Origin 2 Thread - Game to be played Sunday 27th June 2021 - Discussion + Poll 'n fun Comp included

[Graham]

To do list  

* Vote in the poll.

1. Predict the winners in your post 
2. By what margin either exact or say by a) Under 5 points, b) 6-12pts, c) 13+ pts
3. For fun you could pick who the man of the match will be

This thread is here for you to use for pre-match discussion.

Game 1 was a resounding walk over for Blues and a huge disappointment to Maroons fans.

Maybe a big Blues win was on the cards once the teams had been announced for Game 1. The margin of victory as it turned out though was even bigger than might have been expected.

How will game two go. It's again in QLD thought this time in Brisbane.

 

[Graham]

The Blues squad for O2 was announced a couple of hours ago:

Blues State of Origin Game II Squad

James Tedesco (C)

Brian To’o

Latrell Mitchell

Tom Trbojevic

Josh Addo-Carr

Jarome Luai

Nathan Cleary

Daniel Saifiti

Damien Cook

Payne Haas

Cameron Murray

Tariq Sims

Isaah Yeo

Jack Wighton

Junior Paulo

Angus Crichton

Liam Martin

Dale Finucane

Apisai Koroisau

Campbell Graham

 

NSW were expected to select the same side for the June 27th showdown at Suncorp Stadium next Sunday, but the plans were up-ended by an injury to Jake Trbojevic at training.

In naming his 20-man squad for Game II, Fittler did not indicate which players would start and which would begin from the bench.

[Graham]

Maroons:

Harry Grant is in serious doubt for Origin II with a recurrence of a hamstring injury that could rule him out of next Sunday's must-win game at Suncorp Stadium.

The Maroons Squad is due to be named tomorrow (Monday)

[Graham]

Maroons speculation: (NRL - Todd Balym)

Quote

 

Green is expected to make several other changes to his squad for Origin II on Sunday in Brisbane in a bid to salvage their hopes of retaining the shield.

Canberra prop Josh Papalii is an automatic selection at prop after he missed the Ampol State of Origin series opener due to suspension but Green is also considering positional changes to turn their fortunes around after the 50-6 loss in Townsville.

Centre is the most obvious problem area with North Queensland's Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Sharks veteran Will Chambers, Parramatta's Tom Opacic in the mix for selection after Dane Gagai and Kurt Capewell were outplayed by Blues duo Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic.

Hunt could also be used as the Maroons' bench utility after a five-star performance in his team's 22-20 comeback win over the Raiders in Wollongong on Saturday night.

AJ Brimson, who was Queensland's bench utility in game one, has been hampered recently by an ongoing knee injury and on Sunday afternoon was ruled out of the Titans' clash with the Sea Eagles at Cbus Super Stadium.

Kalyn Ponga, who was chosen at fullback for game one before withdrawing, has already been ruled out of next Sunday's stoush at Suncorp Stadium due to his lingering groin problem.

Another name that has been thrown into the selection conversation is Warriors whizz-kid but his coach, Nathan Brown, is not a fan of the rookie fullback being thrown into the Origin cauldron.

 

 

[Irish Saint]

Queensland by 1-5  David Fafita

[Graham]

Maroons squad announced today

[Graham]

Is that the side to square the series?

[Graham]

Queensland coach Paul Green has made the bold call to debut a seven-game rookie at fullback for Origin II.

While there’s question marks over whether 18-year-old Reece Walsh is ready to be thrown into the Origin pressure cooker, his selection has exposed a much bigger worry for the Maroons — their serious lack of depth.

Rumours starting swirling about Walsh’s debut once Kalyn Ponga withdrew from Origin II last Thursday. They ramped after AJ Brimson couldn’t recover from a knee injury in time to play for his Titans.

[Dunbar]

More worrying than the full back position for the Maroons is the lack of depth at centre.

Gagai and Capewell have been kept because the alternatives were the likes of Moses Mbye, Hymel Hunt, Tom Opacic, Will Chambers, Kurt Mann and Phillip Sami.  None of these are anywhere near the quality needed.

If the Maroons pack get on top they have a chance but if it is a fast open game then they will struggle again. 

[DavidM]

Are Queensland not producing backs anymore ? What a selection to pick from.  The first game was so utterly one sided I just can’t see that being turned around . It may be , should be closer , but the series should be decided here

[Graham]

To match the presentation of the Qld team, here’s Blues in the same format:

[Graham]

The Maroons’ forwards were a let down in that first game.

They have a couple of good half backs, a couple of decent wingers, then a few forwards who could be okay.

I just don’t see that side improving enough to win. They’ll do well to keep the score against them to a more reasonable level.

[Graham]

1. Predict the winners in your post - NSW
2. By what margin either exact or say by  13+ pts
3. For fun you could pick who the man of the match will be Nathan Cleary

[Graham]

I voted for the wrong team int the pol! I actually choose NSW to win!

[Dunbar]

I think it may be a lot closer. The Maroons lost Christian Welch early in game 1 to HIA and if he and Papalli have good game up front they may lay a foundation. 

