Pressure turns to Maroons
MAL Meninga is under pressure to wield the axe after NSW’s forwards won a battle of wills to leave Queensland’s Origin dynasty hanging by a thread.
State Of Origin
Daley gives Gallen’s hit all-clear
BLUES coach Laurie Daley says he will be disappointed if Paul Gallen is suspended because he maintains Origin is a “different game”.
NSW opener out of Maroon playbook
IT was a Queensland play that got NSW off the mark when Jarryd Hayne crashed over in the opening minutes of the first half.
Te’o steps up but Maroons unfocused
PLAYING Origin I exactly two weeks after assault claims were made against him, Ben Te’o was solid but his teammates were clearly unfocused.
Flashback 1980… down went the Blues
THE first time Queensland won Origin was unforgettable. Enjoy this gripping Courier-Mail report of our 1980 victory.
Last chance to join Origin SuperCoach
IT’S state against state and you against your mates as we bring you Origin SuperCoach. TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO JOIN
Meninga’s news will smash the Blues
QUEENSLAND coach Mal Meninga confirms star five-eighth Johnathan Thurston will be a definite starter in tonight’s State of Origin series opener.
Nine pulls plug on Gould sermon
IT has become as much a part of Origin tradition as the softening up period, the war of words and the abuse thrown at the NSW halfback.
Origin better than sex. Except for NSW
STATE of Origin is like sex. Even when it’s bad it’s still pretty darn good.
STATE OF ROBBERY: Why the 7-0 streak is a fraud
THE scoreboard says 7-0 but if you return Greg Inglis’s tries to New South Wales, where they rightfully belong, it’s a totally different story.
Cam the spark set to ignite JT
FORMER Queensland fullback Gary Belcher says Cameron Smith will be the missing link to ignite Johnathan Thurston.
It’ll get heavy, go easy refs: Smith
MAROONS skipper Cameron Smith has urged referees to show leniency in the brutal opening exchanges of Origin I.
Meet Blocker the Psychic Cockroach
REMEMBER Paul the Octopus, who predicted the results of the 2010 FIFA World Cup? Now NSW has its own version ahead of Origin I.
State of robbery: 7-0 streak a fraud
THE scoreboard says 7-0 but if you return Greg Inglis’s tries to New South Wales, where they rightfully belong, it’s a totally different story.
‘Remarkable’ Cam is Maroons’ key
FORGET Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk or Greg Inglis. The man Blues coach Laurie Daley fears most is Queensland skipper Cameron Smith.
Slater doesn’t see Inglis as a threat
BILLY Slater knows what you’re thinking. That he must be feeling the heat.
Sam to shoulder the load
SAM Thaiday is ready to make his mark on State of Origin, revealing he is finally back to full strength after shoulder surgery.
Locky: How the Maroons will win
QUEENSLAND tonight launch their bid for an eighth consecutive State of Origin series win. Darren Lockyer outlines the eight steps to victory.
C’mon Blues fans, your state needs you
AS PLAYERS, we’ve been waiting almost 12 months for this day to arrive. Now we need every NSW Blues fan, like never before.
Robbie Farah’s fight to the top
THE soul of NSW’s Origin revival begins, like any good comeback story, in a homemade gym in a backyard.
Gal’s pain truly inspiring
THE seminal moment for Paul Gallen came with six minutes left in last year’s Origin decider, but the damage to his groin was done 10 minutes earlier.
Freddie’s access code to Blues room
IT is a whirlpool of emotions – from calmness to anxiety, excitement and then mayhem.
Blues ready to stop the rot
TONIGHT, before 82,000 fans at ANZ Stadium, NSW must start restoring this state’s rugby league pride.
NSW passion to give Maroons red faces
NSW Origin coach Laurie Daley wants the whole state cheering for the men in blue tonight just like his dad cheered for him.
