State of Origin 2020: Wayne Bennett compares Cameron Munster to Alfie Langer

He may have missed Origin II but Cameron Munster saved the best for last, locking himself in as one of Queenslands greatest ever five-eighths.

Cameron Munster won the Wally Lewis Medal. Picture: Getty Images

Wayne Bennett has compared Cameron Munster to Queensland legend Allan Langer as the Maroons’ new No. 6 magician declared he wanted to kickstart his own Origin dynasty.

Munster was awarded the Wally Lewis Medal as State of Origin’s player of the series after guiding Queensland to a remarkable victory in Wednesday night’s decider against the Blues at Suncorp Stadium.

Munster joined the likes of Lewis, Darren Lockyer and Johnathan Thurston as Queensland’s greatest ever five-eighths with his sensational performance to deliver the Maroons their first series win since 2017.

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Wayne Bennett presented Cameron Munster with the Wally Lewis Medal. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Munster debuted in the 2017 decider, featuring at five-eighth in an all-Melbourne spine consisting of Queensland legends Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk, who played a key role in the Maroons’ decade of dominance.

The “Big Three” have since retired and Munster was intent on proving he could lead Queensland to victory without the influence of some of the NRL’s greatest ever players.

“I made my debut in 2017 and won a decider, but I felt I really didn’t contribute because I didn’t play in the first two games,” Munster said.

“To win a series with a great bunch of blokes is something I will never forget.

“I can’t sit on my morals and only worry about one year. The boys set a dynasty for so many years, those big three.

Munster riding into Byron Bay. 😂🍻 #9WWOS #Origin pic.twitter.com/qV2O6AoMuZ

— NRL on Nine (@NRLonNine) November 18, 2020

“There were always question marks over whether I was up for big games and big moments, especially with the big three leaving.

“I can’t wait to see what (Smith, possibly retiring from NRL) wants to do next year and try to make a mark on my own and prove everyone wrong and show I can really perform on the big stage.”

Munster doesn‘t need to prove anything after his Game Three heroics.

After only lasting two minutes in Game Two before suffering a concussion, he was sublime in an amazing first half performance that helped Queensland take a 12-6 lead into the break.

Cameron Munster was everywhere for Queensland. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

In one remarkable play, Munster kicked the ball three times in 17 seconds to orchestrate a try for winger Edrick Lee when little was happening.

It was the type of instinctual play that former Queensland halfback Langer was famous for and coach Bennett said there were similarities between Munster and “Alfie”.

“We achieved something similar in 2001 when we brought Alf back for that third game,” Bennett said.

“The key for us was getting Munster back on the field. We didn’t have to bring him back from England, we just had to make sure his head was okay.

“He is different to a lot of the guys I’ve coached at five-eighth.

“He is just a footballer, he knows the game and has a great instinct for it. He makes things happen when nothing is happening because he’s not thinking too much about it.

“He has got a lot of Allan Langer type characteristics about him. He can make it happen. He doesn’t need a plan to play to, he just backs his instinct.”

Cameron Munster wants to lead Queensland to many more Origin wins. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

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State of Origin 2020: Wayne Bennett compares Cameron Munster to Alfie Langer

At 26, Munster still has plenty of time left in the Origin arena.

On the back of winning this year’s NRL premiership with Melbourne, he now has 10 Origin appearances next to his name and will be a crucial figure for Queensland in the coming years.

Munster said his performance in the decider came on the back of some friendly jibes from Langer in Camp Maroon and confidence instilled by Bennett.

“We had a piss-up after the game last week and Alf started calling me ‘Maggi two-minute noodles’ because I was only out there for two minutes,” he said.

“We put up a photo of the last time we won the series, which was 2017, and Wayne gave us an ultimatum. He said ‘do you want to be those blokes on the photo there or do you want to be the guys that sit around and wish?’.

“We made sure we went out there and were aggressive and we showed that in patches of the game.

“Wayne instils a lot of confidence in me. When I run the ball a lot of things tend to happen around me. The main reason I ran the ball was because Wayne gave me that confidence. My outside men gave me that confidence.

“It’s a big honour (to win the Wally Lewis Medal). I was really shocked. I only played two games and wasn’t expecting it.

“I don’t play for those accolades. I love playing footy and want to make sure our state’s proud. Whatever jersey I put on I want to make my family proud.

“I want to be consistent and I felt this was one of the best years I’ve had.”

Originally published as State of Origin 2020: Wayne Bennett compares Cameron Munster to Alfie Langer