Michael Maguire has moved to explain why NSW skipper Jake Trbojevic was restricted to playing just 29 minutes in Wednesday night’s State of Origin opener.
Maguire came in for criticism over his use of the Manly workhorse in the Blues’ 38-10 defeat, while questions have been asked over whether Maguire should persevere with Trbojevic for the must-win game two at the MCG on June 26.
Darryl Brohman was one of many commentators confused by Trbojevic’s limited minutes, telling 2GB’s Continuous Call team on Wednesday: “He’s the captain, he’s the leader, he’s the one ... when you’re in dire straits like they were, he’s the one you look up to. [Maguire] takes him off after 25 minutes and puts him on with four minutes to go? What’s going on there?
“The question now is whether he can possibly even be in the team next time, or whether he’s captain. If he’s going to be captain, give him some time on the field.”
Maguire explained that after Joseph Suaalii was sent off in the seventh minute, he was forced to use just two middle forwards rather than three.
Haumole Olakau’atu and Cam McInnes spent time in the middle and back row, Hudson Young and Angus Crichton shuffled between the centres, while Spencer Leniu and Payne Haas played big minutes because of their potency in attack.
NSW captain Jake Trbojevic played just 29 minutes on Wednesday night.Credit: Getty Images
A head injury assessment for Leniu early in the second half also disrupted the bench rotation.
Trbojevic, who can only play in the middle, was meant to return for the final 20 minutes, but Maguire and his team were unable to inject him back into the action until there were only four minutes remaining.
Maguire would not guarantee any player their spot for game two, but Blues sources not authorised to speak publicly confirmed to this masthead Trbojevic would skipper the side again.
As for how Trbojevic was used – or not used – at Accor Stadium, Maguire told this masthead: “The original plan for Jake was to go back on with 20 to go and get us home. We needed to keep plugging our edges. There’s nothing else to it. Apparently, there has been a pile-on with Jake.
Jake Trbojevic looks on from the bench during Origin I.Credit: Getty
“Hudson Young had to play a different role, Angus Crichton had to play a different role. Jake plugs up the middle defensively, which then gives you better field position, but at the time we needed to go after points. With Jake, he just needs to play good footy. I told all the players to go back and play good footy for your clubs. That’s why I picked them all in the first place.”
Manly stand to be the biggest beneficiaries of Trbojevic’s limited game time. The Sea Eagles’ Origin trio of Trbojevic, Daly Cherry-Evans and Olakau’atu will back up against premiers Penrith on Sunday.
Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold did not want to comment on Trbojevic’s game time for the Blues, and said: “Having four days between Origin and a Sunday game has been good, and last year we didn’t get that luxury. We’ve only seen the boys for the first time this morning [Saturday], they had a few days off.
“It would be selfish of us to think the three of them need to come back from Origin and lead us – we’ve prepared so Reuben Garrick, Josh Aloiai and Luke Brooks, there’s an opportunity for those three guys in particular to step up and lead.”
Penrith’s own Origin contingent of Isaah Yeo, Jarome Luai and Brian To’o are expected to play, but Liam Martin is out after suffering a foot injury on Wednesday night.
Coach Ivan Cleary backed Martin and Dylan Edwards, a late withdrawal from Origin I because of a quad strain, to be available for NSW come game two.
“It’s nothing too long-term [for Martin] I don’t think, he was just a bit sore coming out of the other night. He should be fine [for Origin II],” Cleary said on Saturday. “Dyl has had a couple of runs since it happened and, again, it’s not a serious injury but the timing wasn’t great.
“In terms of risk factor, the Blues they probably had to make that call but Dyl will definitely be fit for game two and he’ll be right to go for us next week.”
Meanwhile, winger Zac Lomax was not charged by the NRL’s match review committee for collecting Wests Tigers’ winger Solomon Alaimalo, despite being placed on report during St George Illawarra’s 56-14 win on Friday night.
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