Ultimately Queensland have to slow the game down and make it more of a grind but their forwards could get on top.

For fun I am going Queensland between 1 and 5 points and Jai Arrow man of the match.

[Spotty Herbert]

I am struggling to see anything but a NSW win, probably by about 10. For the maroons to win Welch and Papalii will have to get on top of Saifiti and Paulo early doors and someone will have to find a way to stop Cleary. Nobody has managed that so far this season.

[Clogiron]

Can't see anything other than NSW win by 14+  when QLD are down to having Ben Hunt on the bench and a 17 year old who, granted is a great player offensively but shouldn't be thrown in so soon you can see they have problems. Why is the game on the pitch in such a slump in QLD at present? Some of it is self inflicted, Bronco's, and their so called golden generation have moved on but there is talent amongst their player's it just doesn't seem to be used to the best degree and seems to lack consistency and application,DCE as a prime example.

[Dunbar]

For those of us who are Rugby League children of the 80's some great tries and players in this compilation. 

https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/06/23/the-best-origin-tries-from-the-1980s/

[George Watt]

Unfortunately I have been defined to be in a Covid hotspot so cannot travel from NSW to the match. Have not missed a SOO match in Brisbane for decades so will hopefully watch a narrow QLD win live on TV.

Will be at SOO3 in July.

[Graham]

Bad luck George.

Covid has hit hard across the world . I hope you can nip it in the bud there.

It has seemed strange to see your part of the world relatively untouched by it and more recently to see big crowd at NRL games.

As for Qld winning Origin 2, it will need a huge change of attitude and some luck to beat an in form NSW team.

[Graham]

Just 24 hours before kick-off in Origin 2, the Maroons have been dealt a cruel blow with Reece Walsh ruled out of the must-win clash.

The Blues have made two changes to their squad, while Queensland have brought in five new faces as they aim to level the series at Suncorp Stadium.

QLD TEAM: 1. Valentine Holmes 2. Ronaldo Mulitalos 3. Kurt Capewell 4. Dane Gagai 5. Kyle Feldt 6. Cameron Munster 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Christian Welch 9. Andrew McCullough 10. Josh Papali’i 11. Jai Arrow 12. Felise Kaufusi 13. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 14. Ben Hunt 15. Moeaki Fotuaika 16. David Fifita 17. Francis Molo 18. Coen Hess 19. Ronaldo Mulitalo

Reece Walsh was the teenage wonder boy that the Maroons turned to help level the series, but the Warriors fullback was scratched on Saturday evening and Sharks flyer Ronaldo Mulitalo will now make his Origin debut.

 

[Graham]

So it just gets worse and worse for Maroons. As asked by someone on here previously, whatever happened to strength in depth?

[Graham]

NSW TEAM: 1. James Tedesco 2. Brian To’o 3. Latrell Mitchell 4. Tom Trbojevic 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Damien Cook 10. Junior Paulo 11. Cameron Murray 12. Tariq Sims 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Jack Wighton 15. Angus Crichton 16. Payne Haas 17. Liam Martin 18. Apisai Koroisau 19. Campbell Graham 20. Dale Finucane

Late mail: Angus Crichton was recalled by the Blues after missing game one with a suspension and takes the place of Jake Trbojevic with Junior Paulo shifting to the starting side. The Blues backrower is named to start on the bench and could count himself unlucky not to win back a starting role given how impressive he has been for the Roosters.

[Graham]

Blues utility Jack Wighton is a chance of withdrawing from Origin II as he and his partner await the arrival of their third child.

Wighton has been named to play off the bench for NSW again but he is on standby to leave camp and be by his partner’s side for the birth.

[Graham]

With further lockdown restrictions placed on large portions of New South Wales, ARLC chairman Peter V’landys has conceded that game three of this season’s Origin series is “highly unlikely” to be played in Sydney.

Earlier on Saturday, NSW residents were told that their initial seven-day stay at home orders had been extended to a fortnight as COVID cases continued to mount.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, these restrictions are set to ease on July 9 at the latest – just five days before Stadium Australia was set to host the series finale.

When quizzed about the fixture’s future on Saturday, V’landys said a range of options were on the table.

“Origin III is on the drawing board now. There’s usually a lag between when a lockdown ends and before you start getting back to normality,” he said.
“At this point it seems highly unlikely it will be at [Stadium Australia], it’s just about finding a suitable alternative. There’s a number of options available. Newcastle is one, and we’ll look at others.

“But the fact this is going to have an impact on our revenues and costs, we need to try to find something we can make some money out of and Origin can assist us in the challenges we’ve got ahead. We’ve got to look at the most viable and profitable way of doing it.”

Should the move to Newcastle go ahead, a crowd capped at 50% capacity will, at this stage, will be allowed to attend the prospective fixture.

It would also mean that two-thirds of this year’s state v state, mate v mate games will take place at venues that weren’t originally listed as hosts.