Cherry-pick piles pressure on Maroons
SEVERAL Queenslanders will be playing for their Origin future after Mal Meninga unveiled plans to blood Daly Cherry-Evans this year.
Mobile Maroons dial up changes
BRONCOS veteran Corey Parker could be start in State of Origin I as the Maroons consider different combinations to combat a slippery surface.
Mal mind games: I fixed Fergo
MAL Meninga has claimed credit for Blake Ferguson’s turnaround and explained his attempted poaching of the Blues debutant was a joke.
Make or break for Mitch
LAURIE Daley was sitting in a restaurant in mid-February when he first offered up his views on why Mitchell Pearce deserved to keep his Origin job.
Why Blake has wing and a prayer
REX Sutherland may drive down to Sydney this morning but, then again, who knows. Maybe he’ll mow the grass instead.
No shadow on planet Cronk
IT was the moment that sealed a series – and Queensland halfback Cooper Cronk hasn’t spoken about it until now.
Smith ready for hooker battle
CAMERON Smith enjoyed less than 30 minutes in enemy territory before the question was put to him.
Gutsy Tate an inspiration
SPECIAL FEATURE: BRENT Tate’s gritty league career has seen him battle injury and heartache, and just keep on getting up for more.
Windy road to the top for McQueen
MOST of Kingaroy’s 7000 citizens have shared their own Chris McQueen story this week. Mick Dudgell is the most blunt.
Smith will spring JT back to form
FORMER Queensland fullback Gary Belcher believes Cameron Smith will be the missing link to ignite Johnathan Thurston back to top form.
Hodges considering rep retirement
JUSTIN Hodges is considering retiring from representative football at season’s end as a result of his his ongoing battle with injury.
Blues brave Sydney’s big wet
PAUL Gallen completed his first competitive training session in a month as the Blues braved horror weather in Sydney.
Origin star’s brush with death
FORMER State of Origin hooker Kerrod Walters, 45 and previously fighting fit, tells how he never saw his heart attack coming.
Smith reveals coaching ambition
AS he prepares to celebrate a decade as an Origin player, Cameron Smith has revealed coaching Queensland is a long-term aspiration.
Thurston flattened by virus
QUEENSLAND’S turbulent State of Origin build-up has continued with five-eighth Johnathan Thurston in doubt after failing to train because of a virus.
My Maroons are ready to go
TODAY is D-Day for the final make-up of the Queensland team for Wednesday night’s Origin opener in Sydney.
Happier days for The Fonz
QUEENSLAND workhorse Ashley Harrison is the type of footballer who will never go out of fashion.
Meninga puts onus on Taylor
MAL Meninga is losing patience with Dave Taylor, challenging the Titans hulk to use his Queensland snubbing as motivation to resurrect his career.
Best Blues I’ve faced: Meninga
MAROONS coach Mal Meninga isn’t missing Ricky Stuart, but he has warned that Laurie Daley can topple Queensland’s dynasty.
Freddy, dreams and a kid at heart
AS a kid running around Clemton Park in Sydney’s south-west, Josh Reynolds would pretend he was Blues superstar Brad Fittler.
Mal extends Boyd fitness deadline
IT is the image that provides the strongest indication yet that Darius Boyd will be fit for the Origin opener.
Loz the ultimate competitor
I MUST have played with Laurie Daley’s twin. I see this other Laurie Daley walking around Origin training, smiling through his orders.
Big Blue’s little Jay of sunshine
WATCH closely and you might see something special on Wednesday night. Keep an eye on NSW prop Andrew Fifita.
NRL flatly deny surface problems
THE NRL has dismissed concerns about the state of the ANZ Stadium playing surface after inspecting the ground and declaring it fit for Origin I.
Board of shame motivating Maroons
IT takes pride of place in Queensland’s inner-sanctum.
How Inglis nearly took off
IT is difficult to imagine how Queensland strike weapon Greg Inglis was once a man who had fallen out of love with rugby league.
Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/state-of-origin/page/158