Maroons star Cameron Munster must bounce back from ‘terrible’ performance
After a night to forget for Queensland, Cameron Munster must steel himself mentally for a return to ANZ Staduim — the ground at which he had a series of self-confessed brain explosions.
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Cameron Munster has lamented one of the worst games of his career as the Maroons pivot looks to exorcise his ANZ Stadium demons in the State of Origin decider.
Queensland five-eighth Munster had a night to forget in Origin II, making one error and missing a key tackle for Tyson Frizell’s try in the 38-6 Perth pummelling that sets up a death-or-glory Game Three in Sydney on July 10.
Now Munster must steel himself mentally for a return to ANZ, the ground at which he had a series of self-confessed brain explosions in Melbourne’s grand final loss to the Roosters last year.
Munster was sin-binned twice in the 2018 NRL decider, the second time for kicking Roosters centre Joseph Manu, and admits he will run out in Origin III with dual ambitions of winning the series and smashing his Homebush hoodoo.
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“It was one of the worst games I have ever been involved in,” Munster said of Queensland’s Origin II belting.
“It was me as well, my performance was terrible.
“I need to be better and I will be better. I know that for a fact.
“Everyone has one of those games and unfortunately mine was in this game.
“I need to be better if I’m picked – and fingers crossed I do – and we have the belief that we had in Game One.”
Munster will play his seventh match for Queensland in the decider and suffered defeat in his only Origin visit to ANZ Stadium last year, when the Maroons lost Game Two 18-14 to surrender the shield.
The Maroons five-eighth says he is primed to right the wrongs of his grand final nightmare at the Olympic stadium.
“I haven’t been at that ground since then,” he said.
“There’s a lot of pressure on us, it’s backs against the wall, it will be a hostile atmosphere and it will be a great feeling to play really well for myself at ANZ and get the win.
“I like to think I thrive in those situations. I like playing big games and I didn’t live up to my benchmarks in this game.
“I didn’t play the way I wanted to play, but they were just too good. I’m sure we will be ready for them in Game Three.”
Munster said the pride of the Queensland jumper was on the line in the decider after suffering one of the worst defeats in Origin’s 39-year history in Perth.
“It was just our attitude to be honest in the first 15 minutes,” he said.
“I pride myself on defence and I’m at a club that prides itself on defence and it wasn’t up to scratch in those first 15 to 20 minutes.
“I let Frizell go through and I can’t afford to do that. That was an easy try and I know I am better than that.
“We are very humble in defeat and we know we have to improve. Origin is not an easy game and we know we will get a hostile crowd in Sydney.
“It’s backs to the wall now and we just need to show some fight and what this Queensland jersey means to everyone who puts it on in Game Three.
“Everyone is hurting, not just the players, but our families and the supporters as well. We have to better for our state.”
Originally published as Maroons star Cameron Munster must bounce back from ‘terrible’ performance