a son on her own.Eventually, she settled on a job at the Norton St newsagent, with the Woods family living above the shop."I was a single mum for a while and as normal I did it hard. I worked and paid my childcare fees. Aaron's very humble and all our family are the same," Rebecca Woods said."We'll give to people but we'll never take off people. More recently, he's taken on the role of being the father figure of his sister, Brooke, who's 11. He was good at school but football was always his number one."I was going through our photos the other day and I saw his pre-school notebook where he said, 'Aaron enjoys kicking the football.

"Then I saw his year six journal where it said what do you want to be doing when you grow up and he said, 'I want to be playing first-grade football in 2012.'"He's always just been a very humble person. In his life he had bad news a couple of years ago when he tore his hammy off the bone and he was told that he'd never play footy again."But he just saw it as another challenge to try and overcome. I'm very proud of him."It's easy to make the link between Woods and Balmain local juniors like Pearce, Sironen and Elias. But the similarities between the Blues' newest big unit and Tigers, NSW and Kangaroo Test legend Steve "Blocker" Roach are frightening.Block might have cut his teeth as a junior in Wollongong, but no one epitomised "Tiger tough" better than the Balmain bookend who was the cornerstone of the club in the 1980s.Like Woods on Wednesday, Blocker made his NSW Blues debut in Brisbane when Suncorp Stadium was known as Lang Park, the original Cane Toad cauldron."I nursed Mitchell Pearce when he was a day old and I've known this bloke most of his life and the two of them are in the state side. It's unreal," Roach said."This bloke's unfazed by anything. People are at him about making his debut in an Origin at the cauldron and he just says, 'Oh well, you've got to make your debut sometime.'"He's the type of bloke who'll get in there and he'll be in the Blues set-up for the next eight years. You watch him go."We talk on a regular basis because he's best mates with my son, Liam, so he's over at my place for dinner all the time. He's a tremendous kid."Talk to Woods about Leichhardt being the eighth wonder of the world and he'll beam a big smile straight back at you: "2040 for life." he laughs.For the uninitiated, that's Leichhardt's postcode.On the field, Woods is all fast footwork at the line, clever offload and massive work rate. Off it, he's immensely proud of his inner-west upbringing.The Leichhardt Juniors have hosted the Aaron Woods Cup in pre-season for the past two years.

Woods presents the trophy and is still in contact with president Phil Taylor and life members Mick Manning and Brian Coleman."I had a phone call from him earlier in the week. He offered if I wanted to come up to Brisbane and told me he would organise the tickets and everything," Manning said."That's the type of kid he is. Loyal. Honest."Manning was driving tow trucks in the 1980s when Roach, Elias and Pearce were making names for themselves and Tigers legend Keith Barnes was still in charge of Balmain.He has seen plenty of champion local juniors make the grade and rates Woods alongside all of them.Given where he's come from and what he's already achieved, you can guarantee that Woods won't let NSW down on Wednesday night.You can guarantee Nichols, wherever he may be, will be bellowing and shadow boxing to one of his favourite lines: "Black and Gold, we never fold."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ff-the-old-block/story-fni3fqyo-1226668055632

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Paul Gallen: I'll be a Maroons punching bag if it means we finally win








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NSW Blues captain Paul Gallen. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Daily Telegraph


HAS there been a bigger build-up to a State of Origin match?


I've been told Wednesday night's second Origin in Brisbane is expected to be the most watched match in over 30 years of Origin footy.Much of the anticipation for record ratings stems from what happened in Origin I.Anticipation of an old-fashioned Queensland square-up might be in the air, but I can tell you - and this might disappoint a few people - it's not on the ground.You won't catch this NSW side taking the bait. We're not interested. Not anymore. The rules have been redrawn and we're not about to cross the line with so much at stake.It's an old line, but our only concern is on the scoreboard.The Maroons can organise as much retribution as they like, it won't bother us. I'll take a punch in the head if it means winning the series.The Maroons can focus on getting square in front of their home fans, who we all know would love nothing more than to see their team take measures into their own hands. But if someone is baiting me, or any of our players wearing blue, we'll be thinking of the bigger picture.Winning the series is all that matters.And, really, what choice do we have, given the decision by NRL officials to ban the biff?

