Cherry-Evans sets plan

BRISBANE: Daly Cherry-Evans says the Maroons must kill New South Wale’s (NSW) momentum in the middle if they’re to prevent his Manly teammate Tom Trbojevic from continuing to dominate this year’s Origin series for NSW.
Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell redefined the role of centres in NSW’s historic 50-6 Origin one victory in Townsville and while the Maroons accept they will never completely take the star duo out of the game, they can limit their chances.
“The way Tom plays I think the whole game plan suits the players in their side, they’re playing ad-lib and it comes off the back of momentum,” the Maroons skipper said.
“There are ways we can stop that momentum, there are things we didn’t do in the first game that will help us in the second game.
“They’re naturally going to be involved in the game, Tom and (James) Tedesco.
“They’re fullbacks at club level, they’re highly involved at club level so I imagine that is going to continue.
“Where and when they bob up we need to be a lot better at dictating that.
“We shot ourselves in the foot the first game a fair bit.
“I’m not taking anything away from them, they were outstanding, but we need to be better in certain areas to limit where they get the ball and how they get the ball.”
Maroons coach Paul Green agreed that the battle to stop Trbojevic starts in the middle, which is why he’s shown faith in his centre duo Dane Gagai and Kurt Capewell but rejigged his forward pack.
Josh Papalii returns at prop, Jai Arrow moves to an edge and David Fifita will start on the bench.
“I don’t think (centre) was where we lost the game, that’s not an area,” Green said.
“I think if we fix some other areas of our game a lot of what didn’t go well for us in the first game will be fixed off the back of that.
“We had a plan in game one (for Trbojevic) but as I said after the game we didn’t execute it very well.
“There’s a few things we need to do to try (to) limit his opportunities.
“I don’t think you’re going to completely stop a guy such as him, he is in terrific form.
“It’s about how we limit those opportunities.”
The Maroons carried several injury concerns into Origin I’s camp but Green has taken no such gamble this time with the shorter preparation.
Green has also added an opposed session into their training schedule after being unable to find a team up to the standard required for them to run a full session during last game’s camp on the Gold Coast.
“Look, sometimes opposed can be detrimental to your prep depending on who is running your opposed,”he said.
“You can get a false sense of how well you’re going sometimes.
“That wasn’t critical for us.” – NRL

Molo credits supporters for call-up

BRISBANE: Francis Molo knows he wouldn’t be preparing for his Queensland State of Origin debut without those who supported him through an on-field tragedy.
Molo was a Brisbane NRL prospect when a shoulder charge on James Ackerman during a Queensland Cup fixture in 2015 led to the death of the Sunshine Coast prop, who suffered a ruptured artery in his neck.
A coroner’s report would later find Molo made no attempt to apply a “legitimate” tackle on the 25-year-old and he was suspended for nine matches.
That ban was nothing however compared to Molo’s own struggles as his career stagnated over the next three years and he contemplated giving up on the game.
“Yeah, I’m not going to lie, I did, but I had a really good support network back then,” Molo said.
“Sometimes I didn’t want to do it for myself but I had the support network.
“I had my little girl, my partner, my family.
“Sometimes I did it for them and they helped me pull me back on my feet to get me going.
“I’ve just been going since then and I’m grateful for it.”
A move away from Brisbane to North Queensland in 2018 re-ignited Molo’s career and the 26-year-old’s efforts were rewarded on Sunday when he received a phone call from Queensland coach Paul Green to tell him he’d be playing Origin. – NRL

Arrow hit with oral infection

BRISBANE: Queensland’s hopes of a drama-free camp before Sunday’s must-win State of Origin have been dashed with Jai Arrow hospitalised due an oral infection.
The South Sydney back-rower missed Tuesday’s first training run at CBUS Super Stadium but is expected to have recovered in time to face New South Wales at Suncorp Stadium.
Arrow was receiving oral antibiotics before coming into camp to treat the infection, the QRL said in a statement.
After an assessment upon arrival at the team’s hotel on Monday, team doctor Matt Hislop admitted Arrow to hospital to receive intravenous antibiotics and get on top of the issue.
It comes after a disrupted camp for the Maroons before game one earlier this month, where the Blues ran out 50-6 winners.
Maroons stars Cameron Munster, Harry Grant and AJ Brimson were all battling fitness issues heading into the series opener while veteran centre Dane Gagai was hospitalised days before the game due to tonsillitis.
Queensland will be hoping Arrow is cleared to return to training ahead of tomorrow’s session with just that and Saturday’s captain’s run left to prepare for game two. – Yahoo Sports Australia

Walsh heads into Origin with a lot of belief

BRISBANE: There may be those who doubt Reece Walsh is ready for State of Origin, but there’s no such concern from the 18-year-old.
Walsh will cap a stellar rise from unknown Brisbane prospect to Maroons fullback on Sunday when he makes his Origin debut in a must-win match at Suncorp Stadium.
When he takes the field he’ll become the least-experienced Queensland player since Ben Ikin debuted in the middle of the Super League war after just four first-grade appearances.
The selection of the Warriors phenom has drawn criticism from legendary New South Wales coach Phil Gould, who is also a consultant at Walsh’s NRL club, labelling the call-up “disgraceful” and saying the teenager is being “thrown to the wolves”.
Walsh himself, however, is just riding a wave which started with a move to the Warriors in April and then an immediate NRL debut.
A natural confidence in his own ability has been behind his meteoric rise and Walsh says he won’t be changing instinct to back himself on the field in Origin.
“That’s what you have to do as a footballer and you can’t go out there thinking you’re not ready or hold back because you’re playing for your mates and your state and your family,” Walsh said.
“You don’t want to go out there half-hearted.”
Walsh is also ready for a physical and aerial barrage from the Blues as the Maroons aim to level the series after a 50-6 humiliation in Townsville.
“I feel like the boys will really look after me out there and make the the job for me as easy as possible,” he said. – Yahoo Sports Australia

Walters explains decision on No.1

BRISBANE: Broncos coach Kevin Walters has been forced to explain why he allowed 18-year-old Reece Walsh to leave the club in April only for the wonderkid to earn a State of Origin call up this week.
The Broncos have been left with egg on their face after letting Walsh join the New Zealand Warriors for free and then watching him dominate the NRL for the next two months.
The magnitude of Brisbane’s mistake was hammered home on Monday when Walsh became the youngest player picked for Queensland since Ben Ikin in 1995.
“We didn’t want him to go,” Walters told News Corp.
“But he was strong on going.
We knew he was talented but I wanted him to play a few more games in Intrust Cup (reserve grade).”
NRL teams are allowed up to 30 players on full-time contracts at any given time but Walsh wasn’t given one amid speculation Walters was keeping the final spot open for his son Billy Walters.
West Tigers utility Billy was keen on a move home to Brisbane but Kevin was quick to rubbish rumours that any potential signing of his son impacted Walsh’s top-30 prospects.
“I was keeping it (the final Broncos full-time contract) for Cameron Smith,” Walters said.
“Please, give me a break.
“How would I stand in the way of any kid, for my own son? Please.
“Every little mistake that’s made I get blamed for.
“I’m not the greatest coach in the NRL, but I’m not the worst.
“I knew how tough this job was going to be.
“At the end of the day the Warriors offered to throw him straight in and paid him more money. That’s what happened.”
Queensland desperately needs Walsh to provide a spark at the back after they were hammered 50-6 by New South Wales in the series opener, their biggest defeat in Origin history. – 7 News