Opinion
The Blues’ fantasy land is just over there - but they’re not there yet
Andrew Webster
Chief Sports WriterThere were only a handful of minutes remaining in the first half of State of Origin II when NSW players, coaches and delirious fans must have wondered if someone had slipped something into their drink.
The Blues led 22-0 and were just warming up.
Widely criticised for how he used his interchange in game one, Michael Maguire in the 32nd minute made the smartest call of his short tenure as coach.
Prop Spencer Leniu had been bubbling on the sidelines in the middle of the MCG. When Maguire eventually let him off the leash, he wound up and crashed through three Queensland defenders with his first touch.
A quick play-the-ball, the play went left, Angus Crichton stood in a tackle, pivoted, flicked to Dylan Edwards, who sent Latrell Mitchell over for another try.
They were swamped by their teammates as Queensland heads on the field and in the stands dropped…
Latrell Mitchell and the Blues celebrate another try.Credit: NRL Photos
What was this fantasy land in which we had found ourselves? Was it a dream? Was this really happening? Who was this NSW team and what had they done with the one from game one in Sydney?
The better NSW played, the worse Queensland got. It was magnificent and weird, all at the same time.
Reece Walsh kicked off, aiming for the sideline, but he bit off more than he could chew. Zac Lomax edged his toe over the sideline, caught the ball on the full and earned his side a penalty on halfway.
Next set and it was Leniu again, bullocking through Reuben Cotter and Harry Grant, who missed him entirely and clunked their heads like it was a Three Stooges skit.
Spencer Leniu of the Blues makes a break.Credit: Getty Images
With a stronger team and a favourable MCG record, NSW were expected to bounce back in game two — but nobody could have expected a 38-18 victory, sending the series to a decider at Suncorp Stadium on July 17.
This was an evisceration. A disembowelment. Hannibal Lecter couldn’t have executed it better.
Halfback Mitchell Moses kicked the Maroons to death with a Joey-esque performance, whether it was cross-field kicks to Lomax or cute grubbers behind the line for To’o. He’s recovering from a broken foot, apparently.
While Moses displayed skill, poise and patience, back-rower Liam Martin brought the right amount of aggression to an Origin — too much.
Man of the match: Mitchell Moses of the NSW BluesCredit: NRL Photos
His thundering tackle on Maroons rival Jaydn Su’a forced the ball loose and prompted a melee that ended in referee Ashley Klein sending him to the sinbin for rubbing Su’a on the head. Nice way to confuse the Mexicans.
But the best player on the field, surely, was Angus Crichton, the Roosters forward who many feared wouldn’t return to the game just a year ago after he had a bipolar episode while holidaying in Europe.
Crichton has been in career-best form for his club, despite the uncertainty surrounding his contract extension and the chaotic but failed pursuit of Titans star David Fifita.
But this was the headline performance of his career as he trampled defenders (he busted through seven tackles from his 17 hit-ups) and crunched ball-carriers (he made 22 tackles, although his booming shot on Valentine Holmes without the ball deserved to be counted).
Angus Crichton of the Blues is tackled by Reuben Cotter of the Maroons.Credit: Getty Images
The victory was just what the ailing state of NSW needed: it doesn’t just keep the series alive, but dodges three consecutive series defeats.
Queensland have deluded themselves into thinking they are the most important star in this movie, but they need a strong NSW team to keep the concept humming. A hero is only as good as his villain.
After the match, Maroons coach Billy Slater latched onto the fact his side had outscored the Blues 18-4 in the second half as a positive heading into the decider in Brisbane.
He needn’t have. He has the weight of history on his side.
Since the start of three-match series in 1982, NSW have won a decider in Brisbane only twice: in 1994 and 2005.
In 1994, victory came off the boot of NSW halfback Ricky Stuart. In 2005, it was off the boot of Johns. This time, it will have to be Moses.
No place can snap a New South Welshman back to reality like Suncorp Stadium.
When the ecstasy of this victory wears off, you suspect memories will drift back to two years ago when the Blues were in this very same position.
They had clobbered Queensland 44-12 at Optus Stadium in Perth with Nathan Cleary producing the best performance of his Origin career – just as Moses did on Wednesday night.
Then Queensland went home, licked their wounds, revelled in their underdog privilege, and won the decider 22-12.
Daly Cherry-Evans controlled the tempo with his boot while Ben Hunt sealed the result with a length of the field try, but the real reason for the victory was their forward pack rolled straight over the top of the Blues.
It was the difference between the two teams.
Crichton had gone into that match describing himself as the “enforcer” in the Blues pack but was left battered with the rest of the pack. You can’t imagine them allowing it to happen again.
So onwards to Suncorp Stadium. The Blues’ fantasy land is just over there, they can almost touch it — but they’re not there yet.
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