PRE-GAME Game 3 - NSW vs QLD

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DARIUS Boyd is confident that the Maroons have the maturity needed to claim a clean sweep on Wednesday.

Over Queensland’s 11 years of Origin dominance, the Maroons have only managed to achieve a 3-0 whitewash once back in 2010, and only on three other occasions since the introduction of Origin.

With this year’s series wrapped up in Game Two, there is concern the greatly successful Maroons team could go into next Wednesday’s clash in Sydney without the same hunger they’ve had in the two opening matches.

But fullback Boyd has dismissed those concerns.

While he says he will enjoy himself more this camp, he also thinks people need to trust that the mature playing group will find the right balance as they aim for the clean sweep.

“This series we have really enjoyed ourselves away from the footy field,” he said.

“With Kevvy (Walters), he’s a lighthearted kind of guy. But when training is on and we are talking footy, it’s serious. We make sure we’re doing what we need to be doing.

“It will be the same this camp but for me personally, in the back of my mind, there is a little less pressure knowing that it’s not the be all and end all.

“We can go in more confident, putting less pressure on ourselves and with a little less nerves. It will be a different feeling but we still want to get the job done.”

Queensland’s most infamous failure to achieve a clean sweep came in 2009, after they were rocked by accusations of partying and mixing Red Bull with Stilnox in the lead-up to their Game Three loss at Suncorp Stadium.

Boyd said they have learnt a lot since those days.

He believes the fact they have not had a whitewash since 2010 shows how close the Blues and Maroons actually are.

And he is certain the fire will be there for Queensland come Wednesday’s showdown.

“In 2009, we won the series in the first two games and we stuffed up in the last one which was at home,” he said.

“We learnt a lot then. We came back the next year and got the sweep.

“It just shows how close it is because we haven’t got one for such a long time. Both games of this series have been close and could have changed at any time.

“It’s chillier down there (Sydney) and a bit more greasy so it’s always a hardfought win for both teams down there. I’m expecting this one to be no different.”

No Cookies | The Courier Mail
 
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JOSH McGuire is not worried about a Blues backlash after labelling NSW “losers” as he celebrated his first Origin series win.

McGuire and his young family were the victims of vile abuse on social media following Queensland’s Origin II win when he tweeted: “Losers have meetings winners have parties lol #qld #180”.

The 26-16 win at Suncorp Stadium was McGuire’s fourth Origin appearance and first experience of winning a series after he missed last year’s decider with an achilles injury.

McGuire, the 180th player to pull on a Maroons jersey, deleted the tweet following a string of abuse from jaded Blues fans.

The Broncos prop had a running battle with NSW captain Paul Gallen in a club game earlier this year and said he was ready for whatever the Blues dish up at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday.

“I always expect attention from the Blues,” McGuire said. “I’m playing front row. It won’t be any different.

“I was very excited at the time and I just tweeted it. It wasn’t an attack on anyone. A few NSW fans were a bit up in arms about it. It comes with the job and territory. I’m not worried about it.

“I wasn’t trying to be a smart arse or anything like that. I was excited. I’d won my first Origin series. We earned the right to have a beer and celebrate our win after the game which is what I was saying.

“There was nothing in it really. People can take it how they want to take it.”

Sam Thaiday defended his Broncos and Maroons teammate, hinting the tweet was the result of pre-game abuse.

“If you read some of the tweets coming his way before that you’d know and understand why he vented his frustration,” Thaiday said.

“Moose has probably learnt what to tweet and what not to tweet now. He’s big enough and ugly enough to look after himself (on the field).”

McGuire, 26, ran for 122m in Origin II, which was his first opportunity at starting in a Maroons jersey given Nate Myles was injured. He is likely to move back to the bench if 30-game veteran Myles overcomes a knee injury in time for the dead rubber.

Regardless, McGuire is preparing for another showdown with Gallen, who was lucky to escape suspension earlier this year when he elbowed McGuire in the face.

A boxing fight between the two has been mooted and McGuire said he was excited about the prospect of facing Gallen in what will be the Blues skipper’s final Origin.

“You enjoy playing against the best players in the world and he’s definitely one of the best forwards in the world,” McGuire said.

“I enjoy playing against good quality competition and he’s no different. I got the ball a bit more in Game Two which was good. I had good fun.

“I didn’t feel like I won (the series) last year. I missed the third game. It was definitely a very special moment for me and my family.”

No Cookies | The Courier Mail
 
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McGuire is a future captain in my opinion...of the Broncos. He is going to be very important for Qld in the next few years as a leader in the forwards as guys like Myles, Scott, Thaiday, Parker obviously, Lillyman all start being phased out or retire.

8. McGuire
9.
10.
11. Papalii
12. Gillett
13.

This is the forward pack will be built around. Guys like Napa, Sims, Wallace, Kaufusi apparently, Joffa, will need some help as they enter the fray.
 
Training about to start.
 
'We want to make a point': Oates

COREY Oates says he has been blessed with a “dream” debut Origin series, but it is far from over in his books.

The Maroons winger, who made his debut in this year’s series opener, is on track to have the perfect Origin career so far as the Queensland side aim for a 3-0 whitewash on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old starred in Queensland’s tough Game One victory and the series-clincher two weeks ago. He was even lucky enough to score a try in Origin II in front of a home crowd.

