Phil Rothfield: Where brilliant Blues rank among NSW’s great State of Origin teams

Last year it was all about the so-called “worst Queensland side in history”. How the tables have turned, writes PHIL ROTHFIELD.

Tom Trbojevic of the Blues (left) celebrates a try with James Tedesco, Josh Addo-Carr and Jarome Luai (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Last year the debate was around Queensland having the worst team in State of Origin history.

This year we should be discussing where this magnificent NSW outfit ranks alongside the very best Blues teams over 41 years.

Sure there is no Laurie Daley, Brad Fittler, Bradley Clyde, Ricky Stuart or Andrew Johns.

But there is Latrell Mitchell, James Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic and Nathan Cleary plus the most underrated pack of forwards.

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Wow, what a performance. A stunning 76 points to six in two games.

Gus Gould got so excited he even called Daniel Saifiti ‘Suaalii’ in his half-time summary.

This side has so much class, so much precision, so much brilliance and so much quality across the park.

Beautifully led by Freddy Fittler in that they are not over-coached or shackled.

They have structure but permission to be themselves and to play what’s in front of them. Nothing too technical.

Tom Trbojevic of the Blues (left) celebrates a try with James Tedesco, Josh Addo-Carr and Jarome Luai (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Would they be good enough to beat the great Queensland sides that won eight straight?

Who is to say they couldn’t. Not from what we have seen in the opening two games of this series.

This Queensland team is not hopeless but they are not in the same ballpark.

With NSW it’s not just the attacking skill of Trbojevic and Mitchell.

You saw Turbo’s defence when he desperately stopped Xavier Coates, playing on his wrong wing, from touching down in the second-half.

You saw Latrell drive Valentine Holmes back into his in-goal area in the first half. These were enormous Origin plays.

Latrell in this series has gone from a great player to a champion.

And I still say he is a better centre than fullback, with a fresher body from not covering as much territory out the back.

Latrell Mitchell (left) celebrates his try with Brian To'o (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

So where to now for the Maroons?

They started stronger in the opening exchanges but by the end the class difference was so obvious.

There will no doubt be debate about Paul Green’s future, although no coach could have stopped this magnificent Blues outfit.

Even Joey Johns said the Blues’ back five had more strike power than any other Blues team in history.

And he’s probably right.

Stacks on Latrell Mitchell after his try (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Still, should the Maroons bring back Wayne Bennett next year, knowing he’s finishing up at the Rabbitohs and returning home to Queensland, most likely to set up a new franchise in Brisbane?

He’ll have the time.

Or can they hang on a couple of years and wait for the likes of Sam Walker and Reece Walsh to come through.

It was certainly a tough night for Queenslanders.

Not even an ex-premier could escape quarantine in the Sunshine State.

Independent commissioner Peter Beattie had to watch the game from a hotel room at the Sofitel in Brisbane instead of entertaining stakeholders from a corporate suite at the venue.

“NSW are killing us,” he texted me during the game, “I’m better off in lockdown.”

Originally published as Phil Rothfield: Where brilliant Blues rank among NSW’s great State of Origin teams