There's no point getting baited, throwing a punch and getting sin-binned, especially if it costs us the game. We'll be looking to hurt Queensland in other ways.That's all we've been focused on over the past seven days in camp. That is once we got through the first two days, which were far from ideal.I'd be lying if I said the drama surrounding Blake Ferguson's omission didn't affect the camp.The first day or two nobody knew what was going on. In that moment when I was told that Fergo wouldn't be involved, I didn't know what to think.Because you know the person, you want to support them and you feel sorry for them.But at the same time you don't know the intimate details of what happened, so your focus then shifts to everyone involved and the welfare of everyone caught up in it is what matters most.In camp, you only have a short moment to feel sorry for the situation and then you have to move on. Preparation is timed to the minute. Training, meal times, meetings, commitments with sponsors, the community and recovery are timed down to the second.It was important to address the issue with Fergo and keep moving forward towards the end goal on Wednesday night.

That's why Nathan Merritt is such a terrific addition. He's waited his entire career for this.Nathan might give the impression that he's just happy to be here, but I can tell you that he's switched on and preparing himself like he's been an Origin player for years.Then there's the other debutant, Aaron Woods - my new front-row buddy. Can you imagine how pumped he will be, running out in front of the Queensland fans with the chance to be part of a winning Origin series?Blues legend Steve "Blocker" Roach reckons Woodsy can play Origin for the next decade, which is a fair sign of his ability.


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...s-we-finally-win/story-fni3fqyo-1226668070265
 
Maroons say Blues stand offside to nullify Justin Hodges and Cameron Smith







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BLATANT BLUES: (clockwise from above) NSW skipper Paul Gallen (far right) moves offside from second marker; Gallen at it again; and again; and now it's Robbie Farah's turn to break the rules during Origin I. Pictures: Fox Sports



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QUEENSLAND'S most dangerous attacking weapons were shut down by illegal play in Origin I, with NSW deliberately standing offside at marker to take Cameron Smith and Justin Hodges out of the game.


As images from Origin I prove, NSW deliberately stood shoulder-to-shoulder at marker to prevent Smith from being able to get space out from dummy half to ignite the Maroons attack.The tactic was also particularly effective in pinning Queensland down in their own end after a kick, with the superb dummy-half work of Hodges and his fellow outside backs heavily negated at times.Maroons coach Mal Meninga has highlighted the issue with referees boss Daniel Anderson and hinted at the problem in his column in The Sunday Mail."We cannot formulate a game plan that maximises Cameron's fantastic running game because it will be brought undone by the leniency currently shown to defenders standing offside at marker," Meninga wrote.


NSW skipper Paul Gallen, hooker Robbie Farah and man of the match Luke Lewis were repeat offenders in Origin I.And it's an issue that has been discussed by the Maroons in preparation for Game Two on Wednesday night.The illegal markers were one of two major concerns the Maroons have discussed in camp this week, the other being the inflated 10m defensive line."I think we've had a look at it and seen how it was run in Game One," Maroons forward Matt Gillett said."There were a few areas that we need to work on."It felt like we were a bit behind the line, but it's going to be the same and you can't change the way the ref is going to do. It's something we've got to deal with and get on with it."While centre Hodges was crucial in helping Queensland fight their way back into the contest in Origin I, the Maroons will need him doing his strong running out of dummy half at Suncorp Stadium if they are to level the series.Gillett said the 31-year-old centre remained a dangerous attacking player and was in superb form both at club and Origin level."He is an aggressive player," Gillett said."He has been doing his job well and it's good to see him firing in his old age and he is a lot more experienced now and he knows what this is all about."He has been a great leader for us at the Broncos and now he is a great leader here at the Queensland side too."

The Maroons held their most important training session yesterday with an hour of opposed work against the Queensland under-18s at Coolum.It was evident from the intensity that the Maroons would not repeat the attitude issues which crippled their start in the series opener."Attitude is everything," Gillett said. "We need to get the attitude and come out and out-enthuse NSW like they did to us."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/offside-blues-caught-in-act/story-fni3fr51-1226668484463

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NSW forward Ryan Hoffman played for Queensland U/19s








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Ryan Hoffman with his fellow NSW forwards ahead of State of Origin II. Picture: Mark Evans Source:The Daily Telegraph




SOMEWHERE north of the border, there's a picture of Ryan Hoffman playing Queensland Origin wannabe.


