NSW were hammered 8-0 in a first-half Origin penalty blitz. Here’s why it won’t happen again
Laurie Daley met with referees boss Jared Maxwell on Thursday to get an understanding of what NSW can do to avoid a repeat of the first-half penalty blitz that cruelled their chances of victory in Origin II in Perth.
The Blues were hammered 8-0 in the penalty count in the opening half at Optus Stadium, and Daley wanted clarity as to what Ashley Klein’s expectations would be for the decider on July 9.
Queensland coach Billy Slater reached out to Maxwell after Origin I and asked why the Maroons had been on the wrong end of a 9-6 penalty count. The final penalty count in Origin II was 10-2 in Queensland’s favour.
Daley hinted after game one at Suncorp Stadium that Queensland had been good at slowing down the ruck, and if that was going to be the new standard, the Blues needed to react more quickly in trying to do the same.
But they were then pinged several times in game two for laying on the Queenslanders.
Daley did well to bite his tongue when asked about the penalty blitz straight after the 26-24 loss in Western Australia.
Blues skipper Issah Yeo speaks with Ashley Klein in Perth following Origin II.Credit: Getty Images
“I can’t tell you what I honestly think, so I won’t say anything,” he said.
Daley was giving nothing away about his meeting with Maxwell. However, sources with knowledge of the situation not authorised to speak publicly confirmed Daley had asked for greater consistency, and expressed his surprise several offside and ruck penalties did not go against Queensland.
There was one passage of play in the second half when the Blues were camped on the Maroons line and Cameron Munster was offside at marker, which forced NSW hooker Connor Watson to keep going to the short side, only for the attacking play to break down when the ball spilled into touch.
Daley and Slater were given the option of meeting the NRL and Maxwell before the series started, but both declined.
Slater wasted no time compiling his own list of grievances after the Maroons’ defeat in game one. Now Daley has done likewise.
Klein is expected to keep the top job for the decider at Accor Stadium, while Grant Atkins impressed again in Thursday’s Panthers-Bulldogs epic, suggesting his chance to officiate an Origin game is not far away.
Daley will pick his side for the decider on Sunday night. Jarome Luai is expected to overcome the infection that forced him out of Wests Tigers’ 28-10 loss to Manly on Friday night. Tigers coach Benji Marshall said Luai could have played had the game been “another 24 or 48 hours later”.
South Sydney forward Keaon Koloamatangi is making a strong case to unseat props Max King or Stefano Utoikamanu, and has the advantage of also being able to play on the edge.
Cameron Munster and Harry Grant celebrate victory in Origin II in Perth.Credit: Getty Images
Matt Burton remains in the box seat to retain 18th-man duties, which will mean he is missing for club duty again when Canterbury host Brisbane on Thursday night.
Another two players Daley wanted to see perform this weekend were Tom Trbojevic in the centres for Manly and South Sydney’s Campbell Graham.
Winger Brian To’o underwent scans for a knee injury on Saturday, but Penrith medical staff are hoping he will be fit for game three. Canterbury’s Jacob Kiraz would be on standby.
Twelve of the 18 players on the Blues’ final team list at Optus Stadium had already completed their club commitments or enjoyed the bye by late Friday.
Only hooker Reece Robson, and Melbourne’s Utoikamanu, will play on Sunday, compared to nine Maroons who will feature in the two games to close out the round.
The Maroons are expected to call-up Reece Walsh to fullback after Kalyn Ponga broke down with a foot injury for the Knights. Scans confirmed the Queensland superstar has suffered a lisfranc injury. Ponga is set for a lengthy stint out.
One thing that would have pleased Daley was the performance of Penrith’s NSW quintet. Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, Brian To’o, Dylan Edwards and Liam Martin were all standouts in Thursday’s win over the Bulldogs.
Cleary scored the charge-down try, Edwards and To’o combined for 50 hit-ups and Martin hounded the Dogs’ back three all game.
“Nathan came up with the big play, and Dyl, ‘Bizz’ [To’o] and Marto, they were in everything,” Yeo said. “The tougher the game is, the better Bizz goes. He came off a limited prep in game two – he was our best in that game, and he was just about our best on Thursday night.
“If you said at the start of the series that you’d get a decider at home, I reckon you’d take that.”
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