State of Origin - Game 2 - Post Match Discussion

[Nashy]

[quote="The Rock":2x0cfb57]Except I made it clear that Minicheillo was a good option at fullback

I actually agree with you ont this. I can't beleive people were knocking his selection. I mean I seriously can't ever remeber Mini having an ordinary game in a "big" match, much less a poor game. The guy is a class act. I hope they stick with him for game 3. The guy deserves it.[/quote:2x0cfb57]

I'm in this boat. A week ago I was telling a bunch of idiots that he was a massive threat. He played brilliant tonight.

 

[Kimlo]

Minichello could hardly bend down to pick the ball up he is so old, he played more soccer then rugby league tonight. He did a good job but not enough to blow him off that is for sure. Just a solid old timer who has experience.

Outdid Slater.

 

[Big Pete]

Minichello could hardly bend down to pick the ball up he is so old, he played more soccer then rugby league tonight. He did a good job but not enough to blow him off that is for sure. Just a solid old timer who has experience.

Exactly.

He played well, but that's easy when everybody else is having a stellar game.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Lol @ NSW i think they must be forgetting that there is a game 3..

Facebook & Twitter are going off with NSW supporters...Thats Gold... icon_thumbs_u icon_thumbs_u

Well to be fair they had lost 5 Origin games in a row..

 

[levikade]

ffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

so angry

 

[Kris]

I thought Scott was our best player tonight.

Well done, NSW. You outplayed us, but it's good to see that game three will be a thrilling match.

 

[Professor47]

2 cents:

- No Hodges/Folau... really making a diff... more than I thought anyway. Not having both really made us look like a diff team.
- gunshy ... thought JT in particular was quiet... Locky was OK but could have done more
- 'tackling our way to victory' tactic... not sure if this is the way to go now... NSW are going for a fast mobile approach and it's going to hurt us in the back end of the game... we'll run out of gas.
- Hayne had a quiet one... if he fires we could be in trouble too.

For the first time in a long time QLD actually look vulnerable, not just because of the loss... but looking at both games... I sense a little bit of difference.

 

[OXY-351]

I'd normally be the first one to knock opposition players or the ref for my teams loss, but honestly, in this case, I think NSW deserve some credit. Yes QLD played poorly, but I genuinely beleive that was because NSW forced them to play like that. It was a great team effort by NSW.

 

[Ari Gold]

I haven't read anything. I don't plan to read anything, I'm sure there are excuses everywhere.

Better team won, NSW deserved it more, and the refs were fine, so don't even bother whinging.

This statement couldn't be more wrong. They didn't cost QLD anything, but their consistency was horrid. As Jester said, they played 2 fast sets where you couldn't slow the play down, then they'd start playing anything goes.

Which is not to take anything away from NSW. Far and away the better side and Gallen was simply brilliant. I thought they picked too many edge forwards and that would cost them, but Gallen's work really turned their abundance of backrowers into an advantage.

 

[OXY-351]

For the first time in a long time QLD actually look vulnerable, not just because of the loss... but looking at both games... I sense a little bit of difference.

I think your first point is the reason why. QLD just don't have the strike power in the backline at the moment. The Neilsen/Yoh Yeh side is terrible in defence, and not much better in attack. Boyd was ok, but a little quiet. Inglis shouldnt' have been there imo - seem injured and barely made an impact.

Put Folau, Hodges and a fit Inglis in the backline and I think this series would be over by now. It's like Lockyer and Thurston didn't have the confidence to pass it to their outside men. I mean wow many times did they actualyl run a geunine backline play tonight? And on this point, Thaiday needs to relaise he's not in tha backline.

 

[langer77]

G.I did shit. But we smash them game 3
Gal was awesome as always

 

[levikade]

have another pinger pearce,

thaiday perhaps the only man that hates him more than i, but pilleater had his measure tonight

 

[Professor47]

What changes for game 3 though? That is what I want to know - a fitter GI and a dodgy Hodgo? If Hodgo goes down within the first 15 Cronk goes into centre and we try to defend our way to victory again... I don't know about that one - esp with the confidence that NSW will bring now... Gaz and Hayne are yet to find space... I don't know... ATM it looks like the Slater play is the only thing we have got going this series... I have to say our backup Tonga going down hasn't been good for us.

 

[Big Pete]

What changes?

You change a few of the gameplans up, work it to your advantage and don't look lost out at sea like we did.

We weren't that bad tonight, thoroughly outplayed but in it until the final five. We make a couple of changes, and we fix a couple of issues up and we'll be ready for game 3.

I really get the feeling, Meninga just gave them a basic plan because he had NFI what he was up against.

 

[Ari Gold]

What changes for game 3 though? That is what I want to know - a fitter GI and a dodgy Hodgo? If Hodgo goes down within the first 15 Cronk goes into centre and we try to defend our way to victory again... I don't know about that one - esp with the confidence that NSW will bring now... Gaz and Hayne are yet to find space... I don't know... ATM it looks like the Slater play is the only thing we have got going this series... I have to say our backup Tonga going down hasn't been good for us.

Ashley Harrison is probably out of his depth and Nielsen is obviously so. That said not many changes are needed IMO. Parker to lock and Shillington on the bench with Hodges in for Nielsen is all that's really needed. This is still a team that's won the last 5 series. They know how to get it done and will be at home.

The alternative to Shillington is Dallas Johnson. Straight swap for Harrison and Parker still on the bench (or Shillington in leiu of Parker). That's if defense is a really big issue, but I still think it will be fine.

 

[Kimlo]

Parker should not be dropped, he was awesome.

No changes besides Hodges and Parker starting instead of Harrison

 

[Professor47]

It's not the same team who won 5 series in a row - obviosuly. Dont forget Hunt was a significant part in 07/08.

Look I don't see any value of Ash coming off the bench.

Obviously Hodgo for Nielson (I'm parying GI is fit) is the obvious change.

But Mal has to make a call with Parker/Ash. We don't need one on the bench IMO.

 

[Coxy]

No need to panic. QLD didn't get any momentum, and what momentum they did get, Thurston in particular (and Lockyer to a lesser extent) failed to capitalise on. Thurston has been basically MIA 2 games in a row, very unlike him. Hopefully that means he'll explode in game 3.

Not sure what the GO was with Civo. On for 20 minutes, off for 40. Seems weird. As much as I like Parker, I think we need someone more mobile if anything.

Sam had a shocker, but I noticed on just about every play, Nielsen was in line with Thaiday, so Lockyer had no choice but to go flat to Sam, putting him under pressure. Nielsen seems to have poor awareness and positioning. Hodges back will make a MASSIVE difference on that side, making it a Locky-Thaiday-Hodges-Yow Yeh combination.

Better team won. Refereeing was no worse than game 1. QLD were sub par. Bring on game 3.