State of Origin: Jeremiah Nanai cleared for game 2, Patrick Carrigan tipped to destroy Blues
Patrick Carrigan has warned his NSW rivals that he has more gears yet to go, as the Maroons receive some positive news from their casualty ward. See the latest news from the QLD camp.
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One of Queensland’s greatest enforcers has dubbed Pat Carrigan the “destroyer” whose ironman work ethic can bury the Blues and propel the Maroons to a hat-trick of Origin titles on Wednesday night.
Legendary Maroons prop Nate Myles, now an assistant to coach Billy Slater, says the relentless Carrigan can break the Blues’ spirit in Origin II at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The Maroons are one tantalising win away from clinching an Origin three-peat and Carrigan says he won’t be complacent after starring in Queensland’s 38-10 belting of the Blues in the series opener in Sydney.
While hat-trick hero Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, two-try Ben Hunt and bench weapon Selwyn Cobbo stole the headlines in Origin I, Carrigan represented the no-nonsense bedrock of Queensland’s victory.
The Maroons lock’s 15 runs was the most of any Queensland forward as he amassed 133 metres with three tackle busts, plus 29 tackles to turn the screws on the Blues.
Myles, who played 32 games in a decorated 11-year career, loves the presence of Lindsay Collins in the front row, but says Carrigan is the spiritual leader who can destroy NSW’s hopes at the MCG.
“Lindsay does stupendous work, what he does around training is phenomenal, and Patty Carrigan is always great in this arena,” Myles said.
“That was one of Pat’s best games in Origin I.
“He got outshone by a few of our backs, but in regards to what he can do on the field, if he keeps going like this for Queensland, he will be a destroyer.”
Carrigan has a talismanic touch in the Origin arena. He has won consecutive Origin series and claimed both the Wally Lewis Medal as player of the series and Ron McAuliffe Medal as Queensland’s best-and-fairest in a dream debut campaign in 2022.
Former Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh lived by the mantra ‘never satisfied’ regardless of his form. Carrigan shares the same creed and warned the Blues he can go to another level of dominance in Origin II.
“I have some more gears yet,” Carrigan said as he prepares for a No.13 showdown with classy NSW lock Cameron Murray.
“Hopefully I can keep slowly chipping away and get better.
“I really enjoy coming into this environment, too, learning from guys like Billy. He is always pushing me to be better and if you do play well in this environment, it can set you up outside of that back in clubland (for the Broncos).”
Asked how he finds another gear, Carrigan said: “Just the quality around what I do and improving, whether it be my running game or bringing out some of my skill attributes in this arena.
“So just not being content.
“You naturally get through a lot of work in the Origin arena, but just improving the quality around what I’m doing.
“When I come in here with Billy, he keeps me accountable of the little things.
“I’m never complacent. I try and re-earn everything and having Billy as a coach keeps my mind clear.”
Slater believes the 26-year-old Carrigan has become a cornerstone of Queensland’s pack with his workrate and commitment.
“Pat is another guy that has been a foundation for our team over the last couple of seasons,” Slater said. “He was the Wally Lewis Medallist in his first year.
“It’s a collective, it’s never any one person’s job to step up and that’s the way we have played as a unit over the last few years.”
Carrigan said the mentoring of Myles is a trump card for the Maroons pack.
“It’s been good, it’s special,” Carrigan said of Myles’ influence in Camp Maroon.
“The respect we have for those guys when they have played 30-plus games themselves, guys like Nate and Petero (Civoniceva) in the middle, it’s pretty special.
“He (Myles) has a good joke with us, but he keeps our job simple and he’s about competing hard in the middle and making sure we turn up for each other.
“His advice has been massive.”
AIR NANAI CLEARED FOR ORIGIN TAKEOFF
The Maroons have received a huge boost with star back-rower Jeremiah Nanai declared a certain starter to face the Blues in Origin II on Wednesday night.
Queensland coach Billy Slater breathed a sigh of relief after Nanai completed his first training session on Saturday ahead of the return bout at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The Maroons had a scare earlier in the week when Nanai missed Queensland’s first two training runs due to a corked calf.
The Cowboys ace didn’t train at all with the main group on Thursday, doing light running behind the goalposts on his own with a compression sleeve on his right calf.
But Queensland’s fears were allayed at their Sanctuary Cove base on the Gold Coast on Saturday when Nanai rejoined the squad and took part in the whole session.
The Australian Test star is a key member of Queensland’s right edge and teammates confirmed ‘Air Nanai’ is ready to take flight before 90,000 fans as the Maroons look to wrap-up the series in straight sets at the MCG.
“He got through that session,” said Nanai’s Origin and Cowboys teammate Reuben Cotter after the Maroons completed a more intense two-hour session.
“Today was one of our faster sessions, so he got through it pretty well and he will be there come next Wednesday.
“I think they were just looking after him a little bit, he got a bit of a cork or something (in the Cowboys’ win over the Raiders last week) but that was about it.”
The compression sleeve was still on, but Nanai ran well and moved so comfortably he charged onto a Daly Cherry-Evans pass and stepped the fullback off his right calf to score in an opposed session.
The 21-year-old brings attacking X-factor to Queensland’s right side and Nanai will be stationed on the same side of the field as NSW centre superstar Latrell Mitchell, who has been recalled to the Blues side.
Nanai was among Queensland’s unsung heroes in Origin I, making a team-high 43 tackles in the Maroons’ 38-10 romp in Sydney, and five-eighth Tom Dearden says his all-round class on the edge is a major weapon.
“That (resting him for two sessions) was just precautionary but he trained well and he is ready to go,” Dearden said.
“You see how damaging he is with the ball but I really like how he is defensively where he is really strong.
“He never lets you down.
“Defensively he makes his tackles and he keeps moving from the inside-out.
“He makes it really easy for his edge to defend and handle their shapes.
“He is great at chasing kicks and it (his tryscoring ability jumping for high kicks) is just another weapon there for us halves to use.”
The Maroons ramped-up preparations with their best training session yet as Queensland look to bury the Blues and clinch a third consecutive Origin series win on Wednesday night.
Queensland haven’t won at the MCG in 29 years – the Blues have won four of five Origin clashes at the iconic ground – but Dearden dismissed talk of a Maroons hoodoo in Melbourne.
“I don’t believe in hoodoos,” he said of Queensland’s dismal record at the MCG.
“I don’t know why that’s happened, maybe we have been a bit unlucky, but hopefully we can turn those fortunes around on Wednesday.”
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