"Although I'm hoping Mum doesn't have it on display anymore," the NSW back-rower laughs. "She had the photo out at home for a while because, when I represented Queensland 19s, it was her idea to try and replicate Dad's pose in his own Maroons strip."But I think it's been boxed away now ... at least I hope it has."While he may have grown up in a house quintessentially Queeeenslandah - indeed, his old man Jay played three times for the Maroons - Hoffman is quickly emerging as a key element for the Blues

.Not that many have noticed, of course. No, with all the boozy headlines, injury dramas and howls about removing the punch from Origin, who has time to talk up a Melbourne cleanskin who simply does his job better than anyone else in the NRL?Yet in a week when the very nature of Origin toughness is being debated, who better to define it than a fella who, in his youth, would run barefoot on bitumen, running until his feet bled, to toughen himself mentally? Who five years after his last series, and a stint in England, is now back.

And for proof, find yourself a copy of Origin I, 2008. To a long forgotten moment when, with NSW up by 14 and eight minutes on the clock, Maroons centre Brent Tate gets the ball with nothing but fresh air between him and the tryline.And then Hoffman emerges, not only covering more ground than anyone expects, but bundling Tate into touch with a beautiful bootlace tackle. A moment defining not the series, not even the game ... just the man."I do remember it," Hoffman says. "I definitely wouldn't call it a great moment, an Origin moment, but I do remember that tackle."People talk about toughness and, for me, it's about doing the same job in the 80th minute that you were in the first. Making the same runs and tackles, filling the same spaces." And as for his previous life as, ahem, a Queenslander?"Ah, yeah, it was a bit weird as a kid because Mum and Dad, they're both Queenslanders and have always cheered for them," the Blacktown junior continues. "So even though I followed them a little bit at first, deep down it just didn't feel right.

It was the same when, because Melbourne's feeder club was in Queensland, I represented the Maroons 19s. You played but it didn't feel right."So for me, there was no choice. Even when I was young, people would say 'oh, how can you support the Blues when you're old man is a Queenslander, your mum's a Queenslander?'."I'd just look at them, smile and say 'well, I'm not'."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-queensland-u19s/story-fni3fqyo-1226668527835

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Record television viewing audience expected for State of Origin II in Brisbane








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Anthony Minichiello and Andrew Johns celebrate with the State of Origin shield after NSW won the series in 2005. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Daily Telegraph




STATE of Origin II is on the verge of becoming the most-watched game in the concept's 33-year history.


The ratings record nationally for Origin was set at 4.065 million viewers in game three last year but Channel 9 believe Wednesday night's match will set a new milestone."We certainly hope it does because if it does that means it has been a great game," Channel 9's head of sport Steve Crawley said."State of Origin isn't another game of football. It rises above that."It's like the Melbourne Cup isn't another horse race. Wimbledon isn't another tennis tournament."The first Origin match of 2013 remains the highest rating program this year, with 3.87 million viewers, according to FreeTV Australia.But with NSW holding a 1-0 series lead, and Blues skipper Paul Gallen's first visit to Queensland since the controversy of the series opener, the interest level is massive.As the Blues arrived in Queensland last night, the last NSW captain to win an Origin series offered this message for the current squad: "Go write yourself into history."Danny Buderus held the shield aloft way back in 2005, Queensland having dominating Origin since.Buderus, though, feels the Blues are poised to finally reclaim interstate supremacy and etch themselves into Origin folklore."These players can all go down in the history books with a win," Buderus told The Daily Telegraph."After all the hard times we have gone through, a win would be all the more sweeter."This Queensland side has some once-in-a-lifetime players but hopefully it is our turn now."


The NSW squad flew out of Sydney yesterday afternoon, putting behind them a tumultuous build-up that saw the sacking of Raiders star Blake Ferguson."We all know what happened earlier in the camp but are now looking forward to Brisbane," Blues coach Laurie Daley said."Queenslanders are very passionate about their football side. The last three times we have gone there one-up, Queensland have levelled the series."We know the enormity of the task ahead. All we are thinking about is doing the best we possibly can."Daley insists NSW forward Anthony Watmough (corked thigh) will be fine by kick-off on Wednesday night.The Blues have a day off today in Brisbane before a final captain's run at Suncorp Stadium tomorrow.Daley has heard all the reasons why his side cannot win in Brisbane. But he is ignoring them."Plenty of people want to tell us why we can't win but I've got reasons why I think we can win," Daley said."We believe in one another and trust one another"We will go up there and give ourselves every possible chance."It's an exciting time for us and a massive game everyone is looking forward to."We will be ready and be sending out the best side we can. There won't be any excuses from us."NEW Zealand Warriors forward Jacob Lillyman has been called up as Queensland's new 18th man. Lillyman replaces Sydney Rooster Martin Kennedy after he injured his knee in Friday night's 20-18 NRL win over the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...n-ii-in-brisbane/story-fni3fqyo-1226668528769

