Maloney the man, Tedesco still No.1 — five things we learned

A familiar face returned to haunt the Maroons and they’ll need to better deal with him if they’re to bounce back in the State of Origin decider — five things we learned from Game Two.

A familiar face returned to haunt the Maroons and they’ll need to better deal with him if they’re to bounce back in the State of Origin decider.

Here’s five things we learned from Game Two.

DISCIPLINE HURTS MAROONS

Origin has always been the toughest arena but Sunday night saw an equally tough crackdown from the refereeing department.

Off-the-ball and late tackle indiscretions were slammed and whether or not you agreed with Gerard Sutton and Ashley Klein, the calls were consistently in favour of protecting players.

Jack Wighton’s check on Will Chambers led to an incredible penalty try and late hits from Felise Kaufusi and Jarrod Wallace that would’ve gone unnoticed in past years were pulled up.

Discipline across the park and particularly in defence proved costly for Queensland.

The Maroons found themselves on the wrong end of six straight penalties at one stage, though the count evened near full-time, and coach Kevin Walters will need to address this if they’re to replicate their tidy effort in Game I (three penalties).

Queensland’s poor discipline was costly in Origin II. Picture: Getty Images

PACK PROBLEMS ON DISPLAY

Jai Arrow’s importance to the Maroons can’t be overstated and his absence was hugely felt in Perth.

Queensland’s Mr Consistent was outstanding in his 46-minute stint in Game 1, racking up 104 metres along with 31 tackles and four tackle busts.

It’s both a compliment to him and a blight on Sunday’s pack that those figures would’ve easily topped any of Queensland’s forwards on Sunday night.

Kaufusi (102m) was the only member of Queensland’s pack to top 100m with three ball-running forwards (David Fifita, Matt Gillet and Dylan Napa) clocking in under 50m.

Kaufusi, Josh McGuire and Corey Oates stuck their hands up with plenty of carries on a tough night but someone desperately needs to take ownership and run the ball with venom, otherwise we’ll be singing the blues in Sydney next month.

Dylan Napa and the Maroons forwards had a tough night. Picture: Getty Images

TEDDY STILL ON TOP

People calling for Kalyn Ponga’s elevation to the Kangaroos starting side would be eating humble pie after James Tedesco’s Game II masterclass.

While Tom Trbojevic’s hat-trick and Josh Addo-Carr’s match-sealing brace will be forever on record, Teddy’s dynamism up the middle showed there’s still daylight between him and Ponga at the elite level.

The Blues fullback was at his hot-stepping best in Perth, twice busting the line and offloading to Tommy Turbo in a sublime first half before putting on the afterburners late in the game.

Teddy finished with 209 run metres, one line-break, two line-break assists and two try assists along with valuable metres scampering from dummy half.

Yes, Ponga didn’t have a dominant pack to work off on Sunday and yes, Ponga is the best fullback in the world on his day.

But if he wants that green and gold No.1 jersey, he needs to consistently deliver and run those clutch support lines as Teddy does so well.

James Tedesco played a starring role as the Blues belted the Maroons. Picture: Brett Costello

TIME FOR TACTICAL RETHINK

Did too much swagger come back to bite Kevvie?

The Queensland coach has been at the front and centre of media scrutiny since “banning the Blues”, hiring a coach-whisperer and proclaiming he’ll smash “the other team”

To his credit, all seemed well after a four-point Game One win on home soil but Walters’ bold declarations in the lead-up to Game II didn’t work as well as he’d like.

Rating his side’s Game I performance as a “five or six out of 10” and suggesting his side would unleash hell in Perth fizzled from the very kick-off and his post-match take was one of surprise and barely-contained fury.

Walters said: “Origin is won on attitude and effort and we didn’t match them in any area tonight. I am surprised and disappointed.”

Wonder what the coach whisperer thinks?

If he’s worth his money, we wouldn’t be surprised to see tactics change and the Maroons coach keep his chatter down ahead of Game III.

MALONEY THE MAN FOR BLUES

And on a final note to James Maloney, Queensland hasn’t missed you at all.

The Penrith star was at the heart and soul of NSW’s win and proved his big-game value with a measured performance in the driving rain.

Boyd Cordner’s got the armband but Maloney was undoubtedly in charge out there and stepped up even more when Nathan Cleary failed to return after half-time.

He relished the chat, got in Queensland’s face and bounced back from everything the Maroons pack threw at him.

James Maloney was superb as he steered the Blues to victory. Picture: AAP

Jarrod Wallace was put on report just trying to lay him out but nothing could stick and the little general kept on yapping and steering the ship.

“He is just a winner, he just finds a way to win,” Fittler said of Maloney.

“He steered us around and I didn’t have to talk at half-time because he was talking so that is good.”

There’s no doubt he’s made for Origin and Queensland needs to shut him down (and up) if they’re to clinch the decider in Sydney.

Originally published as Maloney the man, Tedesco still No.1 — five things we learned