And that’s all she wrote from yours truly. A rare Origin trouncing for Queensland in the wet and wind of Perth. Everything on the line now for Game 3 - where the Maroons will need to recover physically as well as mentally. And fast. Brad Fittler, take a bow - the Blues coach put his neck on the line with all those changes and has been well and truly vindicated. Thanks for joining me, catch you next time.
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It’s not all good news for NSW though. It looks like Cleary is going to struggle to make Game 3.
AAP: NSW halfback Nathan Cleary could be in doubt for State of Origin III after suffering a suspected ankle injury in their game two win in Perth.
Cleary played under duress for the final 10 minutes of the first half following an awkward tackle, and failed to take the field in the second half.
His possible absence for game three would almost certainly bring former Blues No.7 Mitchell Pearce back into contention for the decider in Sydney.
Jimmy Maloney: “It’s awesome, the boys had a really big game, everyone played a part. We backed ourselves to play footy and didn’t back away from the physical confrontation.”
“Stoked” seems to be the word of the day as the Blues stars talk after the game. Hat-trick hero Tom Trbojevic is “stoked” every time he gets a try for the Blues. “Obviously, very pleased,” he says, rather obviously, when asked about his three tries.
FULL-TIME: QLD 6-38 NSW
An Origin thumping in the wet and wild west of Perth. There was a brief spell in the first-half when Queensland had a bit of pressure, but other than that it was pretty much one-way traffic. The scoreline tells the tale. All eyes on Sydney.
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79 mins: Wednesday, July 10th, for those of you wondering when the deciding Game 3 is.
77 mins: I don’t know if Brad Fittler knows how to be smug (he seems quite amiable) but he must be thrilled with how his instincts have paid off tonight, especially after all that media criticism for chopping and changing the team.
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CONVERSION - QLD 6-38 NSW - Maloney
76 mins: Did someone say mental scarring? How will this mauling affect the Queenslanders mentally for Game 3? Have the Blues even finished for the night?
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TRY - QLD 6-36 NSW - Addo-Carr
73 mins: The Blues were just too fast (and too many) for Queensland. Some tired, tired legs in maroon shirts. Blues players were queuing up to go over on the left flank, Addo-Carr with the final touch.
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71 mins: Into the final 10 minutes, and all the momentum is with the Blues. Some good tries from NSW but some silly penalties from the Maroons. It’s tempting to think NSW will be favourites for the series now as we head towards Game 3 but, just to put things in perspective, the Maroons have won the past seven series when they’ve won Game 1. As I said before - rather warily - never write them off.
68 mins: Ferguson loses a boot as the Blues start rolling up the field again. A little bit of fire has gone out the game - highly unusual for Origin.
67 mins: Good field position for the Maroons after a 40-20. A try now might at least lift them for the final game.
64 mins: The Blues have a chance to make a statement tonight but the Maroons have started to battle back a little. They look shattered though - the price of all that defending. The Blues chomping up metres again.
62 mins: I’m trying to work out if the Blues have stepped off the gas slightly or the Maroons have stepped it up. Probably a bit of both. Just as I’m writing that, Gagai gets within an inch of the line but is held up. Better from Queensland.
61 mins: The Maroons try to string something together but when the kick comes at the end of the set, Ferguson gets it and throws a 20m bullseye pass to Tedesco. The Blues are in the zone. Maroons struggling for an answer.
59 mins: Maloney misses the kick but it shouldn’t cost the Blues. Shouldn’t.
TRY - QLD 6-32 NSW - Addo-Carr
59 mins: This is getting ugly. Addo-Carr this time, diving on the ball as it bounces over the try line from a kick.
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57 mins: It never usually pays to write off Queensland but it’s going to take something monumental for them to come back from this one. Eyes starting to turn to Sydney and Game 3.
CONVERSION - QLD 6-28 NSW - Maloney
And Maloney with the cherry on the cake.
