POST GAME Game II Discussion Thread

[winslow_wong]

Hats off to Bennett if qld win this series. I mean would Kevvie had been able to pull it off if he was still origin coach? I can’t remember the last time we were such massive underdogs.

 

[broncsgoat]

We have Wayne, Meninga and Henry.

They have Fittler.


Is it any wonder we won game 1?

Feels weird having another game so soon after last week.

 

[holdzy]

Hats off to Bennett if qld win this series. I mean would Kevvie had been able to pull it off if he was still origin coach? I can’t remember the last time we were such massive underdogs.

If QLD win absolutely, re-affirms his greatness. Origin is nearly always close, people looking at teams on paper seem to forget this sometimes. It was close as last year as well.

DCE better not hesitate with the field goal this time if it's close towards the final ten minutes.

 

[Alec]

Last year I felt like Johns and Gus had input into the side. Just based on the Klemmer selection. Fittler wanted to drop Klemmer and Johns and Gus were pretty much "What the hell are you thinking man?".
This year he was actually dropped so maybe they have no input now.

 

[Renegade]

He should have been in the 17 in the first place though.

Yeah I deleted my comment because it didn't really address your point, but you sniped me.

 

[Alec]

Yeah I deleted my comment because it didn't really address your point, but you sniped me.

I deleted mine too adter this. Now we look like a bunch of weirdos.

 

[DanG]

NSW obviously gonna come out and be better that being said, we need to start how we did in that 2nd half of game 1, work it through our strong forward pack and then target there Centre and wing combinations cause Freddy loves picking blokes out of position

 

[WASSHHH]

If QLD win absolutely, re-affirms his greatness. Origin is nearly always close, people looking at teams on paper seem to forget this sometimes. It was close as last year as well.

DCE better not hesitate with the field goal this time if it's close towards the final ten minutes.

Yeh, Walters was about a minute away from winning as the rank outsider last year.

That said; Bennett has obviously had an impact this year, but we also shouldn’t discount the involvement of Meninga and Henry.

Lots of settling figures in the sheds at halftime, figures who have also been uber-successful at origin level.

Still, I don’t feel as confident we can ambush NSW again and I also don’t think they’ll play as badly as they did in Game I (lots of unforced errors etc.).

Hope I’m wrong!

 

[ZTop]

Wayne's in fine form by the sounds of things

 

[Big Pete]

On paper, it does remind me of Game II 2001 and Game II 2019 where Queensland was riding high only to run into a stronger NSW and get their teeth kicked in. The only cause for optimism is that the Blues have gone back to Walker/Cleary which was a combination Fittler had no confidence in. If they start to flounder under pressure, it could just be enough to get Queensland over the line.

I can also see the game coming down to attrition. It can't have been good for some of these players to take two months off, play a finals quality game and then be expected to back up the following week. Especially a player like Tedesco who went into the series carrying an injury and got through a ridiculous amount of work. It's why I'm surprised that Papenhuyzen wasn't named on the bench, I thought for sure they would bring him in as a utility and play him like Bellamy did in 2019.

The Maroons really need Val to undergo a Gagai esque transformation at fullback. If he plays like he did for the Cowboys for the majority of the season, it's going to be a long night. I thought the 2018 series really helped Holmes' game that year and he came out of the series a much better player so I hope the same can happen here.

 

[holdzy]

Game day baby. Wrap it up tonight QLD!

 

[Renegade]

just can't see a win but think we'll get them in g3

 

[winslow_wong]

just can't see a win but think we'll get them in g3

I can’t bear the thought of Gus Gould frothing over a nsw series win coming back from 0-1

 

[Jedhead]

I can't for the life of me forget that before the first game kicked off the blues were well aware that if they won the first one they were headed home to play the second one in front of a very partisan crowd (all be it with a lower turnout because of covid). It was teh perfect scenario for them to wrap up the series.

I had this in the back of mind at kick off and feared they would try to snatch that advantage with both hands. As it was their 'mighty' effort petered out in the second half and the vastly under-rated Queenslanders had it all over them. It was not the performance of a team looking to steal a march on their rivals at all. In fact the blues were made to look fairly ordinary especially Wighton and Gutherson (King gutho? don't make me laugh) His performace was more princess than King..

I'm quietly thinking that there is not much more in the blues tank and if the Maroons get off to a good start the blues will fold. It will then be attack Cody Walker time as Cleary is their blue-eyed boy and can do no wrong - apparently?

 

[Accept]

Qld by 8. There is no stopping this newly acquired juggernaut.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

if you think about it, whilst Queensland’s team is clearly not as good as NSW’s in a number of positions ‘on paper’, we still have some serious players in key positions that are highly experienced and credentialed.

Cherry-Evans
Friend
Papalii
Munster
Gagai
Hunt
Kaufusi

When you look at it that way the teams are probably more closely matched than they appear on paper at first glance.

 

[DigitalDaz]

Bennett picking Holmes is a huge risk IMO. Surely Allen would have been a better pick?

Holmes was very, very ordinary for the Cowboys at fullback - and hasn't played a game for months.

Allen was exceptional for the Rabbitohs at the back end of the season at fullback - replacing Mitchell - and has played recently in finals football.

Strange by Bennett.

 

[Alec]

Bennett picking Holmes is a huge risk IMO. Surely Allen would have been a better pick?

Holmes was very, very ordinary for the Cowboys at fullback - and hasn't played a game for months.

Allen was exceptional for the Rabbitohs at the back end of the season at fullback - replacing Mitchell - and has played recently in finals football.

Strange by Bennett.

I don't think Allen is more talented than Holmes, and even though he's enjoyed a better season in a better side, Holmes has the experience. Holmes had to be in the side somewhere, preferably it would have been on the left wing where he has enjoyed an unreal strike rate. We'll see how he goes tonight, if he plays poorly they might move him to the wing for game 3.