By Scott Woodward of www.ChampionProfits.com
I cannot believe how many people are saying that NSW should have won last night against Queensland. Let there be no doubt that the best team won.
There is very little between the two teams, but when it has to, the cream generally rises to the top in great rugby league games, and Origin III, 2012 was one of the best sporting physical encounters I have witnessed.
The most important aspect of a game that I analyse when I do my ratings is to look at the key spine of a team and that was the difference between the Blues and the Maroons last night.
Jonathan Thurston yet again underlined why he is the greatest player since Andrew Johns, while Greg Inglis and Cam Smith found near their best rating when it counted. Cooper Cronk was classy enough to kick the winning 40 metre field goal and his organisation was superb, but I still rate Daly Cherry-Evans a better number 7. Cronks tactical kicks and runs in general play were poor, but his relationship with Smith and Slater should ensure he will back up next year.
I thought the inclusion of Corey Parker for Harrison was a bonus for the Maroons and he did not let anyone down with a wonderful work ethic and brilliant pass to Thurston to score a try. Lets not forget that the Maroons clinched their 7th straight series win without Billy Slater.
I have been very critical of Blues coach Ricky Stuart who always gets every rails run with the media, but overall I thought he finally got the selections right. I rate him a poor NRL coach, but managing an Origin team suits him, providing he can seek and listen to selection advice from people who understand the game and watch all the games.
Whoever coaches the Blues next year will have the same problem of trying to find a halfback.
I have been saying now for two years that Mitchell Pearce is an outstanding club player, but he simply is not good enough to carry such a crucial position as halfback at the top level. The problem is that NSW do not have anyone who is better and I include the Broncos number 7 Peter Wallace. Todd Carney is not Thurston but he will hang on to the 6 shirt and I would expect that Josh Dugan will be the new fullback next year, although I have a high regard for Brett Stewart who was solid during the series, but maybe solid is not good enough when you have to take on Slater.
Scott Woodward
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
I grew up playing league but what is dished out these days is not the game i played. Change the rule to a drop ball rule as this is all referees do. There is no way that Qld forward Scott knocked on last night. There are a million other examples of when the ball is dropped backwards that the refs rule a knock on. When i played league if you ran behind a player then it was a shepherd. It might as well be American football where the running back just runs behind his offensive line and then looks for a gap. Disgraceful decision that is justified by this new regime who don’t know the rules. The game is a joke now and really boring to watch 5 dummy half runs followed by a kick. Boring!!! With all the gambling now and no stewards in place league is just too dodgy and referees can influence results too much either intentionally or just through incompetence. League treats its audience like fools and only mugs would bet on it so that those in the know can profit.
John
Wow! You are hard to please mate…….if you did not enjoy that game last night then you have a problem. Both teams got some bad call but the best team won. I dont think I have many better sporting events and the TV audience agree with me.
Rarely agree with the doctrinaire end of Scott’s footy analysis but have to go most of the way with him on this.
Queensland are simply a better side where it counts and that showed again last night – Smith and Thurston particularly, just too good. I give Cronk more credit, overall, than the author and agree that Inglis was a handful at the back though, at this stage, he doesn’t offer the options Slater delivers.
Corey Parker, and his skill, were an absolute bonus for Queensland and why they haven’t been more regularly utilised is something of a mystery.
Think Stuart is seriously over-hyped and the term ‘rails run’ is an understatement. He has bought into the concept that the game is now all about athleticism and grunt and keeps getting undone by skill. Remember when he wouldn’t pick Hayne because he was a five eighth rather than a fullback? Then, a few days later, he got blown off the park by Slater’s ball skills and reading of the game, from fullback.
Seriously, I thought Queensland were down on form over the first two games, that, in fact, they were well-shaded in the forwards and that they were able to go to Brisbane one-one was an indictment on NSW’s attacking ability.
Stuart has changed a little in this series but, for half a decade or more, it has appeared to me that NSW’s strategy has been to try and stick with their opponents on the basis that they might get a lucky bounce in the 79th minute. It’s not good enough and, that said, I do accept that nearly all the quality playmakers are made in Queensland. But, when you are pretty much bereft in that department and have access to footballers the quality of Feleti Mateo you have to find a way to harness those skills into your game. Not easy, maybe, but surely that is the mark of a quality coach?
Also disagree about the quality of the game. It was good, no doubt, and it was intense but that’s about it.
Frankly, I think Origin is over-hyped and the three-week spread between games is far too long. The contrived sniping between News Ltd’s Sydney and Brisbane papers just about sums it up in the authenticity stakes.
On the positive side, though, have to dip the lid to Smith and Cronk for their after-match interviews and thought the way Smith highlighted Petro Civoniceva’s career was high class.