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NSW sticking with players as Queensland start to chop and change ahead of State of Origin II








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NSW halfback Mitchell Pearce will be playing his 10th straight Origin match on Wednesday nightt. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Daily Telegraph



UP north, they're calling it their "succession plan" or "mini transition".


Anything to distance themselves from being disloyal.Which, if you recall, NSW have been branded as for the past seven years.NSW have been tagged with everything from "Backflip Blues" to "Pick and Flick" and "Clueless Blues" by those north of the Tweed during a seven-year period of success by Queensland that will be regarded as one of the greatest sporting achievements in world sport."We boast a culture of loyalty," Queensland coach Mal Meninga said last week, just moments after dropping prop Ben Hannant, who has not missed back-to-back Origins since the 2009-10 series."We are going through a mini transition, I guess, with our team.

"We have a culture of loyalty and we had to make some tough decisions in regards to the footy team."I thought we needed new faces, new enthusiasm."Knowing that the state which takes a 1-0 nil lead in State of Origin has gone onto win the series on 23 of 31 occasions, Meninga revealed exactly how the Maroons "boast a culture of loyalty" by ringing in the changes ahead of Wednesday night.After just one loss.Blaming the way the referees policed the 10m rule in Origin I, Mal has sacked Ashley Harrison (15 Origins) and Test prop David Shillington (eight Origins). He's transformed his entire forward pack.

He moved Test backrower Nate Myles up to the front-row, Corey Parker from the bench to lock, promoted Chris McQueen after one Origin game into the starting line-up and named two Origin debutants in Daly Cherry-Evans and Josh Papalii on the bench, all for what is being billed as the most anticipated Origin in more than 30 years.Such a loyal bunch, those Queenslanders.A day after Meninga wielded the axe, a Twitter poll asked: Is Kevin Walters the man to replace Meninga?Clearly big Mal isn't the only one who is nervous. "Just maybe the cracks are beginning to appear in the armour," Blues legend Steve Roach said."It's a changing of the guard and they're feeling the pressure."The issue isn't that Meninga realises his side was outplayed in Origin I.Every coach is entitled to make adjustments to their squad to what he believes will gain them victory. The sticking point is that for the past seven years, Blues coaches Craig Bellamy and Ricky Stuart have been pilloried by the Maroons for doing exactly what Meninga is now doing. Doing whatever it takes to win.They would never have said at the time, but Bellamy and Stuart were fully aware that they didn't have the team to beat Queensland while Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston were involved.

With respect, Jamie Soward, Jamie Buhrer, Kade Snowden and Jamal Idris will hardly go down as Origin greats after they were chosen to wear the sky blue jumper by Bellamy and Stuart.Is it harder to be loyal to a team of champions or someone like NSW halfback Mitchell Pearce, who plays his 10th straight Origin match on Wednesday night? Pearce is a brilliant footballer, but in nine Origins has never steered the Blues to a series win.Yet in the most important position on the field, he was the first player chosen under Stuart and current Blues coach Laurie Daley. They refused to dump Pearce, refused to even consider overlooking him despite his carrying the mantle as the Blues halfback for the past three unsuccessful series.That's loyalty.Queensland can call it a "succession plan" or "mini transition". They can blame the referees. It sounds nicer than saying "Thanks for the era fellas, but your time is up".Mal knows loyalty is easy to brag about when you're winning. He's learning how difficult it is when you're losing.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ate-of-origin-ii/story-fni3fqyo-1226668528515

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Wests Tigers stars Robbie Farah and Aaron Woods to link in State of Origin II in what could be good omen for Blues








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Wests Tigers hooker Robbie Farah (left) and prop Aaron Woods provide two-thirds of the Blues front-row. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Daily Telegraph


THIS just might be the omen to bring the Blues good luck on Wednesday night.

In 1985 two young Tigers packed down in the front row for NSW for the first time when Steve Roach and Benny Elias teamed up for the Blues.

