Heat on Blues No.1

TALK of more expansive play and a renewed focus on attack has prompted Queensland coach Kevin Walters, pictured, to put the heat on NSW fullback Matt Moylan, with the Maroons viewing him as the crucial cog in the Blues’ game plan at Suncorp Stadium tonight.
With game one derided as a slogfest played through the middle, both teams appear to be approaching the second instalment with loftier goals in terms of the football on offer, even if Laurie Daley won’t be abandoning his defensive mindset as he tries to keep Queensland at arm’s length.
Perfect winter weather and a quick track should see both side’s happier to take more risks after the opener, won 6-4 by Qld, was more like a pair of heavyweights feeling each other out for an extended period before loosening the shoulders.
Playing off the cuff would normally start in the halves but Walters says he believes Moylan, on debut in Sydney, will be a prime mover as he shifts into the backline and orchestrates raids on the back of the second man and block plays.
There are plenty of NSW fans who would rather see James Tedesco wearing the number one jumper but Walters has a huge opinion of Moylan and didn’t hesitate to suggest the 25-year-old wouldn’t be given an extra inch of room.
“The surface here and the atmosphere will ignite NSW to some degree. We’ve done a lot of work on Matt Moylan.
“His skills were underestimated in game one and we didn’t get the full tilt of his skills at the back,” Walters said.
“In game two, he’s one player we’re going to be putting as much pressure as we can on because I think he’s an exciting young player and really does suit the type of football that will be played tomorrow night.
“We’ve got to be smart defensively. Clever kicking, that can help. But generally when he gets out the back of those block plays, he makes good decisions.
We have to limit his time… there’s lots of ways with our defence that we can try and put pressure on.
“But he can create a lot of space and havoc.”
What that says about the perceived threat of Adam Reynolds and James Maloney remains to be seen but Walters said another second-gamer, sparsely used game one rookie Dylan Walker, can also expect a thorough examination. – Sydney Morning Herald.