State of Origin 2023: The lesson NSW Blues can never learn from Queensland
The Blues won’t admit it but they take a sneaky look at how Queensland operate from time to time. But can they trust what they find?
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Part of the secret code of being a Queenslander, a breed different from Australians, is a little sideways smirk one Maroon gives another each year about Origin time.
The Queenslanders have a belief that goes back to a time well before Wally was ordained King, which goes that at least once every year they will get a player picked for NSW that plays right into their game plan.
Someone not quite up to the job that makes Queensland’s job just a little easier.
Out of respect for NSW and the fallen soldier they refuse to divulge the identity of such men, which might be the only time respect is ever shown for NSW.
And it might or might not be even true, but such are the games played. Right now, though, several Maroons are masquerading as media and giving opinions on who should wear the No.6 for NSW as Nicho Hynes continues making a compelling case and the Blues wonder if it is all a set-up.
The only certainty that can be said is that they can’t be trusted.
Some say Hynes, some say Jarome Luai.
Hynes is in stunning form. Luai is the incumbent.
Hynes, 26, would be an Origin rookie. Luai, 26, is coming off a losing series.
The qualities are cross-referenced against each so often they eventually blur and become meaningless.
As the coach Brad Fittler’s job is to find clarity but he has a hard time doing it.
When Fittler was first appointed NSW coach in 2018 he stood up at the Blues Ball or somesuch and showed he understood the job by telling the audience that here in NSW “we eat our own”.
This was Fun Freddy, and the theme was if they could handle that, the vicious politics of selection, they had the resilience to play for NSW.
“That’s NSW, that’s the beauty of it,” he said. “We’re not the other states, we eat our own. And if you can survive that then you’re going to come out a pretty resilient person.
“I was fully aware of that when I took the job on. I’ve found it really challenging. It’s been great.”
Nobody is sure if Fittler is still having quite as much fun.
He opened with a dream start, beginning just a couple of weeks before his first game as Origin coach when Cameron Smith retired from rep football.
Then Queensland made the uncharacteristic mistake of overlooking Billy Slater returning from injury.
Into this Fittler took off his shoes, walked across the grass to soak up all the nutrients, he told us, and not only turned around what had been a shocking 13 years for NSW with a series win but gave many hope that something of a square-up was coming.
At least a few running years of victory.
Alas, there were too many nutrients in the grass, it seems, and the Blues overcooked it several times and instead of a series square-up for a 5-0 tally under Fittler’s reign it now sits somewhat more nervously at 3-2.
He really needs to get it right this season.
Adding to it was that the Blues hardly had a flawless start when it comes to team selection in a few of those series and, now, as Queensland rebuild into something formidable, the Maroons are adding to it by confusing them over what qualities to look for in a No 6.
The Blues won’t admit it but they take a sneaky look at how Queensland operate from time to time.
Form against loyalty, what to look for.
Yet the other night Cooper Cronk might have given a glimpse of the true secret behind Queensland’s thinking and why it might confuse the Blues so much.
It seems Cronk had no time for either form or loyalty.
When cornered over whether Queensland should look towards Kalyn Ponga as fullback for the opening game, despite his hesitant form after returning from a concussion stand-down, or the blistering form of Brisbane fullback Reece Walsh, Cronk was unequivocal it should be Ponga at fullback.
“Absolutely he is,” he said. He did not hesitate.
Tellingly, it had nothing to do with the age-old argument that confuses the Blues coaching room, form versus loyalty, but about another quality the Maroons look for in players.
Origin is a game more often played on the back foot, Cronk believes.
Such is the momentum swings and intensity of Origin it is impossible to play on the front foot the entire game. It can happen in club footy, but never Origin.
And when players are under pressure, he says, they go back to their habits.
What does their kick-chase look like under pressure? Their defence off the ball?
The effort areas that other teammates appreciate.
Cronk believes the key to choosing the Queensland No.1, which should be the same as the key to choosing the NSW No.6, is to watch how they react under pressure.
Ponga is a proven winner in tough games. In Brisbane’s two defeats this season Walsh has been quiet.
It makes it a no-brainer for Cronk.
Turning the choice to the NSW five-eighth he smiled.
Would they trust the answer anyway?
‘Love him to death’: Moses’ impassioned plea to keep Brown at Parra
Speaking for the first time since taking over as Eels captain, Mitchell Moses has launched an impassioned plea to retain Dylan Brown, and revealed how Jason Ryles has transformed Parramatta.
Mass changes at Parramatta continue as Eels boss steps down
The major changes in leadership at Parramatta continue with chairman Sean McElduff stepping down from the role, just six months after appointing Jason Ryles as head coach.