That was the year NSW claimed its first State of Origin series win.

Now, 28 years on, Robbie Farah and Aaron Woods will be hoping to emulate the two old Tigers when they run out together for the first time as NSW teammates, planning to end Queensland's seven years of Origin domination.

The Blues haven't won a series since 2005 but Elias reckons having two Tigers in the front row is a good omen.

"Mate, it is great to see two Tigers packing down in the front-row for NSW again," Elias said. "Robbie is now one of the leaders of the pack and I am really happy for Aaron, he is a wonderful, wonderful kid.

"He has worked very hard for this and he thoroughly deserves it.

"You might not know this but Aaron is 22 and Blocker was the same age when he made his debut for NSW.

"So there are definitely a lot of similarities. It is an exciting time for NSW and it is great for the Tigers."

Elias and Roach played many times together for the Tigers and NSW - and Farah is adamant this is just the beginning for Woods.

And he agrees with Elias that there are many similarities between the young NSW prop and Roach that go beyond their club background, with Farah labelling Woods "old-school tough".

"He won't take a backward step. If anything, (Suncorp) will bring the best out of him," Farah said.

"He just loves the contest. He hates losing. He wants to win everything.

"He is just old-school tough. These days you get your Gen Y players but Woodsie is definitely not one of those. He is a throwback to the old days. I always said he was going to be a 10-year player for NSW.

"So he gets his first game now and it's going to be the first of many."

Winning at Suncorp is no easy feat.

In fact, since we last won the series in 2005, the only games NSW have won at Queensland's home ground have been third game dead rubbers.

The last time we won a game two in Brisbane was in 2005 - and before that in 2000. But after our first-up win in Sydney, Farah said the Blues head north with confidence they can now create their own chapter in State of Origin history.

"It's a tough place to go and win. Last year's decider was my first Origin game up there and the atmosphere is unbelievable," he recalled.

"An atmosphere like that brings out the best in you. It is a tough place to go but we will take some confidence up there."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...d-omen-for-blues/story-fni3fqyo-1226668503491




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NSW Blues welcomed warmly into Brisbane ahead of State of Origin II






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NSW captain Paul Gallen signs a jersey for a supporter at Brisbane airport last night. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Daily Telegraph



AT 6.30 last night, Queensland's public enemy No.1 strolled into Brisbane - and the Maroons rolled out the welcome mat.


On a Qantas flight from Sydney, Paul Gallen and his NSW side arrived behind enemy lines to prepare for Wednesday night's second State of Origin game at Suncorp Stadium.The NSW captain and his teammates were greeted by wellwishers and autograph hunters - hardly the fearsome welcoming committee that had been expected.After twice belting Maroons forward Nate Myles in the head during Origin I, Queensland fans have been impatiently waiting for Gallen's arrival.But NSW coach Laurie Daley said that Gallen would have "16 brothers" alongside him on and off the field in Brisbane."Gal is an experienced campaigner," Daley said last night.

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NSW coach Laurie Daley with a fan at Brisbane airport. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Daily Telegraph


"He won't be overawed. Gal will know he'll be targeted. He is targeted in every Origin game. (Queensland forward) Chris McQueen said that they target Gal."But Gal is big enough to cope with anything thrown at him and he will have 16 brothers alongside him. We will be supporting one another."Gallen and the Blues have been told to confront and embrace the Queensland hate and not remain locked up in their hotel rooms."Some fans might have a few things to say to Gal," Daley said."But it will be water off a duck's back. He has seen it and heard it all before. It won't worry him

"He will just wear a wry smile."NSW hooker Robbie Farah will take a similar approach should the Maroons target his fractured cheekbone."It's Origin, I'm sure I'll come under scrutiny of a bit of extra attention," Farah said when asked if he expected to be targeted by Myles again.


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Blues fullback Josh Dugan at Brisbane airport. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Daily Telegraph


"But that's to be expected. That's Origin, so it's all part of it."Blues teammate Greg Bird, who shares the captaincy at Gold Coast with Myles, said: "He's had success the last couple of years being a leader with Queensland and I don't think his game's going to change much, so Robbie had better get ready to cop a few hits."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ate-of-origin-ii/story-fni3fqyo-1226668527476

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NSW coach Laurie Daley hits out angrily at claims NSW was offside in Origin I








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NOT HAPPY: NSW coach Laurie Daley. Source: Getty Images



​
NSW coach Laurie Daley has accused Queensland of trying to influence referees and says their complaints about officials are evidence the Maroons are crumbling under pressure.

