Origin 2014 Chat

[Big Pete]

I thought JT was one of our best.

Aside from his first kick which was an absolute fizzer, I thought he was one of only a few players who looked likely on the field.

Just think he's another who's missing a yard or two of pace.

I thought Smith was definitely off. Tried very hard but took some strange options at times. Seemed to be playing towards a gameplan to turn the Blues forward pack around, but there was a few times where we only just got our hands on the ball and he's there kicking on tackle three when we've got some momentum.

Didn't get that.

Also didn't think we played enough to our left, we seemed to love the right when our left contains two of our best try scorers in Origin history.

Don't get that.

Also a lot of things I don't get about that performance...still feels like I watched a game where a page or two was missing. Like there was supposed to be a twist here or a play there but a dud Queensland player or a referee blunder got in the way.

 

[Huge]

Easy to be wise after the event but DCE was a non factor which is a minus. He should have stood aside earlier. Unconcerned with Taylor's blemish, Thurston had a few himself . Hunt was fit and even if he didn't star he ,in my opinion would have at least done a good job. Poor refereeing contributed and poor selection was the main reason for a lack of creativity. There was space for Hunt and his quick acceleration was missed. Aside from bitterness from defeat I think the better team lost. I thought we could have used Taylor in the first half, he bent the line and was pretty good overall. Especially considering Scott's injury ,Taylor had more to give.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Your first line is a howler Pete....everything else is spot on.

Is there such thing as a hollow defeat?

It just doesn't feel like we were beaten ........

 

[Porthoz]

Don't get me wrong, I'm a firm believer that a good team will win even if it doesn't get the rub of the green, 50/50 decisions, etc...

While many of the questionable decisions I've highlighted could be construed as somewhat doubtful, there were decisions made in this game that were absolutely wrong beyond any doubt:

- Ref gives a no try to Thaiday for... obstruction? WTF, where did the ref seriously get the obstruction thought from? Was it simply a ploy to make it tougher on the video ref to award the try?
- Video clearly shows Hayne dislodging the ball from Thaiday's hands, which would essentially make it a live ball in the end zone, meaning it was ripe for the picking, and given there was no doubt about who grounded it... TRY! But even after ignoring that, the least he should've done, was give Qld a penalty for a strip, since it happened before the try line. None of it happened... really?
- The Woods dead ball is as mystifying really, and completely ignored by the video ref once again. What possible excuse do they have for this?

The other thing is that I can't shake the feeling that Qld played on a rigged field, and were continuously marching up a steep slope, and I have no doubt this was a concerted effort.

 

[Big Pete]

The one that gets my blood boiling.

GI makes a nice break in the first half, is coming back on the inside where Gallen hits him with a high swinging arm.

In the exact same set where Gallen hit Slater with a grubby swinging arm to his injured shoulders.

Yet the referees hold up play so Queensland can play the ball.

Gallen basically got rewarded for a high tackle that would see most sitting on the sideline for two or three weeks.

Two plays later, both Scott and Reynolds start a little pushing war with Smith and get a penalty because JT decides to throw a slap to mix it all up.

It annoys me for two reasons. The first one being, if they kept putting pressure down that side, GI was invariably going to score. Second, it was an obvious penalty, extremely obvious yet the referees reward NSW.

Blues fans have the hide to bitch about one 'played at' call, imagine how they'd feel after this.

 

[Big Pete]

Your first line is a howler Pete....everything else is spot on.

Who was better, really?

It won't be remembered as one of his top shelf games but he came up with a number of good plays and threatened through out the match.

Wasn't too many quality individual performances for the Maroons. Only Myles really stands out.

 

[LittleDavey]

I can't agree with you enough @Porthoz [MENTION=7980]Mr Fourex[/MENTION] about the refereeing.

What gives it away for mine is the deafening silence from the NRL. There has (rightly) been a MASSIVE blowup about those contentious calls against QLD, which IMO directly led to the series loss through the Game II result. They won by 2 FFS!

But has the NRL come out and explained the rulings? Have they made a statement that the Woods call was clearly wrong, and why the video ref didn't call it?

The silence says even more than the calls themselves. I can see clearly with my one eye that QLD never had a chance this year. Rats and filth barely covers it. Do the powers-that-be realise this is exactly the type of behaviour that stirs the QLD spirit, that the dynasty has been built on? Apparently not.

I'm still fucking livid and I'll never forget it. If I didn't love the Broncos so much, I'd never watch another game.

 

[Big Pete]

The thing that gets me too is the weak excuse not to over-turn the Woods call.

They had more than enough time to do so and had every reason to but they decide against it. In the biggest game of the year.

Kimmorley brought the video referee intervention problem up during the Knights/Tigers game and it should have been clarified then. If the video referee spots something and it's during a break in play then they should review it.

To me it just leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Like when Souths won on a back of a flimsy 'strip' call at the death. Sure, the Broncos probably didn't deserve to win but they didn't deserve to lose like that either.

 

[mieko]

The other thing is that I can't shake the feeling that Qld played on a rigged field, and were continuously marching up a steep slope, and I have no doubt this was a concerted effort.

Classic!! Is that for real?

 

[Harry Sack]

Have yet to receive clarification on the Bird "strip" at the end. Still scratching my head tbh.

Was relieved to see a little bit of footage about Thurston the other day. I thought the forearm to Reynolds face/throat was really out of character and a sign of frustration, which I really wasn't happy about. Then I saw why......Reynolds, in the act of getting up, gives Boyd(?) an intentional forearm/elbow to the face.

 

[Browny]

Gillette cops the elbow. Funny how the replay didn't go back that far lol

 

[Morkel]

Gillette cops the elbow. Funny how the replay didn't go back that far lol

Interesting indeed. Normally they would show the entire tackle for context. They only showed the tail end of the ruck.

 

[Sproj]

There should be an asterisk in the record books stating that although NSW won the series, the refs were the real decisive factor. Everyone who is even remotely objective cannot deny that. We should have been 10-0 after Thaiday legitimately scored and given the Tamou offside on DCE at the end of the first half, should have been 12-0 up with our tails up leading to a comfortable victory. Instead we lose by 2 points despite having our best prop likely taken out illegally and the refs wearing blue. There is absolutely no doubt the better team lost and the refs decided the outcome. Why else would you have a rather expensive fireworks display ready to go?

 

[Harry Sack]

**** me dead. I just heard on the radio that there are plans for a Paul Gallen statue outside of ANZ for his service to NSW. Please tell me this is a G-Up....

I could cop a Mortimer, Fittler, Daley etc statue.....but Gallen?

 

[Mr Fourex]

 

[Mr Fourex]

 

[Broncoman]

Just count your lucky stars that Paul Gallen isn't English if he was he would be getting a parade through London and receiving an MBE or knighthood with a royal ceremony.

I think him getting a statue is over the top, as much as I like him and admire the impact he has had on NSW a statue is taking it to far a simple players award or medal is much more appropriate.

 

[Sproj]

Man QLD just haven't looked like themselves at all this year.