Pack eyes redemption
BRISBANE: Queensland enforcer Jai Arrow admitted the Maroons forward pack were on the back foot for majority of State of Origin game two in Perth and says he intends to
make amends, conceding the battle “got away from them”.
“That’s the majority of football games — it’s won in the middle of the field, and that will be our mindset going into this game,” he said.
“When the big boys in the middle are doing our jobs and the pretty boys on the outside are icing things, it makes the team look good.”
The 27-year-old was one of nine Maroons who will feature in the decider having played in the last Suncorp decider back in 2020 — along with Valentine Holmes, Dane Gagai, Daly Cherry-Evans, Josh Papalii, Kurt Capewell, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Harry Grant and Lindsay Collins.
“We’ve spoken about it here and there, just what it was like — we want to go in full of confidence and I guess that’s what it does.
“We’ve got a few boys from that 2020 series still and it’s always an exciting time to play Origin, let alone a decider at Suncorp,” Arrow said.
“We’re going to have the whole of Queensland behind us and 52,000 fans there — and it’s just about enjoying the occasion.” The Coronavirus scare that went through the Maroons camp was yet another reminder of how important player health is to the outcome of big games such as Origin deciders.
Arrow said he always has his health top of mind, especially when it comes to what he’s putting in his body.
He revealed what a usual day on a plate looks like for him during the season.
“I have a bit of a go-to breakfast, which is smashed avo on toast with cut tomato and balsamic vinegar sauce,” Arrow said.
“For lunch, whatever the club provides.
“And then I have a snack when I get home, which is usually a My Muscle Chef Meal, usually two meals and then more of the same for dinner if I’ve had a big day and I just want to zone out.” — 9 News
Fittler wants strong finish to game three
BRISBANE: The term dynasty is often bandied about in sport but with the chance to win their fourth State of Origin series in five years tonight, Brad Fittler’s New South Wales (NSW) side is beginning to shape as one.
Queensland had their own period of dominance in modern times, boasting eight series wins in a row between 2006 and 2013.
But since Fittler’s ascent to the NSW coaching job in 2018, it has mostly been the team in blue that has lifted the shield.
“Some team is going to come out and want it a bit more than the other,” Fittler said yesterday.
“It needs to be us.
“It will be us. I’ve seen the way the Blues have trained — I just can’t see any other result.”
The sole series defeat of Fittler’s reign was in 2020 and the Blues are facing similar circumstances tonight at a sold-out Suncorp Stadium.
That time it was a deciding game in Brisbane and, after captain James Tedesco was knocked out, Queensland went on to pull off one of the great Origin upsets.
“A lot of them (the Blues players) were there (in 2020),” Fittler said.
“It’s not as though we avoid it as a topic of conversation.
“Players know whether they have done well and whether they’ve done poorly and could’ve done better.”
Knocking over a Maroons side that at Suncorp would also be one of Tedesco’s biggest achievements as captain.
“I think especially to captain a Blues team to a winning decider at Suncorp, that’s only happened twice. Looking at those teams, there were special players in every one of those teams.” — AAP
Stage set for series decider in Brisbane
BRISBANE: The stakes could not be any higher at Suncorp Stadium as the 2022 State of Origin series comes down to a decider.
Following Queensland’s narrow 16-10 win in the series opener in Sydney it was the Blues hitting back in Perth with a 44-12 victory to set up a mouth-watering contest at the spiritual home of Origin, Suncorp Stadium.
Both sides have been forced into changes with Blues prop Payne Haas nursing a shoulder injury and Maroons stalwart Felise Kaufusi on family leave in the United States.
North Queensland forward Tom Gilbert will join Billy Slater’s bench, with young gun Jeremiah Nanai set for his first start at the Origin level.
History favours the Maroons with the last five deciders played at Suncorp all going the way of the home side; 20-14 in 2020, 22-6 in 2017, 52-6 in 2015, 21-20 in 2012 and 34-24 in 2011.
The last time New South Wales (NSW) prevailed in a deciding game in Brisbane was 2005 with immortal Andrew Johns inspiring a 32-10 win.
With Jordan McLean sidelined with a hamstring injury, Knights prop Jacob Saifiti moves into the starting side for his Origin debut alongside Jake Trbojevic in the front row. Apisai Koroisau will once again start at hooker with Damien Cook on the bench, with Cameron Murray and Liam Martin named in the second row.
Coach Brad Fittler has stuck solid with Stephen Crichton and Matt Burton in the centres so Jack Wighton has been named 18th man after playing game one and then missing game two due to the Coronavirus.
Sharks skipper Dale Finucane was added to the extended squad on Friday and will feature as 19th man.
Tonight’s decider will see a battle in the halves with Queensland’s Daly Cherry-Evans and NSW’s Nathan Cleary to battle with 18 and 12 Origins caps respectively.
Cherry-Evans and Cleary know exactly what is required on the big stage and the 2022 decider could well come down to which playmaker can hold his nerve and come up with the clutch plays.
In game one it was the Maroons No.7 producing a clever try from the srumbase to catch the Blues napping while Cleary had his fingerprints all over game two in a player-of-the-match display.
The kicking game of both halfbacks will be crucial to who wins the series. — NRL