Blues look to use Burton brawl as fuel for Origin I, vow it won’t happen again

Blues players have learned their lesson from the fiery moment when Matt Burton was held in a headlock and pummelled by two Queensland players. They vow it won’t happen again.

NSW five-eighth Jarome Luai has admitted the Blues players were embarrassed by the manhandling of Matt Burton in last year’s State of Origin series and vowed that it will never happen again.

NSW have been stinging for 12 months following their defeat in game three at Suncorp Stadium, their disappointment amplified by the treatment of Burton after he was clobbered by Dane Gagai and then put in a headlock by Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.

Blues players, who had been defending against a Queensland try attempt, were slow to arrive on the scene and the image of Burton surrounded by maroon jerseys has been burnt into their brains heading into Wednesday night’s series opener at Adelaide.

“It pissed us off a little bit just seeing them all swarm him,” Luai said.

The fight between Matt Burton (Blues) and Dane Gagai (Maroons). Source: Fox League via Twitter

“There weren’t many blue jerseys there. It was a tough one because it was situational. But it did piss us off.

“No one wants to let that happen in any game. One of our brothers out there in that situation, we want to be there to support them.

“It is a tough one because you are trying to stop the play and the ref is continuing the play.

“It is a tough one to juggle because that is your brother our there getting swamped. Nothing is more important than our brothers and our brother’s safety.”

Blues forward Isaah Yeo added: “It just wasn’t a great look. It was a weird one – it happened behind play.

Video still of Punches thrown by Matt Burton (Blues) and Dane Gagai (Maroons). Source: Fox League

“You don’t like to see a bloke like that on his own for a while. I feel like the boys tried to rush there as quickly as they could.

“It is just disappointing. You would like to think if something like that happens we will be able to notice a bit faster and get there a bit quicker.

“I am close to Matty so I didn’t like seeing him in that situation.”

Memories of that manhandling have been addressed by the Blues as they prepare to go to war on Wednesday night. There is a theory that the debuts handed to hard men Tevita Pangai Junior and Hudson Young have been motivated by a desire to stop being bullied again.

Blues big man Junior Paulo knows what people said after last year’s defeat.

“There was criticism about us being bashed up last year,” Paulo said.

The Blues are fired up for the upcoming series. Picture: Getty Images

“We are using that as motivation. You think about it. As a middle you don’t forget about those games. You take all that bit of criticism and you use it as motivation. You wipe the plate clean.

“There is only one way and that is to respond with a good performance. In the Origin arena the games are won in the middle.

“We have to lay the platform for the guys out wide to pull the trigger. We have a lot of strike but they aren’t able to do if we aren’t doing our job.”

Blues backrower Liam Martin has welcomed the “chief grub” tag. However the fact the NSW forward pack were outgunned last year still eats away at him.

“They took it to us last year,” Martin said. “I don’t think we handled it as a forward pack especially. We will be looking to bring that physicality and not taking a backward step and have each other’s back.

“After last year’s series we were really disappointed. As soon as the game was over we wanted to have an opportunity to get one back on them. We’ve all had it pencilled in since last year.

“I’ll be looking to change that.”