The normally mild-mannered Daley unleashed at a press conference in Brisbane this morning, following a News Ltd front page story which used stills of Origin I to highlight several instances where the Blues markers were allowed to be offside.Daley said he would release his own stills that showed Queensland were breaking the rules just as often."I'll tell you what I can do. I can give you three or four clips of Queensland not being at marker. I can give you another three or four clips of them being at least a metre and a half in front of the referee if they want to go down that path," Daley said."I might release some today then we'll see."They obviously feel under pressure to come out and say those things."We just play by the rules.

For us, it is about bettering our performance. Everyone pushes the boundaries."It is interesting they have come out and said those things. Obviously they are trying to influence the referee."The last eight times we have played here we have only won the penalty count on one occasion so they must be doing a pretty good."Maroons coach Mal Meninga used his weekly column to highlight the Blues penchant for being offside which thwarted captain Cameron Smith's dummy-half running."We cannot formulate a game plan that maximises Cameron's fantastic running game because it will be brought undone by the leniency currently shown to defenders standing offside at marker," Meninga wrote.NSW skipper Paul Gallen, hooker Robbie Farah and man of the match Luke Lewis were repeat offenders in Origin I.

Queensland backrower Matt Gillett yesterday confirmed the issue had been discussed among the Maroons players."I think we've had a look at it and seen how it was run in Game One," Maroons forward Matt Gillett said."There were a few areas that we need to work on."It felt like we were a bit behind the line, but it's going to be the same and you can't change the way the ref is going to do. It's something we've got to deal with and get on with it."The Blues arrived in Queensland last night with their players having a day off today.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...side-in-origin-i/story-fni3fqyo-1226668728107
 
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Maroons see red and Laurie Daley visits theatre as Ashley Klein blows on







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Origin referee Ashley Klein. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Daily Telegraph



REFEREES manager Daniel Anderson selected whistle blower Ashley Klein for Origin II despite the Maroons formally telling the NRL that Klein's game one performance was well below standard.

Queensland Rugby League chairman Peter Betros expressed to the NRL the Maroons' disappointment in how Klein officiated the first clash, making specific note of how he repeatedly allowed Blues defenders to be offside at marker and in front of the 10m line.They are the very complaints The Courier-Mail detailed yesterday, issues that riled normally meditative Blues coach Laurie Daley, who slammed the Maroons for attempting to influence the referee.The issue caused Daley to finally buy in to the theatre that makes Origin so compelling, threatening to unload his own stills of how the Maroons had broken the game's laws in Game One.The Courier-Mail did not receive images of the alleged evidence - other media outlets did. But we are able to run further proof of how the Blues took the law into their own hands in Origin I, primarily through captain Paul Gallen.

"I could show you clips of Queensland being a metre and a half in front of the referee, probably on three or four occasions, no penalty," Daley said yesterday."This is just a sign of them trying to influence the referee and they might do a good job because I was just looking at the stats and the last eight times we've been up here, we've only won one penalty count."Betros, a former first grade referee, says he hopes Klein is more consistent in game two."We communicated to the NRL our disappointment regarding the refereeing. There were several issues, such as markers being allowed offside and of course the non-sin bin of Paul Gallen," he said.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...y-klein-blows-on/story-fni3fr51-1226669030504

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Wholesale send-off not on the cards in State of Origin II









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Don't expect mass sin bins in Origin II. Source: Getty Images



WHILE the NRL yesterday charged four under-20 players with a combined 14 weeks' worth of suspensions, it is understood tomorrow night's Origin II will not be reduced to a soccer game if a brawl breaks out.

Referees boss Daniel Anderson promised earlier this month a new hardline stance on fighting would see any player who threw a punch, regardless of whether it connected, sent to the sin bin in Origin and NRL games.The move is part of NRL chief executive David Smith's well-received hardline stance on misbehaviour as he attempts to cleanse the game.However, a well-placed league official told The Courier-Mail that recent discussions involving Smith indicated mass sin-binnings were not considered an option in Origin.In Origin I, Blues captain Paul Gallen somehow remained on the field despite punching Nate Myles twice."I know Dave understands that in Origin black and white rules don't work.