TRY - QLD 6-26 NSW - T Trbojevic
55 mins: Addo-Carr with a burst of speed, Tedesco with a lovely flick, and Trbojevic is there to finish it off. A hat-trick for the Sea Eagle. Fittler being justified with every try.
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52 mins: The Maroons struggling to get out of their half at the minute. It’s not looking good. How much is the absence of Jai Arrow costing them? The Blues are handling the conditions much better. You can sense the frustration among the Queenslanders.
PENALTY - QLD 6-22 NSW - Maloney
Daylight for the Blues.
49 mins: Bit of biff off the ball as the Blues kick downfield. Not entirely sure what went on there ... although the replays point to the culprit: Jarrod Wallace rushing into the kicker after the ball had played - it was late and high. NSW back on the front foot. Wallace back on the bench.
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47 mins: A bit of a stoppage due to an injury for Glasby, and the Blues resume just short of the Maroons line. Another try now and that could be game over. The Queenslanders cling on though. They need to apply some pressure at the other end.
46 mins: All the momentum is with the Blues at the minute. They get another penalty as Ferguson is knocked over while chasing a high ball. Odd tackle - Ferguson wasn’t really in a dangerous position. The Maroons look rattled.
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PENALTY - QLD 6-20 NSW - Maloney
44 mins: The Maroons give away a penalty and the Blues take the points on offer. They’re starting to turn the screw. Cleary is out for the Blues, injured.
42 mins: Just to go back to Lynn’s email at half-time - Queensland got a couple of tries right in the corner in Game 1 but they haven’t really had a sniff this game. They need to start asking questions of this Blues defence because they’ve had it too easy so far, and it’s looking that way again at the start of the second.
41 mins: OK we’re off again and the blog now has some shiny new photos to go with the tries. Let’s get this show back on the road. Maroons charging forward.
“Qld should be using their wingers instead of going through the middle, throw the ball around. Make it interesting.” Lynn Stevenson, email
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“Over in Perth and at the game. Shame about the rain but a great game so far. Oh, and this stadium...simply immense. Smashes everything I have been to elsewhere in Oz. Go Blues!” Martin Turnbull, email
HALF-TIME: QLD 6-18 NSW
And that’s it for the first-half. The Blues in control although I strongly suspect the Maroons will come out revved up after the break. See you soon.
39 mins: The Blues have the scent of blood in their nostrils as we head towards the break. They’re hungry for more points but they’ll have to settle for what they’ve got. The Maroons need to regroup.
38 mins: Maloney with another break. Great running but then he fluffs the attempted grubber, barely connecting with the ball and the Maroons breath again.
CONVERSION - QLD 6-18 NSW - Maloney
The Blues finishing the half very strongly. Maroons need to fire back, or at least stem the tide before half-time.
TRY - QLD 6-16 NSW - T Trbojevic
36 mins: It’s Trbojevic’s try, but it was all about Tedesco. Great strength and vision from the Roosters man, with a run that drew so many Queenslanders that when the pass finally came, Trbojevic only had to stroll over.
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34 mins: Blues still on the attack, the Maroons clinging on a little bit. They’re trying to make up some metres now. It’s hard going though, NSW making them work for every inch.
32 mins: Addo-Carr goes over at the edge - but it’s called for a forward pass. The Storm man is not happy with that one. Tight.
32 mins: Someone’s backside (possibly DCE’s) was revealed for a few seconds there (the result of a reverse wedgie), temporarily mooning the Optus Stadium crowd. It seemed to distract the Blues as much as me, with the Maroons promptly marauding up the field. Some desperate defending keeps them at bay.
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31 mins: Good running from Morgan puts the Maroons within 10m. Munster aaaalmost carries it over the line on the next pass but is just about stopped by a sea of Blue. NSW gather the kick and relieve the pressure.
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31 mins: Blues clawing their way forward. Maloney with the kick, Ponga takes it, and the Maroons on the attack again. I suspect there’ll be a couple more key weather-related mistakes before this game is over.
30 mins: A break for NSW as Oates is bundled over the line. He tried to change direction but slipped as he locked his feet in.
