State of Origin 2018: Maroons get jump on Blues as NRL referees fly into camp for opposed session
MAROONS coach Kevin Walters has urged State of Origin I referees Gerard Sutton and Ashley Klein to avoid spoiling the spectacle.
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QUEENSLAND coach Kevin Walters has urged NRL hierarchy to “let the game flow” amid fears the code’s penalty crackdown this season could ruin the opening State of Origin clash on Wednesday night.
The Maroons ramped-up the Origin mind games on Sunday, summoning the help of two NRL referees to give them a disciplinary edge over NSW.
For the first time in Origin’s 38-year history, NRL whistleblowers flew into Camp Maroon as Queensland look to minimise the penalty count that have blighted NRL games this season.
While Walters has warned his players not to lose Game One through acts of ill-discipline, the Maroons mentor urged Origin I referees Gerard Sutton and Ashley Klein to avoid spoiling the spectacle.
“People want to see the game flow,” Walters said.
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“That’s what the fans want.
“I’m hoping both teams have discipline and allow the referees to adjudicate in a way that lets the game flow.
“I’ve had a meeting with the referees and so has Brad Fittler (NSW coach).
“I also understand it’s important we show some discipline ourselves. If we do that, we eliminate what the referees can do to us and NSW.
“We need to be disciplined and if we’re not, I’ll expect us to get penalised, likewise for NSW.”
Last year’s Origin series saw just 25 penalties in the three games, including only six in the Suncorp series opener.
Some NRL games this season have been marred by more than 30 penalties as officials target offside and ruck infringements, but Maroons forward Gavin Cooper hopes different standards apply to the code’s showpiece event.
“Hopefully, it’s not a stop-start affair like NRL is at the moment,” he said.
“It (refereeing) always changes around Origin time, but this time around, it may not change.
“Origin does step up a level in speed. The intensity is a lot higher. I don’t want to make it about the refs but it would be a shame if it did become a stop-start affair like (NRL) footy is at the moment.”
The Maroons held a physical, opposed session on Sunday against a fired-up Queensland under-18s side, under the control of leading NRL referee Alan Shortall who is a veteran of 229 NRL games.
He was joined by NRL refereeing rookie Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski in a move that is sure to raise the eyebrows of rival coach Fittler.
Shortall penalised the Maroons early in the session for a play-the-ball infringement.
Before the session, Walters spoke to the referees about his concerns over NSW “crowding” the ruck in Origin I.
Maroons halfback Ben Hunt said the presence of the referees was “really good”.
“Whenever you can get them into training and pick up on the things you aren’t doing right at training, it helps you going into the game,” Hunt said.
“The refs pulled us up on a few things.”