Blues blown off MCG in a Maroons masterclass
Everyone left the MCG satisfied, except for those wearing blue.
A record State of Origin crowd of 91,671 witnessed a rugby league masterclass; Among them were NRL executives in suits who made the decision of their dreams while trying to broker a monster broadcast deal.
This result – a massive 44-24 victory after a lukewarm start – will raise further questions about the structure of the NSW team that allowed this to happen. This is Laurie Daley’s 12th Origin defeat and the result takes him beyond Wayne Bennett for most coaching defeats. Somehow he must make a comeback at that other famous cauldron, Suncorp Stadium.
There was nothing at the halfway point to suggest such a scoreline. At this point NSW were leading 12-8, but they never looked likely after the restart.
Almost everyone was getting back to writing: Cameron Munster was making it up as he went along, Harry Grant was making mock-ups from markers in the dummy half and within 60 seconds Victor Radley was flirting with the sin bin after touching his opponent’s head twice.
The Maroons scored seven tries. Some were as spectacular as those we have witnessed on the interstate. Three of them followed in the footsteps of Selwyn Cobbo, who was considered a controversial choice when first elected. Yunus has never looked more at home.
The same cannot be said for NSW, once a happy hunting ground. In the last three games, NSW have emulated Gout at his best: slow down from the blocks – the cumulative score over the last three first halves is 66-12 against them. They left the race late.
After conceding an early penalty goal, they again looked likely to leave themselves with considerable room to make up. And then, the rarest Origin gifts.
From the kick-off Tom Flegler made a move to the back fence and coolly poured the ball, paying more attention to the attacking defense than the football. Mark Nawaqanitawase received the ball, made a speculative pass and then Kotoni Staggs crossed the line.
This was not just an experiment, but also the end of a series of bad beginnings. The Blues, accused of being too conservative by abandoning the long haul, have bared their shoulders. They were rewarded with cheap counters and a six-rep sequence that relieved the pressure.
Nawaqanitawase was involved in everything. The cross-code star, a target for both the NSW and Queensland players, then crossed with his second try of the game.
In one of the few occasions where Nathan Cleary’s kick failed to find the target, it still found its target in the end. Cleary caught Cameron Munster’s bouncing ball and found “Marky Mark” with a perfect spiral pass.
The second, even more spectacular, Nawaqanitawase try was just millimeters away from the prize if it hit the green grass before the white paint.
It’s a surprise that Queensland has such a poor record at the MCG. It’s been called a neutral venue, but Melbournians’ love for their city outweighs their hatred of Sydney alone. The Maroons received the majority of crowd support in a timely reminder that Queensland truly is everywhere.
There was little to cheer about for the better part of half an hour. And then Maroon pulled something from the top shelf. This play featured a short side raid by Harry Grant and a pass over the top by Cameron Munster; he also survived the header and head injury assessment after throwing the ball.
The Maroons completed a dazzling series and a game that looked to be in good shape quickly slipped away from NSW.
From there it was downhill skiing for the Queenslanders. With Munster dominated by Kalyn Ponga, Harry Grant and Sam Walker, NSW needed to do everything right. Instead, Kotoni Staggs found herself in the sin dump.
A week is a long time in football. The Blues have three players who need to regroup. Judging by what just happened, it might not be long enough.