If there was an incident similar to Gallen and Myles the instigator would definitely be binned, if there's a brawl involving six players they won't all be sent to the bin," the source said."I was told Dave wants them (referees) to come down harder on fighting, but not to the point of reducing the game to 11 on 11 or something because he knows that would devalue the spectacle."Maroons captain Cameron Smith said he also understood there would not be a mass of players told to leave the field if a fight broke out."I don't want to see a blue started, but it would be hard to see 10 blokes sent off at once," Smith said yesterday.

In last Saturday's Holden Cup clash between Wests Tigers and Canberra, a wild brawl erupted towards the end of the game involving most players from both sides.Canberra's Mitchell Barnett and Tiger Nathan Brown were sent off while Tahakilu Pangai (Raiders) and Kyle Lovett (Tigers) were sin-binned.Pangai was yesterday slapped with a potential five-week ban. Barnett faces four weeks out, Brown three and Lovett two. The two clubs will decide today whether to contest the contrary conduct charges or plead guilty.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ate-of-origin-ii/story-fni3fr51-1226669038330


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NSW Blues forward pack to guard Paul Gallen in State of Origin II








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Paul Gallen and the NSW Blues arrive at Brisbane airport ahead of State of Origin II. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Daily Telegraph


PAUL Gallen might be the most hated man in Queensland - but the inspirational Blues skipper will have seven personal bodyguards when he heads to Suncorp Stadium tomorrow night.


With NSW hoping to secure its first State of Origin series since 2005, there has been plenty of talk north of the border that the Maroons will be out to square-up with Gallen for his attack on Nate Myles in the opening game in Sydney.But the Blues skipper has plenty of back-up standing behind him - in the shape of a NSW forward pack that dominated Queensland in game one.Both teams have been warned any player who throws a punch tomorrow night will be marched from the field immediately - but that doesn't mean the Blues forwards are going to allow Queensland to stand over them.NSW enforcer Greg Bird said, while no player will run out with the intention of starting a fight, the Blues will be ready if it explodes.Asked if he would defend himself if attacked, Bird warned: "I know what I'd do, I'd punch back."

While it's not in the NSW battle plan to start a fight, Bird said it sometimes happens in the heat of battle: "It's hard to put restraints on things like that. I guess they want to make it as black and white as possible but in league there is a hell of a lot of grey. It's going to be interesting to see what happens in the heat of the battle."If someone is going to push you, you should be ready to get one back."I'm sure that natural instinct will take over."This is without question the Blues' best chance of winning the series since the 2005 triumph when Andrew Johns inspired NSW to victory.Fox Sports Stats show in game one the NSW forwards played 480 minutes all up - exactly the same as Queensland - but ran 952m in total to Queensland's 693m.

To put that in context for uninitiated league fans, that basically means the platform for victory was built on the work of these men, with Gallen leading the way with 185m, which was the most run by any forward on the field.In fact, NSW had five forwards finish with 100-plus metres compared to Queensland who had only Myles run more than 100m.Bird said it was important they don't take what happened in game one for granted because Queensland are always harder to beat at home."We have been in this position before.

In 2008 we were in this position," he said."We won game one at home and let it slip from there (losing game two in Brisbane and game three at home in Sydney)."That was also the last time NSW had two out of the three home games as they do in 2013.Bird added: "I think this is the best opportunity we have had for a while and I'm sure Laurie (Daley) will have us ready to give it our best shot."Origin I man-of-the-match Luke Lewis added: "This is a massive occasion. We have won one game but we are a lot of footy away from a series win. It is huge."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ate-of-origin-ii/story-fni3fqyo-1226668999277


Queensland: Whingeing one day, offside the next






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Just some examples of the times the Queensland markers were offside in Origin I. Source: The Daily Telegraph

​


THE Blues have won one penalty count in the past eight years of matches at Suncorp Stadium, but as usual it is Mal Meninga's Maroons who are doing all the whingeing.

