- Joined
- Mar 25, 2003
- Posts
- 35,681
- Reaction score
- 28,351
Wow, what a performance.
All credit must go to Queensland for bouncing back from origin One. Despite being a one-point win it was probably the most convincing one point win i've seen in a while. On any other night it could've been a comfortable two or three try win. But that in itself is a testament to the courage under fire attitude of this Queensland side that they didn't allow that to happen and kept themselves in the game.
But moving on to Origin II and wow, they just dominated. Dominated the way NSW did for the first 30 minutes of Origin I, except for the entire 80 minutes.
The entire forward pack went forward. Thurston and Hunt created, and Mogg finished. Nothing NSW could've done. I thought Lockyer was lucky to get MOM as his game was probably solid but not much more - did some very good kicks but not much running or passing. Thurston for mine, or Civoneciva should've been MOM.
They'll be full of confidence and hard to stop at Melbourne.
As for NSW, well Anasta must be gone. I thought he was pretty average (solid at best) in origin I and that was probably masked by the fact we were dominant and won the game. Finch showed he's still an inconsistent footballer, and the difference between his best and worst is far too great for this level. This was part of the problem Thurston had to begin in SOO but he found his feet quickly, and he's much younger than Finch. Finch should be well and truly over this inconsistent form at his age, but has shown tonight he's still not a mature footballer.
Aside from Finch and Anasta, none of the Blues actually played poorly. The forwards only played as well as they were allowed to by the rampaging Queensland forwards. Probably only Willie Mason had any sort effect for the Blues, and even that was minimal. O'Meley had no effect whatsoever as our go to hit up man, Buderus was quiet, Menzies made some uncharacteristic mistakes.... really didn't even notice the rest which is the problem. Queensland forwards came out rampaging, and our guys had too match them, and none of them could, and most of them didn't even try to match them. For all of Menzies mistakes tonight (I don't think i've ever said, read, or written that line about him causes he's been such a consistent footballer), at least he was in the thick of things trying to create something, unlike a couple of the other forwards.
The backs - Grothe and King made a couple of good breaks when they got the chance but that was it. You can't blame your outside backs for a game like that though. When your forwards get dominated, and your halves play so poorly, then your outside backs can't do anything.
Full credit must go to Queensland. As i said aside from the numbers 6 and 7, the rest of the NSW team didn't actually play badly. The Queenslanders just went to another level.
Bring on Melbourne.
All credit must go to Queensland for bouncing back from origin One. Despite being a one-point win it was probably the most convincing one point win i've seen in a while. On any other night it could've been a comfortable two or three try win. But that in itself is a testament to the courage under fire attitude of this Queensland side that they didn't allow that to happen and kept themselves in the game.
But moving on to Origin II and wow, they just dominated. Dominated the way NSW did for the first 30 minutes of Origin I, except for the entire 80 minutes.
The entire forward pack went forward. Thurston and Hunt created, and Mogg finished. Nothing NSW could've done. I thought Lockyer was lucky to get MOM as his game was probably solid but not much more - did some very good kicks but not much running or passing. Thurston for mine, or Civoneciva should've been MOM.
They'll be full of confidence and hard to stop at Melbourne.
As for NSW, well Anasta must be gone. I thought he was pretty average (solid at best) in origin I and that was probably masked by the fact we were dominant and won the game. Finch showed he's still an inconsistent footballer, and the difference between his best and worst is far too great for this level. This was part of the problem Thurston had to begin in SOO but he found his feet quickly, and he's much younger than Finch. Finch should be well and truly over this inconsistent form at his age, but has shown tonight he's still not a mature footballer.
Aside from Finch and Anasta, none of the Blues actually played poorly. The forwards only played as well as they were allowed to by the rampaging Queensland forwards. Probably only Willie Mason had any sort effect for the Blues, and even that was minimal. O'Meley had no effect whatsoever as our go to hit up man, Buderus was quiet, Menzies made some uncharacteristic mistakes.... really didn't even notice the rest which is the problem. Queensland forwards came out rampaging, and our guys had too match them, and none of them could, and most of them didn't even try to match them. For all of Menzies mistakes tonight (I don't think i've ever said, read, or written that line about him causes he's been such a consistent footballer), at least he was in the thick of things trying to create something, unlike a couple of the other forwards.
The backs - Grothe and King made a couple of good breaks when they got the chance but that was it. You can't blame your outside backs for a game like that though. When your forwards get dominated, and your halves play so poorly, then your outside backs can't do anything.
Full credit must go to Queensland. As i said aside from the numbers 6 and 7, the rest of the NSW team didn't actually play badly. The Queenslanders just went to another level.
Bring on Melbourne.