28 mins: Ferguson puts down a high ball near his own line and the Maroons have a chance. The rain taking its toll. It just slipped right through his hands.
27 mins: It’s absolutely hurling it down out there. Bit of wind too. Mistakes ahoy. The Blues are close to the Maroons’ line again too. Queensland have a scrum though.
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CONVERSION - QLD 6-12 NSW - Cleary
25 mins: And NSW are back in front by six.
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TRY - QLD 6-10 NSW - Frizell
Good work from Maloney. The Blues push and probe, it ends up with Frizell who barges his way through the final few metres to score. Blues back in front.
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23 mins: Penalty to the Blues, and they have another great chance to attack the line.
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21 mins: Good work by Cleary gives the Blues a chance from 20m. The line is teasingly close. Graham tries to find a way through, twice, but the Maroons stand firm and the final kick gifts them possession.
CONVERSION - QLD 6-6 NSW - Ponga
19 mins: Dead in front and right through the middle. All square again.
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PENALTY TRY - QLD 4-6 NSW - Chambers
16 mins: Good defence from the Blues is undone when Jack Wighton blocks the man chasing the ball (Will Chambers) from a grubber over the try line. And that’s that. Maroons get a gift.
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14 mins: A tackle in the air gives Qld some room to breathe. They’re starting to inch their way up the ground. DCE is leading the charge, trying to find a way back for his side. Maroons having a bit of a spell.
12 mins: All the pressure on the Maroons at the minute, trying to break out of their own half. Even DCE looks like he’s struggling for options. Blues with their tails up.
CONVERSION - QLD 0-6 NSW - Cleary
No mistake from the boot and a new-look NSW are on top.
TRY - QLD 0-4 NSW - T Trbojevic
8 mins: Trbojevic outjumps Ponga to a high ball and gets it down over the line. Great catch, great kick and NSW have first blood.
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8 mins: Chambers almost gets on the end of a ball over the line but he was always unlikely to get on top of it and get it down before it rolled out of play. Still, better from the Maroons, and all from that forward pass by NSW. The Blues are bouncing back now. Probing forward.
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7 mins: A poor forward throw eases some of the pressure on Queensland. The Maroons will take that. It’s not been a classic so far. Think the weather/conditions are taking a toll.
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5 mins: Addo-Carr makes up some metres down the left edge. Wighton follows suit and then the Blues spread it all the way down to the right and Tom Trbojevic gets over the line but is well held up. Good stuff from NSW.
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4 mins: No Origin magic so far, although the Blues get a knock-on. Looks a bit slippy out there. We could see more errors than usual tonight.
2 mins: The Blues make it all the way up to the 20m line and then keep Qld at bay on the return set. Saifiti trying to make some ground on his debut. He looks up for it.
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1 min: Queensland with the kick and, with an almighty roar, and a few pyrotechnics, we’re away.
Acknowledgment and anthem. Here we go. The anthem reaches a crescendo and the players get into position. We’re almost there.
NSW are out on the pitch. Maroons just about to follow - they don’t seem to be in any sort of rush. Bit of mind games maybe? The fans in Perth are up for this.
Not long to go. Just enough time to read up Matt Cleary’s preview of the match.
Fittler made seven changes and pundits and punters alike have been in a flap. People don’t understand why there are fullbacks in the centres, the halfback is not the dominant “quarterback”, and Latrell Mitchell is in Taree
Moses Mbye. Forget Sam Burgess’ broken eye socket, or Cooper Cronk’s fractured scapula - Mbye had what was described as a life-threatening anaphylactic shock after breakfast a couple of days ago, but will still play for the Maroons today. Still no news on what might have caused the severe allergic reaction, but I bet he eyed his Coco Pops with a degree of suspicion this morning.
