State of Origin 2024: Queensland legends challenge Maroons to ‘f...ing stand up’ and fight Blues bullies
The Maroons were bullied by the Blues in the MCG massacre. Now a couple of Queensland legends have urged them to stand up and take on NSW in the Origin decider.
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Corey Parker has urged the Maroons to “f***ing stand up” to NSW’s bully boys if Queensland is to clinch a third straight Origin series win.
The Maroons will return to Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday week looking to avenge NSW’s Game Two mauling at the MCG.
Taking a 1-0 series lead into Melbourne, Queensland had the opportunity to secure a hat-trick of series victories under coach Billy Slater.
Instead, they were ambushed by a clinical Blues team that bounced out to an stunning 34-0 halftime lead before Queensland fought back for a 38-18 finish.
The Maroons were monstered in the opening exchanges and will have to produce a much different effort if they are to win next week’s decider on home soil.
Parker, a 19-Origin great, said Queensland had to find enforcers to take on the Blues after the likes of Liam Martin and Stephen Crichton roughed up the Maroons.
“Can someone in Queensland f***ing stand up to these blokes?” he said.
“(Jeremiah) Nanai and (Lindsay) Collins and co. … fire up. Have the mindset where you say ‘boys, if we need to do 10 in the bin for belting someone, do it’.
“Let’s stick it to the Blues.
“I get the feeling this Game Three is going to be a talking point for a long time. There is going to be a powder keg moment. There are big names and big storylines rumbling.
“Something is going to explode and we’ll be talking about it. Something big is brewing.
“Queensland need to get some mongrel. They need to win the contest, whether that’s a run, a tackle, a decoy run.
“Do not let NSW bully us. If that’s our mindset, we win this decider.”
The Maroons have lacked a genuine midfield enforcer this year following injuries to forwards Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Tom Flegler and Tom Gilbert which has seen the trio miss the entire series.
Collins is a big body in the middle while lock Pat Carrigan was Queensland’s best forward in Game Two with 134m and 31 tackles and is capable of playing physical.
Former Maroons enforcer Gorden Tallis said someone in the forward pack had to step up and lead the Queensland team.
“Some people say we got outmuscled. Some people say we even got bullied,” he said.
“Who is going to lead this pack in Game Three? Is there someone to tap open the shoulder and say ‘we need you to be an Arthur Beetson, Petero Civoniceva or Shane Webcke’.
“When you get beaten like that, no-one ever owns a Queensland jersey. I know that. I have been in that situation.
“The boys need to regroup, put themselves back together. That side is not a shit side.”
The Maroons hit the training paddock for the first time on Tuesday and backrower Kurt Capewell denied they were monstered in Melbourne.
“I wouldn’t say pushed around or monstered … probably not the right word, but they definitely beat us,” he said.
“Monstered is a funny word. It’s a game of footy and obviously they had all the momentum at the start of the game and we weren’t at our best, so they took advantage of that.
“Enforcer is another strong word you’ve chosen there, but that’ll all sort itself out on the night.
“We’ll just look at us and where we think we went wrong and work on that this week so that next Wednesday night we can put our best foot forward and get our job done in front of the home crowd.”
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