Courageous David Klemmer can’t cover cracks in Blue wall as halves outclassed in Origin opener

Blues enforcer David Klemmer was enormous for his side in the Origin opener, but Queensland’s halves proved superior to their opposites at Suncorp Stadium, ultimately becoming the difference in Game I.

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It is the conversation no one from the NSW camp will want to have on Thursday but it can’t be ignored.

NSW are going to have to rethink their halves combination if they are to have any hope of saving this State of Origin series and tough calls need to be made.

Throughout the build up so much of the pressure was directed at Nathan Cleary and Cody Walker, the fear being whether they were up to the challenge of taking charge when it mattered most.

Cameron Munster helped steer Queensland to victory. Picture: Chris Hyde

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Unfortunately that is exactly how it worked out on Wednesday night. You think of any Origin game and it is always the key playmakers who managed the result.

When it was NSW winning it was Freddy and Joey, Ricky and Laurie. For Queensland it was the King and Alf, Locky and after that JT and Cronk.

On Wednesday night it was Daly Cherry-Evans and Cameron Munster.

When it mattered most they took the right options, and made the big plays to get Queensland back in the game. And then when the momentum shifted they took charge.

At halftime Cleary was doing his job and doing it well when all the running was with the Blues, although Walker struggled from the outset to have his usual impact in his debut Origin match.

David Klemmer’s first half was just enormous. He played the entire opening 40 minutes, charging for 126m from 12 runs, more than twice as many metres as any of the Queensland forwards.

Klemmer played big minutes in the opener. Picture: Adam Head

To put it in perspective, Josh McGuire led the way for the Queenslanders with 59m from seven runs, just ahead of Felise Kaufusi with seven runs for 57m and Josh Papalii with five runs for 47m.

On top of that Klemmer also came up with 24 tackles, the most of any of the Blues.

It was an extraordinary effort from the big man and on the back of the Blues’ go-forward Damien Cook and James Tedesco were carving them up.

It was Kevvie Walters’ worst nightmare coming to reality. All through the build-up the Maroons identified that their defence on Cook and Tedesco would be the key but they just couldn’t keep up with the frenetic pace.

Tedesco was up to 140m at the break, while Cook was electric out of dummy half, clocking up 59m and 22 tackles to boot.

Josh Addo-Carr, Josh Morris and Nick Cotric were all doing their part, but Latrell Mitchell was noticeably quite, clearly not at 100 per cent with what looked to be a groin/leg injury.

At the break the possession slightly favoured Queensland, but it was the missed tackle count that was really letting the home team down with the Maroons missing 26 tackles to NSW’s 11.

But like it always does in Origin, momentum turned, and the Blues were found wanting.

The NSW halves failed to get their side open. Picture: Chris Hyde

It was experience versus inexperience and it was Queensland’s halves who owned the result.

Even when they were struggling in the opening 40 minutes, Cherry-Evans and Munster were still heavily involved. Still making momentum shifts and finding ways to get their team a breather while under pressure.

Then in the second half they went even better.

Meanwhile Walker was replaced. How do you replace your five-eighth after 50 minutes when the game is still in the balance?

Fittler conceded on Wednesday night that he took Walker off because he couldn’t get into the game.

It was always going to be a gamble to partner Cleary and Walker together.

On Wednesday night it backfired.