“I’m not quite sure what it was that triggered it. I had a handful of things that morning. I had some brekky and juice, it was a standard sort of day and it was nothing out of the ordinary.” Moses Mbye
Blues Mk II. Anyway, back on topic. Say what you want about Fittler’s decision to overhaul the squad - and most of us have - but he’s clearly not afraid to back his own judgement. Put bluntly, he’s wearing this one - whatever the result. If they win, he’ll be hailed as a genius, but if they lose... eesh. And if this all sounds slightly familiar it’s possibly because people were saying the same thing about Kevin Walters before Game 1. Stories of coach whisperers and bans on speaking about NSW all came with a subtle hint of “this guy is desperate”. And look how that turned out.
The Tonga test. Talking of raining on parades, Tonga’s highs of 2017 seemed a long time ago last night in arguably the weekend’s biggest non-Origin footy game (in this hemisphere at least). The Mate Ma’a made the scoreline semi-respectable towards the end but were outclassed by the clinical Kiwis in a 34-14 defeat.
“They controlled the ruck a lot better than us, particularly with one referee, and we let a few tries through there and that was disappointing,” coach Kristian Woolf said. “Those three tries from dummy half were the most disappointing thing for me. Brandon Smith is a very good player and he showed how strong he is.”
The weather. Amid all the many talking points since Game 1, the weather in Perth has gone a little under the radar, so to speak. Yesterday the city centre was drenched with 60mm of rain. It’s not as bad today but the threat of showers has hung in the air all day. On a hard Optus Stadium surface with short grass, all that rain could have a huge bearing on the game. Expect the ball to skim along the surface.
“We’ve prepared for that and I’m sure Queensland would have as well. The forecast, everyone tells me the forecast is right over here in WA so we’re expecting rain,” Danny Buderus said.
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Kick-off. Apparently we’re still down for a 7.50pm (AEST) start although I always take that with a pinch of salt.
Is that Eskimo Joe rocking up in the rafters? If only it was Brad Fittler - then I could do my Fittler on the roof pun. Apologies.
The teams. A familiar Queensland side looks as imposing as ever, even without Jai Arrow, but it’s all change once again for the Blues under Freddy. Is it a better NSW side than Game 1 or have all those changes undermined team structure? Is it possible both those statements might be true? Rumours that Dale Finucane might get the nod to start at lock have been confirmed.
NSW: James Tedesco, Blake Ferguson, Tom Trbojevic, Jack Wighton, Josh Addo-Carr, James Maloney, Nathan Cleary, Daniel Saifiti, Damien Cook, Jake Trbojevic, Boyd Cordner (capt), Tyson Frizell, Dale Finucane. Res: Paul Vaughan, Tariq Sims, Cameron Murray, Wade Graham.
Queensland: Kalyn Ponga, Corey Oates, Michael Morgan, Will Chambers, Dane Gagai, Cameron Munster, Daly Cherry-Evans (capt), Dylan Napa, Ben Hunt, Josh Papalii, Felise Kaufusi, Matt Gillett, Josh McGuire. Res: Moses Mbye, Jarrod Wallace, Tim Glasby, David Fifita.
Preamble
Evening everyone, thanks for joining me as we head west for Perth’s first State of Origin clash.
And although Game 2 is heading to pastures new, the series itself is in all too familiar territory, with Queensland just one win away from sealing the shield while the Blues search for answers after a demoralising first-up loss in Brisbane.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to pan out, of course, especially after last year. In the post-Thurston, Smith, Inglis, Cronk, Slater footy world, Brad Fittler was meant to be ushering in a new era of Blues dominance. Then Game 1 happened, and suddenly confidence in NSW was crumbling quicker than the state’s apartment blocks.
So was last year’s series victory just another blue blip in a sea of maroon? Or will Fittler’s much-changed Blues finally silence Queensland’s coach whisperings. Anyone who thought Game 1 might answer a few questions was sadly mistaken – there seem to be even more now - and those who reckon they know how things are going to unfold tonight is fooling themselves. Whatever happens, it’s Origin, so there’s no need for me to oversell it. Just strap yourself in.
Feel free to get in touch on email at richard.gadsby.casual.guardian.co.uk.
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