State of Origin Tackle: Selection call NSW coach Michael Maguire must make to save the series
Michael Maguire’s tenure as NSW coach is off to the worst possible start — and he has to make a huge decision to turn the Blues’ State of Origin fortunes around. Read FATIMA KDOUH’s likes and dislikes
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State of Origin Game One has been run and won — and Queensland are one step closer to another series victory.
Check out the likes and dislikes from the State of Origin series opener.
DISLIKES
DISJOINTED DEFENCE
Michael Maguire has been left with no choice but to consider bringing in Parramatta halfback Mitchell Moses into the halves. NSW need a game-managing No.7, and with Nathan Cleary still out injured that man is Moses and not Nicho Hynes.
The NSW Blues were brave to play a man down for 72 minutes, but that can’t detract from the fact changes will need to be made.
Maguire’s bench needs a re-think too. All week the talk was that Canberra forward Hudson Young would be the answer if a centre went down. But Hudson didn’t make it onto the field when Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii was sent off early in the first half.
Instead there seemed to be confusion between Hynes and Liam Martin on who would defend at right centre, while Young watched it all unfold from the bench.
Eventually, Maguire shifted Stephen Crichton into right centre to steam Selwyn Cobbo’s damaging runs.
Maguire said the Blues would be prepared for the worst if it happened, and it did. It also looked like the call not to carry an outside back, like Queensland did with Selwyn Cobbo, also hurt the Blues.
SEND-OFF SHOCKER
It was disappointing to hear the outdated views of Queensland legends Cameron Smith and Paul Vautin on Wednesday night as they argued that Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii shouldn’t have been sent off for his sickening high shot on Queensland fullback Reece Walsh.
In what will go down among the most infamous State of Origin moments, Suaalii’s debut lasted less than eight minutes after he launched himself at Walsh and made such forceful contact with his head that the 21-year-old was left motionless on the Accor Stadium pitch.
Referee Ashley Klein didn’t hesitate in sending Suaalii off. However, speaking on Channel 9’s coverage, first Smith, and then Vautin, somehow tried to argue the 20-year-old should have remained on the field.
“At club land, yes (it’s a send off), it’s a shame, It is a send-off. But at this level, I’m really surprised they sent Joseph (Aukuso) Suaalii off,” Smith said.
Vautin then doubled down.
“Here’s the thing, Suaalii thinks he’s going to hit him in the chest. Reece Walsh ducks down and all of a sudden he gets hit in the head,” Vautin said.
“Look, it’s reckless and careless, but it’s not deliberate.
“I don’t think it’s a send-off, at this level.”
Arguing that the referee should put the whistle away in Origin is an outdated take on the game, especially in an era when player welfare has never been more paramount.
The fact it is Origin, rugby league’s showpiece event, should not in any way dictate how Klein treats dangerous incidents.
“I don’t want you to say a word,” Klein told Blues captain Jake Trbojevic.
“Very dangerous action, direct contact to the head with the shoulder.
“You’re off.
“Direct contact with the head.”
TOO LATE, IT’S A SCHOOL/WORK NIGHT
It’s time for an earlier Origin kick off because 8.05pm is way too late. The Matildas game at Accor Stadium against China on Monday night kicked off at 7.40pm and they enjoyed a record TV ratings bonanza, so why is Origin still so late?
The 8.05pm slot — the game ended up kicking off about three minutes late — is bad enough for locals but how about our friends across the ditch in New Zealand!
They are two hours ahead and even the biggest league fan over there could be excused for going to bed before full-time.
Rugby league is booming in NZ and with talk of them having another team in an expanded comp, it’s time to move it forward.
A 7pm kick off on a school/work night would be great.
LIKES
BILLY’S BENCH CALL
Selwyn Cobbo’s name on the bench for Queensland raised plenty of eyebrows, and to many it looked like a gamble.
How would Billy Slater use the Brisbane centre? Would he even get on the field?
But Slater is the kind of coach to cross all his t’s and dot the i’s.
Just eight minutes into the match, Slater’s decision looked like a masterstroke after Walsh was ruled out.
Slater was forced into a re-shuffle but because Cobbo was on the bench, it did not cause an upheaval.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow shifted to fullback and Cobbo slotted straight on to the left edge at centre, where he was immediately right at home.
Cobbo made the most of the fact the Blues’ right edge had Nicho Hynes and Liam Martin defending out of position at centre, as they altered in out of the position.
The confusion gave Cobbo free reign to break the line and bump the defence with edge as he set up a first half try for Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
TEDESCO TIME
This was James Tedesco’s 23rd straight game for the Blues, and in two weeks the Sydney Roosters fullback should be playing his 24th game for the state.
It means Dylan Edwards will miss out but Tedesco did enough to keep his spot even in a losing side.
Tedesco ran for 170 metres from 18 carries, had six tackle busts and gave everything he could — on the back of a three-day preparation.
He missed a tackle in the lead-up to a Ben Hunt try but that was after the Blues had defended with 12 men for 62 minutes.
Tedesco came up with a big play to halt a surging Xavier Coates, as he stood as the only thing between the Maroons winger and the try-line late in the second half. It’s the effort play that has made Tedesco one of the hardest-working fullbacks in the game for a very long time.
With the series on the line in Melbourne, coach Michael Maguire needs every bit of experience on the field, and that means Tedesco has to be there.
CHERRY BOMB
Daly Cherry-Evans’ club form had been below his best heading into game one, but again on the biggest stage the Manly halfback was in full control.
In a halves duel, Cherry Evans left the NSW combination of Hynes and Jarome Luai in his wake.
The NSW duo tried hard, but Cherry-Evans was just at another level.
His kicking game was on song, nailing a 40/20 and set-up two tries, one off the boot - which lead to a brilliant try to Xavier Coates in the 70th minute.
He showed Michael Maguire was his side so sorely missed, a player that can control the match through his kicking game.
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Originally published as State of Origin Tackle: Selection call NSW coach Michael Maguire must make to save the series
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