State of Origin: NSW Blues must moderate aggression against Maroons

If the Blues win tonight then NSW captain Jake Trbojevic will be granted the rarest of Origin honours – but for that to happen he needs his team to tune out the pundits.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 15: Jake Trbojevic is seen during a New South Wales State of Origin team training session at Ballymore Stadium on July 15, 2024 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

NSW went for a team dinner on an unusually quiet Caxton Street on Tuesday night but fears of old-fashioned State Origin fireworks only 24 hours later have prompted Blues captain Jake Trbojevic to warn his side that they cannot afford to go down to 12 men again with the series on the line.

Trbojevic, a surprising choice as skipper before the series began, stands on the cusp of history heading to Suncorp Stadium – only two previous NSW captains have led their side to a series win with victory at The Cauldron.

It promises to be another emotional night with a sold-out crowd baying for Blues blood and Trbojevic can think of nothing more satisfying than lifting the Origin shield and silencing a sea of maroon.

“Be nice wouldn’t it, really nice,” Trbojevic said.

NSW skipper Jake Trbojevic. Picture: Getty Images

“Obviously pretty vocal up here every time I’ve played. It’s been pretty, pretty intense. But I think it’s a great opportunity for us the way it’s all worked out.

“I actually won my debut here. It was the only one. It would be great to silence the crowd because it means you are on top. It would be really nice.”

Keeping 13 men on the field will be a key – the Blues were reduced to 12 when Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i was sent off in the opening game of the series and they suffered defeat as a result.

With a full contingent in Origin II, they bounced back to level the series in an emphatic way, toying with Queensland in Melbourne.

It wasn’t just the size of the win that stung in Queensland, but also the way it happened. The Maroons were bullied into submission.

They had no answer to the aggression of NSW and there has been changes as a result, the most notable the return of Dane Gagai in the centres given his penchant for getting in the face and occasionally under the skin of his opponents.

Dane Gagai (R) has been brought into the Maroons side to add some aggression to the team. Source Fox League

There have also been suggestions that Dolphins enforcer Felise Kaufusi – a man known for occasionally sailing close to the wind – could be promoted to the starting side in a bid to combat the raw aggression of Blues back rowers and bully boys Angus Crichton and Liam Martin.

Notably, the Blues head to Suncorp for the decider amid warnings that the game could explode given the fallout from the MCG and the embarrassment suffered by their opponents.

Legendary NSW coach Phil Gould claimed on Nine on Monday night that the game was a tinderbox and the Blues needed to adopt a kill-or-be-killed mentality.

Meanwhile, Maroons legend Gorden Tallis has used his regular appearances on NRL360 to remind Queensland that they can’t afford to be pushed around like they were in Melbourne.

It is set up for an explosive opening 20 minutes and Trbojevic has reminded his side of the need to control their emotions and stay disciplined.

“It is definitely a priority to have 13 men on,” Trbojevic said.

”So I think it’s just about being physical, but you have to do it in a rugby league sense.

“Just go after them defensively, keep them in their own end and try to win field position.

“But you definitely don’t want to be down to 12 men. That doesn’t work for us. It doesn’t work for anyone.”

If they can do that, then Trbojevic has every chance to lift the shield at fulltime. It is a moment he has pictured in his head, albeit only briefly before shaking himself back into reality.

“It’d be pretty surreal,” he said.

“It would be like sort of pinch yourself. It doesn’t really feel real, to be honest, you know?

“But obviously I don’t get too far ahead of myself because there is a lot of hard work to be done.”

Originally published as State of Origin: NSW Blues must moderate aggression against Maroons