Trbojevic to play prop

SYDNEY: New South Wales (NSW) Blues forward Jake Trbojevic says he is prepared to face Queensland after missing selection for State of Origin game one.
The cheerful Manly forward desperately wants to cap his return to help the Blues level the series.
The 28-year-old was overlooked for the opening game of the series but has been thrown straight back into coach Brad Fittler’s starting side for Sunday’s game in Perth with the series on the line.
Typically a lock with Manly, Trbojevic will partner Payne Haas in the front row.
Trbojevic has been here before, when in 2019 he was moved to prop for a game in Perth with the Blues needing a victory to keep their hopes of winning the series alive.
In the wet at Optus Stadium, his brother Tom dismantled Queensland with a hat-trick in a 38-6 win which set the Blues on the path to wrap up the series in Sydney.
“That was a great game, we had a really good win coming off a loss and I’d like to think we can do that again,” Trbojevic said.
“It was very close in game one this year and the boys (NSW) were probably unlucky.
“They came home strongly but just couldn’t get over the line.
“We have to turn it around, we know this game is a must-win.”
Trbojevic may lack the power packed by the Queensland front row of Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Josh Papalii, but his workrate is second to none.
“They’re so strong and powerful,” he said, when asked about taking on the intimidating Queensland front row.
“They were both very good in game one and they’re great players, so I’ll just have to do my best.
“I’m happy to do whatever I can to fit in the side, I will play wherever they ask me to.
“I am just going to try and play my role. I played prop a lot in my early days.”
– Yahoo Sports

Carroll warns Fittler to not repeat errors

SYDNEY: New South Wales (NSW) Blues icon Mark Carroll has warned coach Brad Fittler not to make the same mistake twice if he wants to send the series to a decider.
Carroll slammed Fittler for making late changes to his starting side in the series opener, which Queensland won 16-10.
Prop Junior Paulo and second-rower Liam Martin were both named to start before Fittler relegated them to the bench for Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Tariq Sims.
Campbell-Gillard and Sims have both been dropped for game two in Perth this Sunday and Martin has been once again named at No. 12, with Paulo on the bench.
Carroll said making late changes can significantly disrupt a player’s mental preparation.
“That was a mistake in game one because it’s a mindset thing, when you’re getting ready for State of Origin, especially when you’re a front rower, you’re thinking about the game three or four days out and taking that first carry, getting hammered by these Queenslanders,” said Carrol.
–Fox Sports

Martin laughs off “grub” tag, tries to emulate Gallen

SYDNEY: There was only one person Liam Martin was genuinely concerned about after Queensland branded him a “grub” on Wednesday.
“It sort of came out of the blue,” Martin said.
“I didn’t mind. I think Mum was more rattled than me. She was like, “You’re not a grub” and I was like, “Oh, I don’t know.”
Martin was happy to laugh off the allegations yesterday that he had crossed the line in game one of the State of Origin series.
The Blues back-rower was accused of several unsavoury acts involving swinging arms, forearms and elbows to put the Maroons off their game.
The bad press was addressed by Blues coach Brad Fittler, who reassured his players that he also had no issue with it and would like to see more of it for game two at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday night.
“Even ‘Freddy’ (Fittler) said he loved it and just to bring it again,” Martin said.
“He said, ‘Why did it take 65 minutes to start doing it? We might have to start doing it from the first minute.’
“I find both teams play with that passion and I grew up watching Paul Gallen and Nate Myles go at it so I tried to emulate that and I’ll probably bring it again.
“It’s footy after all, it’s played with aggression and things are going to happen. If you’re not doing that stuff, you’re probably not giving it your all.”
Martin is renowned as a tenacious defender who hits with plenty of conviction after making the second highest number of tackles (50) in game one.
– NRL

Benched Cook backs Koroisau to bolster Blues attack

SYDNEY: No mind games, no misdirection, no train-offs during camp — a brief conversation with Blues coach Brad Fittler was all it took.
Damien Cook has revealed Fittler gathered him and new starting hooker Api Koroisau to clear the air as the first order of business in camp for State of Origin game two.
“Once we got into camp, the next morning he just grabbed Api and myself and was pretty straight up about what we’re doing,” Cook told Wide World of Sports.
“We’re going to go with two hookers and Api was going to start, and that’s all that was really spoken about.
“We both just moved on with what we need to get done for this week and what our jobs will be to work together for whatever it takes to get the win.”
Cook was moved to the bench to accommodate Penrith’s Api Koroisau in the starting team, with the Blues opting for a two hooker rotation in Perth.
“I was more than happy for Api — he’s been playing some really good footy and he’s been nothing but supportive of me while we’ve been in camp,” Cook said.
“I love training alongside him, he’s someone I watch as a hooker and love what he does as well – I know he’s going to go out there and do a good job and it’s my turn to back him up whenever I can.
“He’s got great deception around the ruck. He plays with a lot of time and I feel like he’ll manipulate the markers a lot and he’ll have combinations out there to start the game with Yo-ee (Isaah Yeo) and the halves as well.”
– 9 News

Yeo responds to claims by Queensland

SYDNEY: New South Wales star Isaah Yeo has responded to claims from north of the border that teammate Liam Martin is as the main Blues villain.
The Courier Mail pinpointed four incidents that took place in the space of four minutes in the series opener at Accor Stadium — and declared “Queensland finally has a new Blues player to hate” after he went on a “grubby rampage.”
Yeo said he was glad someone else had finally noticed what he cops at training every week.
“They finally caught on, he is the biggest pest at Penrith,” Yeo said of Martin.
“I’m just glad he is doing it to the opposition team and not just his friends.
“He plays the game hard. He tries to get under people’s skin whether it the his club teammates or the opposition, so I’d like to think he is doing that at this level not just at club land.
“It was four minutes of the game. I’m sure if we nit-picked every player on both teams there would have been a bit on both sides. I’m just glad you finally caught on.”
Yep also lifted the lid on where the Blues need to be better to square the Origin series and admitted that they must limit game one hero Cameron Munster’s influence to force a decider.
The Blues were torn apart by a mixture of Queensland’s dominance in the ruck and Munster’s brilliance, which hurt Nathan Cleary’s ability to take control of the contest, according to Yeo.
– Fox Sports

Johns commends Blues for masterstroke

SYDNEY: Rugby League legend Andrew Johns has lauded Blues coach Brad Fittler’s decision to start with Api Koroisau in the No.9 jersey for State of Origin game two, predicting the line-up change will spark the Blues a win.
After being in Fittler’s game one squad, Koroisau will replace the incumbent Damien Cook in Perth, with the Souths star dropping to the bench.
Johns said the Koroisau-Cook move had the potential to emulate what Danny Buderus and Craig Wing did for New South Wales (NSW) during his time in the Origin arena.
“I think it’s a masterstroke,” said Johns.
“The best rep teams I ever played in was with Buderus and Wing, I’ve been quite vocal about that.
“You’ve got the one-two punch where you start with Api and his trickery around the ruck, the way he brings the forwards into play, and then you’re going to have the speed of Cook.
“Cook would be disappointed that he’s not starting, but it’s team-first.”
Despite the Blues being criticised for being “too Pantherised” by Phil Gould following the game one loss, the inclusion of Koroisau makes it seven representatives from the reigning premiers in the Blues’ game two line-up.
However, Johns downplayed concerns that the team could fall into the same problems from game one.
“The attack was a cut and print of what Penrith does,” he said of the game one performance.
“With the introduction of Koroisau and Cook, the attack will change. They’ll still have those formations with Isaah Yeo linking with the Penrith boys, it changes with the dummy-halves.”
–9 News