NRL 2023: Gorden Tallis backs Cameron Munster to become Maroons’ State of Origin legend
Maroons great Gorden Tallis has declared Queensland five-eighth Cameron Munster will finish his career as an Origin legend equal to Wally Lewis, Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston.
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Maroons great Gorden Tallis has declared Cameron Munster will become an Origin legend as Queensland’s superstar No.6 said he would turn up the heat on the Blues in his Brisbane return.
Munster played a pivotal role in Queensland’s miraculous 26-18 win against NSW in Wednesday night’s series-opener in Adelaide to continue his hot Origin reputation.
The Melbourne maestro created two tries for Maroons speedster Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and scored Queensland’s final four-pointer to secure a crucial Game One win on neutral turf.
The victory has given the Maroons a golden opportunity to clinch back-to-back series wins on home turf at Suncorp Stadium on June 21.
Now a 16-game Queensland representative and the 2020 player of the series, Munster has become one of Origin’s most dominant players since his debut in the 2017 decider.
Tallis, a 17-game Maroons enforcer, said Munster was on track to be regarded as one of Origin’s greatest ever players like Queensland legends Johnathan Thurston, Cameron Smith and Wally Lewis.
“Munster’s going to that level where I think he’s going to be an Origin legend,” said Tallis, a Fox League commentator.
“He is going to go to the realm of Thurston, Smith, Wally Lewis.
“With nine minutes to go, even the most avid Queensland fan thought it’s an uphill battle now. To do what he did, score a try and find the space for Tabuai-Fidow as well.
“It’s about the moments and he grabbed the moments when they counted the most. What a performance.”
Munster, 28, got Queensland off to a flying start at the Adelaide Oval when he produced a pinpoint grubber for Tabuai-Fidow to score in the eighth minute.
He floated out of the contest as the Blues dominated possession, but stepped up and delivered when Queensland needed a miracle.
The Maroons looked gone in the 69th minute after being reduced to 12-men when Tom Flegler was sin-binned and trailing 18-16.
But that is when Munster stepped up to the plate with two big Origin plays.
First, he exposed the defensive fragility of Blues utility Nicho Hynes at centre in the 74th minute to put away Tabuai-Fidow away for his second try.
Three minutes later he was waiting in support to score the match-clinching try after prop Lindsay Collins outleaped Blues fullback James Tedesco.
Despite his big-moment brilliance, Munster wasn’t satisfied with his performance and wants to be more involved at Suncorp Stadium after missing last year’s epic Brisbane decider due to Covid.
“In the first 15-20 minutes of the game I was involved and had some really good touches,” Munster said.
“Then I kind of just put the cue in the rack and sat back and let it all unfold. I needed to take the game on.
“I did that in the last 10 minutes and tried to play the footy I know I can play. I showed glimpses of it but I’ve got to be consistent. I’ve got to be selfish at times, run shapes, be more dynamic and be in the game a bit more.
“I’ll go back and play the style of footy I know I can and be consistently involved in games. I can’t just sit back and let it come to me, I’ve got to take it.
“If I can do that it’s going to be better for the Queensland team.”
Munster exposed himself to a Blues barrage when he revealed he had been carrying a painful rib injury in recent weeks.
It didn’t seem to bother him in Adelaide as he racked up seven runs and made 23 tackles, albeit missing five, and he is keen to back-up for Melbourne against the Cowboys in Townsville on Sunday afternoon with Queensland teammates Harry Grant and Christian Welch.
“I’ll see how I feel,” Munster said.
“I’m not going to give too much away.
“I didn’t make any tackles anyway.”
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