State of Origin: Queensland Maroons go down in game 1 50-6
The Maroons were left to digest an Origin massacre with three Maroons - Mo Fotuaika, Kyle Feldt and Cameron Munster - placed on report as Queensland were left floundering in the Townsville furnace.
TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 08: Daly Cherry-Evans speask to his team on the field during a Queensland Maroons State of Origin training session at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on June 08, 2021 in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
This wasn't State of Origin.
This was torture in the tropics.
Paul Green's debut as Queensland coach turned to disaster as the fast, furious and ferocious Blues ripped the Maroons apart in a ruthless 50-6 cakewalk to draw first blood in the Origin series opener in Townsville.
It was NSW's biggest ever win against Queensland, eclipsing their 56-16 rout at Homebush in 2000 as Blues trio Tom Trbojevic, Latrell Mitchell and Brian To'o mauled the Maroons with seven tries between them.
Tommy 'Turbo' celebrated his second Origin hat-trick in three games, while To'o and Mitchell picked up doubles to leave Green's Maroons in tatters as they fight to save the series in the return bout at Suncorp on June 27.
The injury-hit Maroons were hoping Origin's debut at Queensland Country Bank Stadium before 27,533 fans would be the perfect platform to launch their title defence following last year's epic boilover under Wayne Bennett.
But the gutted Maroons were left to digest an Origin massacre with three Maroons - Mo Fotuaika, Kyle Feldt and Cameron Munster - placed on report as Queensland were left floundering in the Townsville furnace.
Fotuaika was booked for a late shot on Mitchell in the 22nd minute, Feldt (48th) was reported for hitting Cameron Murray and Munster (57th) was in hot water for lashing out with his feet.
A dejected Jai Arrow after losing Game 1 of the 2021 State of Origin Series between Queensland and NSW at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, in Townsville. Pics Adam Head
Maroons mentor Green has a monster migraine.
Wherever he looked, Queensland were outclassed, belted in midfield, sloppy in attack and burned on the edges by one of the fastest NSW backlines in Origin history.
"We are a pretty shattered group," Green said.
"We got beaten to the punch early in that game, they really dominated around the ruck.
"We had a plan to stop them (NSW's backs) but clearly it didn't work."
Tom Trbojevic and Nathan Cleary of the Blues celebrate after scoring a try. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
SPEED KILLS
Too slick. Too fast. Too sharp.
Queensland simply couldn't cope with the Blues' up-tempo style as Damien Cook, Trbojevic, James Tedesco, Josh Addo-Carr and Mitchell sliced-and-diced the Maroons across the park.
The reality is Queensland don't possess the Blues' posse of strike weapons.
For the Maroons to have any hope of competing with NSW in this series, they need to win the middle-third to nullify NSW's pace and power.
There were question marks about the Blues' pack but Queensland's forwards failed to aim up.
Tino Fa'asuamaleaui struggled to impose his 197cm frame.
David Fifita should have been a wrecking ball on the edges but he was well-contained.
One of the few shining lights was rookie prop Mo Fotuaika, who tried his heart out with 14 runs and 108 metres off the bench.
"We couldn't get any control, once we were uncomfortable we tried to trick our way out of it," Green said.
"We needed to tighten up in defence, but we looked for an easy way out and at Origin level there is no easy way.
"We can't make soft excuses. We have to learn from this and make sure it doesn't happen again."
Maroons players look on after a Blues try. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
SORE SPINE
Queensland's playmaking spine of Valentine Holmes, Cameron Munster, Daly Cherry-Evans and Harry Grant struggled to combine from the outset.
Grant and Munster hadn't played for a month due to injuries and they looked as rusty as an old gate, while Cherry-Evans rarely enjoyed front-foot ball as the Blues took control of the midfield.
"I am pretty shattered," Cherry-Evans said.
"We have to look at our preparation, not just our execution, but I still believe we have the right people to fix it.
"Tonight's damage was pretty big, but it's only 1-0 and there are two games to go. We can turn the tide."
FRONT-ROW BLOW
While Queensland were comprehensively outgunned, their hopes weren't helped by the early loss of chief enforcer Christian Welch, who lasted just 13 minutes.
The Storm prop clashed heads with Brian To'o making a tackle on the NSW debutant and he was taken from the field for a HIA after his knees wobbled as he tried to get back into the defensive line.
He subsequently failed the assessment, throwing Queensland's front-row rotation into chaos.
Welch could only contribute one run and 11 metres.
Xavier Coates of the Maroons and Brian To'o of the Blues compete for the ball. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
AT THE X-ROADS
Rookie Maroons winger Xavier Coates is in danger of being axed for Game Two.
Coates struggled to get into the game as he centre teammate Dane Gagai were carved up on Queensland's right edge by Mitchell and To'o.
The Blues duo had 217 metres and 10 tackle busts between them in the first half alone, with To'o scoring twice inside 27 minutes as Queensland's shoddy midfield defence put pressure on Coates and Gagai.
Coates raced in-field for To'o's second try and then inexplicably spilled a bomb for Mitchell's 61st minute try which summed up Queensland's horror night.
GOULD GETS WEIRD
Phil Gould was the centre of attention after launching into a bizarre opener that referenced a passage from Game of Thrones.
"There was a passage I read in the Game of Thrones many years ago of a conversation between the father and his son," Gould said.
"The son asked is it possible for a man to still be considered brave when on the inside he is truly afraid? To which his father replied - when you're truly afraid, that is the only time a man can be brave and that's what you will see tonight.
"Nerves, insecurity, fear, it will give way to courage and bravery."
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Updates
IT'S OVER
Kyle Pollard
Mercifully the ref calls the game off after what feels like a full day of action but was only 80 minutes.
NSW wins 50 to 6. Stay tuned. Fallout to follow.
QLD 6
Tries: Kurt Capewell Goals: Valentine Holmes 1/1
NSW 50
Tries: Tom Trbojevic 3, Latrell Mitchell 2, Brian To'o 2, Daniel Saifiti Goals: Nathan Cleary 8/8, Latrell Mitchell 1/1
Crowd: 27,533 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium Referees: Gerard Sutton
TOP TACKLERS Queensland: Harry Grant 36, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui 35, Felise Kaufusi 33 New South Wales: Damien Cook 32, Payne Haas 29, Cameron Murray 28
TOP HIT-UPS Queensland: David Fifita 15, Moeaki Fotuaika 14, Valentine Holmes 14 New South Wales: Brian To'o 26, James Tedesco 20, Tom Trbojevic 18
INSANE DEFENCE
Kyle Pollard
The Blues are doing it of defence as well. Coates takes a kick wide and looks like he's about to go in, but the Blues scramble and defend it. Coates gets it to Gagai – who still hasn't got his usual Origin try – and he's held up.
It's annoyingly impressive.
Gagai holding his shoulder too.
WHOSE SHOUT?
Kyle Pollard
In good news, Townsville's finest establishment the Mad Cow is set to go off. Anyone want to buy me a beer? I'll be the guy at the end of the bar in Maroons jersey with tears in my eyes and a smashed laptop at my feet.
REPLAY: TRBOJEVIC TRY
Kyle Pollard
The third one. Fair's fair – this is pretty solid stuff from the Three Amigos.
Mal Meninga has dropped a major selection bombshell by overlooking both James Tedesco and Kalyn Ponga for Kangaroos selection, with the list of surprise omissions and debutants not ending there. See the full squad.