And Oates says he is still pinching himself over how well his first Origin series has gone so far.

“In Game Two, the first half flew by, the first 20 minutes of the second half flew by and the last 20 minutes of the game just took forever,” he said.

“As it gets closer to the end, you get that feeling in your body that it can’t really be happening.

“It’s my first series and to get two wins in a row, you can only really dream of that.

“I didn’t really think that would happen for a first series. Now we have the chance to get them 3-0.”

Given how well things have gone for Oates this season, you could almost expect him to go into cruise control for Game Three. But he said he is more determined than ever to get the win over the Blues in Sydney.

He said he wants to make his dream series all that better by achieving a whitewash victory for the first time since 2010.

While many have labelled the game a “dead rubber”, Oates said he will not take his foot off the accelerator as Queensland aim for perfection.

“We want to prove that we want to win the last game,” he said.

“We’re not just going to go in like it’s a dead rubber. People are saying it is, but it’s not to us.

“We’re going to go in there and make a point ourselves. It’s going to be another great game of footy and hopefully there’s a good turnout.”

No Cookies | The Courier Mail
 
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Training done- next one is Sunday morning v the 20's.
 
Hope our boys don't get injured, other than that wgaf.
 
Cm_6c3cUIAA9zKw.jpg
 
Inglis earns his Statesmen Award for 30 games.

Wally Lewis
Mal Meninga
Allan Langer
Darrren Lockyer
Petero Civoniceva
Cameron Smith
Johnathan Thurston
Nate Myles
Greg Inglis
 
That's some elite company right there.

Queensland has had some awesome forwards in their day. Most wouldn't think of him straight away, but Nate Myles is one of those players that I would have to have in my 17. He was the quintessential example of what happens when you put on that jersey. It doesn't matter how ordinary he's going at club level, for Queensland he never looks out of place.

I've been a big fan of his since his debut for the Maroons. I remember both him and Sammy made a noticeable difference off the bench. In a way, their stints felt like a real changing of the guard moment.
 
Who could forget the enjoyment of Roosters fans complaining about "Why doesn't he play like that for us?"

As cliche as it is, some players just grow another leg when they pull that jersey on. He's one.
 
Bit surprised that Inglis has played 30 games. He has been in the team since 2006 though, I feel old that I remember his debut.

Tommorow night is a dead rubber but they don't exist in Origin. I'm watching that 3rd game from 2009 and its great that i remember what a great game that was. Such great attack and defense from both sides, that game had everything. Lol at David Williams he was soooooooo out of his depth at Origin.
 
Seeing how Manly are more or less out of the picture for this season, I think it should be in Myles hands to lay out a nice goodbye to Gallen tonight. Someone has to rough up this gem of a human. A couple of weeks on the sidelines shouldn't worry Nate.
 
Seeing how Manly are more or less out of the picture for this season, I think it should be in Myles hands to lay out a nice goodbye to Gallen tonight. Someone has to rough up this gem of a human. A couple of weeks on the sidelines shouldn't worry Nate.
True, I'd love to see Qld up by about twenty and Nate just lay into him. It'd be worth ten in the bin!
 
Thinking back on the past few dead rubbers...

2014 - Such a cathartic win to the Maroons after the Blues had frustrated them all series with their defence. It was a sign of things to come, providing Game III 2015 with an eery sense of deja vu.

2010 - The Maroons finally swept the Blues, but things had gotten so bad for NSW, it seemed like more focus was placed on the spread than anything else. One of the better dead rubbers from an entertainment perspective, but one of the strangest post-game reactions I can remember.

2009 - This was what Origin was all about. Did it have the highest completion rates? No, and it was disappointing to hear that the Maroons went on a bender in lieu of the game. However, there was a lot of emotion out there and in the cold light of day it was great theatre to see it play out as they did. If there were concerns that fans were going to tune out of next year's series because the Maroons were too dominant, they were quickly quelled.

2007 - It's always a shame when the Maroons fail to win, but in the case, I feel like even a few Blues fans would agree with me. This would have been remembered like 89 had Queensland managed to pull it off, but the mountain proved too steep. While it was an easy series to enjoy from a Maroons perspective, I thought the emergence of Brett Stewart, Greg Bird, Jarryd Hayne, Ryan Hoffman etc. made for good competition moving forward.

2003 - There's one image that sums the game up for me. The Maroons had just added to the scoreboard when the camera panned towards the crowd and found Barry Gommersall. The Grasshopper had a grin from ear to ear and gave the two big thumbs up. It was a great night to be a Maroons fan.

2000 - It felt like the ending the series deserved. The Blues were incredible that evening and after the controversy surrounding Game I, it felt like salt in the wound. I haven't watched the game since it aired, but it strikes me as odd that the Broncos had been so dominant all year and yet the bulk of their roster was destroyed in this one game.
 
Was 2007 when Dallas Johnson knocked himself out in the first set, but came back on later because we had so many injuries? We were within one try until right at the death, NSW made breaks but our desperate defence held on until they finally put it to bed late.

Also remember it to be the end of Carl Webb's career - he gallantly played 80 minutes for the maroons, which prompted the Cowboys (the brilliant tacticians that just decided giving Thurston 2x the ball would equal 2x the points) decided to try the same for the rest of the year and just burnt whatever fuel Webb had left in him. Parra then bought him as a useless rust bucket with an empty tank.
 
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