NSW coach Laurie Daley yesterday described the Queensland claims that his Blues were treated leniently during the series-opening win as "hypocritical".The Queensland media rolled out an inconclusive series of stills yesterday and then branded the Blues "cheats", raising the ire of NSW coach Laurie Daley, who called the claims "hypocritical".A special investigation can reveal that Mal's Maroons were offside or blatantly infringing the marker a staggering 28 times in the first 30 minutes of the series opener at ANZ Stadium earlier this month.Such was the avalanche of bending the rules, the fed-up analytical team downed tools and refused to watch any more of the Blues' sensational win after slogging their way through those 30 minutes.The unprecedented number of breaches largely went unpunished by the referees and the NSW camp fears referees Ashley Klein and Shayne Hayne could be swayed by feral crowd tomorrow night.Daley went on the attack last night, telling The Daily Telegraph: "We were happy with the way Origin I was refereed but I think we should now return serve."Their markers weren't square in Origin I and the images prove it. What's more alarming was how often they were offside."How grossly hypocritical of them to question us about standing offside at marker when it is clear they constantly broke the rules in Origin I."Queensland really pushed the boundaries and the evidence is there for all to see. We actually found 28 clips of vision in the first 30 minutes where they were clearly offside."We weren't going to complain but they attacked us.

"We just hope the refs police it strongly given we have won just one penalty count up here in the past eight games."You can see the refs trying to police the offside but they were just ignored."

A Blues insider said the story was planted by Maroons officials to pressure the referees to make sure Queensland win the penalty count tomorrow night.Overall, the Maroons have won the penalties 49 to 36 at Suncorp Stadium since 2006.And while the penalty count was 7-5 in NSW's favour in Sydney, the Blues camp desperately hopes Klein and Hayne won't be intimidated in Brisbane, as many referees have been in years past.

Queensland have claimed that their two attacking weapons - Cam Smith and Justin Hodges - were shut down by illegal play in Origin I, releasing a handful of inconclusive stills to The Courier-Mail from the match that proved very little.

Maroons coach Mal Meninga is understood to have spoken to NRL referees coach Daniel Anderson about the issue.

In his Sunday Mail column, Meninga wrote: "We cannot formulate a game plan that maximises Cameron's fantastic running game because it will be brought undone by the leniency currently shown to defenders standing offside at marker."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...offside-the-next/story-fni3fqyo-1226669008324
 
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Merritt sure is sucking ... David Williams and Steve Turner styles! [MENTION=1689]stiggy[/MENTION]'s world must be crumbling around him! :lol: (Let's see it he can take a joke this time, geez).
 
Nathan Merritt is a terrible player. He has honestly sucked big time. Queenslanders say we complain, no sh*t Sherlock, your players are choking ours in the tackle and no penalty has been blown. Ridiculous. Other than that, we've been dominated in every category so far. Played alright from the 30th minute to the 35th minute, the rest ugh. All I've done is shake my head and sworn at the TV for the past 40 minutes.

Anyway, if I'm not on the forum again, I've probably been put in jail for abuse against the refs.
 
Yeah I kinda wonder how Aku couldnt play... i mean merritt can't make any metres getting out of our own 20m... also he is rushing up as bad as aku... way too far inside if boyd get a bounce or on the full it was another try

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I assume Hayne back for game 3 and hopefully aku gets some form under his belt cause they need a game breaker... I think mullen is playing better than either of those halves but maybe im seeing it through red n blue eyes
 
Matty23 said:
Nathan Merritt is a terrible player. He has honestly sucked big time. Queenslanders say we complain, no sh*t Sherlock, your players are choking ours in the tackle and no penalty has been blown. Ridiculous. Other than that, we've been dominated in every category so far. Played alright from the 30th minute to the 35th minute, the rest ugh. All I've done is shake my head and sworn at the TV for the past 40 minutes.

Anyway, if I'm not on the forum again, I've probably been put in jail for abuse against the refs.
Click to expand...

Try not to committ any atrocities tonight Matty! :lol:

[MENTION=198]mozza[/MENTION] ... I was impressed with how good Maloney was under the pressure in the first game ... but tonight he is crumbling the same way he did when he was talked about as an origin prospect last season.

Pearce has just always sucked.

I don't think it will hurt NSW going to game three though. They've got the side to comfortably win at home again.
 
Nickwpearce said:
Yeah I kinda wonder how Aku couldnt play... i mean merritt can't make any metres getting out of our own 20m... also he is rushing up as bad as aku... way too far inside if boyd get a bounce or on the full it was another try

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I assume Hayne back for game 3 and hopefully aku gets some form under his belt cause they need a game breaker... I think mullen is playing better than either of those halves but maybe im seeing it through red n blue eyes
Click to expand...

Taufua was the man for the job.
 
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