Jim
Thanks for the back handed compliment.
If you want to underline how strong Qland are some players who did not play last night for the Maroons would likely make the Blues team:
Dally Cherry-Evans
Josh McGuire
Dave Taylor
Ben Barba
The game was a mixture of gridiron and union and not a good advertisement for RL. Compare it with the Canterbury v Storm or Souths or Auckland games this season and it was a non event . I have been an avid RL
fan for 66 years and the superficial hype of SOO and the $$$ will become a big problem for the game. I regard Ben Barba as the best ever (Churchill included) and have nightmares when a Canterbury player is selected for SOO. The Giltinan shield is the most important sporting event on my calender. I am a member of Canterbury RLFC and love the way they play the game. If we do not limit the need for referees the game will go into freefall without the help of the ARLC. Queensland teams have made an art form of the shepard and get away with it.
Best Regards
John Egan
John,
Thanks for your comments. You sound like my dad and I assume you also dislike ODI in cricket and T20 like him.
Jim, Ben Barba would have been the fullback for QLand last night if it was not a sudden death game. It would have been too risky playing him first up at Suncorp with no combinations with any of the players. They made the right call as Inglis used to play with Cronk and Smith at the Storm and they know each other well. Barba should be on the bench next year, he is a beauty no doubt.
Lets give the Maroons some credit, they were great last night.
John Egan or perhapsEgo,is just typical of some NSW supporters who only has one eye open almost comparable to the ch 9 TvV commentators.
When are we going to get get UNBIASED commentary during the on TV for a change.
Great commentary maybe u dont like the factss
ginger
Phil Gould had another shocker and dont understand how he keeps getting on. The show on b4 the game was 100% full of NSW guys. I am from Sydney and it was very unbalanced.
Scott, how can we do something about the lying over the player once tackled, the game is so laborious watching 5 play the balls each tackle seemingly taking “hours” to complete and then we get a run of one out because the defence is already well set. The game / series may have being good but it is so boring watching league nowadays.
Boofhead
If you call it boring then I shudder to think what you must think of Rugby Union.
I found the speed of the game amazing.
Hi Scott
I agree QLD have a great spine however in the past they have still been able to win close games with out that luxury and a lesser team on paper which is what NSW have to find.
I know its been 7 long years for NSW (wait til you havnt won a world cup in 24 years) however the frustration they have carried through this years series has cost them. It started in Game 1 and carried on right through to the 77th minute of the decider when Robbie dropped the ball in his attempt to multitask by having a go at the ref and playing the ball at the same time.
Take a leaf out of your Australian captains book. Locky and now Cam both wore kids gloves when dealing with refs, they never show frustration when the opposition score and infact can been seen under the post discussing exactly how they will come back. Its that level headedness and calm that is the biggest difference of both teams.
On the side……
To be a Queenslander you might not be an Australian. Ask my mate Graeme Lowe!!!
What makes this state great is the way they treat their Immigrants and indiginous people with respect. For example the captains of the 3 QLD NRL teams are indigenous and have huge respect from their respective administration and fans, look at how we treated Petro, Brad Thorn, Tunza, Lam, Genia, Qaude, Digby, Karmichael, Tiqiri, we in return pay back by working hard and supporting this great state.
This is not a comparison with NSW Im just praising what I like about QLD.
Queenslander Kiwi
Khy
With respect all this stuff about mate ship and loving your state is crap. Ricky Stuart has been singing the praises about how he has his team so close. At the end of the day that is not wins you games, it is player talent and the right game plan.
Qld have been blessed with a wonderful spine but the REAL difference is they have Thurston and NSW cant come close to anyone like him.
I agree JT is a great player and has had a major influence.
However you can beat a champion side that has Thurston in it, and Locky, Cam, Billy, Gall, Gidley, Hunt, Folau, GI, Pricey.
Ill just get Benji to give Sticky a call to tell him how. Although he should know already as he was the Australian Coach at the 2008 WC.
I can tell you now Benji and Bennetts game plan wasnt to take out JT and we should win!
Even though Australia had better player talent and a good game plan they still lost the world cup to a kiwi side that had no where near the player talent or the skill level to execute a game plan like the Australians.
Youve got to line up against champion teams and take it too them. Mateship, pride in who you represent, beleif, all that crap as you put it is what assists players to play above themselves when it matters. Causes Lance Hohaia of all people to cruise past Locky and Billy to dot down under the post.
Some people and states will never understand.
why the whining…. up the mighty hawks and climb that hill right to the top at the end!!
sorry but truth!
my best bet was picking the quinella with stout hearted and kellini…. better than the tips we get in general