Game III Discussion

[tommy]

I thought he was quiet in the first two games mainly because he has to make a thousand tackles a match but tonight he was back to his beastly best. Gagai deserved it for sure. Was like an extra forward

Shutup Jaypee. Nobody likes you. We all know you're just a troll

 

[Kimlo]

Can't wait for Pearce to be picked again next year. This year the excuse was Robbie Farah was holding him back from controlling the team, I wonder what the excuse will be for next year.

 

[Big Del]

Jarrod Wallace , Cam Smith , Billy all took it up a notch . But Munster MoM in my book . Never seen a guy on debut in such a key position be so dominant .
Coming into 1/2 time NSW had a sniff . I commented it wouldn`t be justice if NSW went in 12 / 6 Qld had dominated the 1st 1/2 .
NSW ran a lot harder after the break . Duggan`s try didn`t phase me as they didn`t do much to threaten in the set .

Holmes, Morgan , Munster , Cooper shut down Jimmy Maloney - Dugan and Ferguson . Great combo .

 

[tommy]

Qld by 6
Smith mom

Was off by 1 digit. What do I win?

 

[Alec]

Can't wait for Pearce to be picked again next year. This year the excuse was Robbie Farah was holding him back from controlling the team, I wonder what the excuse will be for next year.

I think that possibility was my call. Should have known better. :p

 

[Mr Fourex]

For those thinking Cam Smith is past his use by date........watch this game again.

He was tremendous.

 

[JayPee]

Shutup Jaypee. Nobody likes you. We all know you're just a troll

Lay off the cruises Thomas. Go to bed

 

[Dash]

For those thinking Cam Smith is past his use by date........watch this game again.

He was tremendous.

He was excellent in the first half. Held his passes to perfection, ran the ball when it was on. Dummy half play at its best.

 

[Super Freak]

 

[Sproj]

NSW need to do this side next year and get rid of the old guys that keep making the team for some reason:

1. Turbo
2. Tedesco
3. Roberts
4. Bird
5. Cotric / Mansour
6. Maloney
7. Cleary
8. Klemmer
9. Peats
10. Woods (unfortunately they don't have much else)
11. Cordner
12. Crichton
13. Frizell

14. J.Reynolds
15. Fifita
16. Graham
17. Turbo

 

[Big Pete]

In the fall-out of Game I, one image stuck with me more than anything else. It was the post match interview with Cameron Smith and despite all of his success I hadn't seen a more forlorn player in quite some time. The loss had hit him at his core and he was determined to get the better of the opposition, come hell or highwater.

Tonight, Smith produced a Man of the Match performance, the 7th of his career and he was in the thick of everything. Smith made short work of Woods, Peats and Fifita around the ruck, combining perfectly with his Storm team-mates and his leadership ultimately guided the Maroons to victory.

Going into the game, I wondered whether or not the Blues knew what they were coming up against. They seemingly convinced themselves that they were the better team in Game II and if they got back to playing like they did in the first half they would be well on their way. The problem was that their success in that first half was on the back of targeting the inexperienced Tim Glasby and scoring on him twice. Tim was never going to make those mistakes again, so the game-plan had to be different. They needed to play off the cuff football, they needed to challenge the Maroons earlier in the tackle count, instead they played right into the Maroons hands and the Queenslanders read it to perfection.

At the risk of sounding like a sycophant, it seemed like the Blues game-plan was to target Michael Morgan in the centres. It wasn't a terrible option, after all Morgan had never defended before and it allowed them to bring Tedesco into the game. The problem with that game-plan is that it was way too telegraphed and the Maroons had the perfect answer every single time. Morgan knew if he'd come off his wing and put pressure on Tedesco, it would stop the play dead in it's tracks and nullify the Blues greatest attacking threat. And that's how it all played out, with Blues lone try coming from a lottery cross-field kick that Holmes happened to miss and Dugan was fortunate enough to catch and stroll over.

It's fair to say Daley was out-coached and out-gunned. I'm not sure why the Maroons went away from it, but they've had a lot of success at running back through the ruck and targeting Woods & Fifita through the middle. For whatever reason, this seemingly went out of the play-book as the Maroons seemed far more interested in playing their up-tempo brand of football where they would single out Maloney & Hayne. They needed to change tact, and Kev got them to target the ruck more with the spine probing around the middle far more often than they did in any other game. It proved successful and a real masterclass from everyone involved.

Otherwise it was the game of contests. Who was more willing to win the collisions? Who was more willing to get to the football? Who was more willing to get themselves in the right position? Who was more willing to come up with the big play and the answer to all of those answers were the Maroons. Outside of a brief window of time after Dugan's try, the Maroons were the far better side.

While there is only one King, the two men who held the Shield up tonight can consider themselves in the same Origin calibre. A remarkable performance and just another amazing chapter in the history of one of the greatest captains to have ever played the sport.

 

[Unbreakable]

If Wallace isn't the next immortal they need to re-think the system. That's the only thing I took out of this series.

On a serious note, fucking incredible performance by all the boys. Munster, Slater, Holmes, Gagai, Cronk, Smith, McGuire, Cooper, Gillett.. Everyone! Suck shit NSW.

 

[winslow_wong]

You couldn't script this shit any better.

QLD got owned in game 1 at home.
JT comes back and saves the series for us at the cost of his QLD career.
QLD repay that service by thumping the blues to win the series.

Beautiful.

It's almost better that they win game one to get that false hope of a dynasty. Then the pressure of game 2 and 3 will have the blues shitting the bed.

 

[jarro65]

NSW need to do this side next year and get rid of the old guys that keep making the team for some reason:

1. Turbo
2. Tedesco
3. Roberts
4. Bird
5. Cotric / Mansour
6. Maloney
7. Cleary
8. Klemmer
9. Peats
10. Woods (unfortunately they don't have much else)
11. Cordner
12. Crichton
13. Frizell

14. J.Reynolds
15. Fifita
16. Graham
17. Turbo

Not that I want them to improve, but i think they missed the boat by not picking Vaughan
He is miles ahead of Woods talent/impact wise.

 

[Big Del]

For those thinking Cam Smith is past his use by date........watch this game again.

He was tremendous.

Guilty your Honour ...

 

[Big Del]

If Wallace isn't the next immortal they need to re-think the system. That's the only thing I took out of this series.

On a serious note, fucking incredible performance by all the boys. Munster, Slater, Holmes, Gagai, Cronk, Smith, McGuire, Cooper, Gillett.. Everyone! Suck shit NSW.

Your boy stepped up in this game . His body position when in contact was text book . Elbows and knees every time .
The try late was reward for keeping on turning up .

Early pressure on Pearce pushed him deeper to receive the ball for kicks . Disjointed the Blues . No option to run and chasers offside / or coming from deeper behind the kicker to be onside .
Then there was the time when he let the ball go past him when he saw Gillete coming from the inside , ball bounced causing a fumble then he got up his team mates about it . He looked a fool . Too soft to take one for the team , then tells his boys to fire up . lol .

 

[mieko]

That was one of the best origins I've seen. The atmosphere was unbelievable and the game itself was fantastic to watch. Massive praise on all the boys, everyone played their best games. Munster was huge. I had my doubts but gee, he looked like he's been playing there for years.

As to the blues, they can all EAD!! All the build up, we're on the rise blah blah blah all for the usual crap, just typically went missing. In the words of my old mate flavour flave, Don't Believe the Hype!!

 

[Wolfie]

Watching John's after the game, what a cockwomble. To say he hopes kids have this defeat burned into their brains and it makes them physically sick is a joke.