That'll be why I said [iseries[/i and not just game 1.

Although I do think the Blues will win tomorrow. And I maintain that I am not mad, nor am I a NSW journo!

Queensland by 8. Looking forward to seeing Yow Yeh and Uate. Russell Crowe take a bow. www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... ml&BID=480

Queensland by 8. Looking forward to seeing Yow Yeh and Uate. Russell Crowe take a bow. www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... ml&BID=480

Great work Crowe.

YouTube

State of Origin a History

To get you in the mood

NSW by 1, ANZ to be sold out for origin 2!

We can but dream!

Good game, NSW did well and will get better but they need to make a couple of changes still.
Jason King was destroyed by the QLD forwards and should not have played to start with, he hasn't even been great for Manly. NSW looked better when Mannah and Merrin come on but that could of also been when Matt Scott went off as he was great and is the best prop in the game ATM.
I'd also bring back Luke Lewis for Ben Creagh who didn't get much gametime but didn't offer anything either. And Dean Young is only there because he plays for the Dragons, not creative enough out of dummy half and Gidley will be straight back in when fit.
Dugan did well on debut, Jennings proved he was worth his spot. The back row was solid and Uate looks lively and strong, the one error was a strip by Thurston and should have been a penalty.
B Moz what was he doing? Never does anything in Origin and the same again today apart from gift Yow Yeh 4 points. Gasnier was well contained and even he spilled the ball at the end.
Why was Soward in the team and not kicking much, Pearce was kicking poor and Soward didn't kick for the first 20 minutes. Both halves will stay but need to offer more. A few silly error were letting them down, Ennis 10m out dropped the ball, Jennings 10m out when Slater tackled him knocked on, you have to take advantage of chances like that and they blew it.
All in all a good effort but QLD just deserved the win IMO. NSW will stick with most of the side and will be better for it.

Good game, but it doesn't stop hurting.

I don't know if we'll see it, but least a couple must be made for mine. I'd make 4...

Hayne in for Morris. I've been hardline against BMoz for a long time now and he goes and does that. There's no joy in being right with this one though.

Lewis in for Young. Young was supposedly our utility pick, then started the game? Let our hooker play 80 minutes. Have Lewis on the bench if we must, but he has to be there.

TLL and Tolman in for King and Merrin.

Our props were annihilated. Scott is easily the best prop in the game, we have no one to match him, but we can definitely do better than tonight. It's a wonder we were in that game with next to zero go-forward.

Positives?

Jennings. Go on, my son. Best rep game to date. I said pre-game that was his last chance with me. I saw a lot tonight, he's good with me.

Shows where we're at, but no Hodges and Inglis was a huge positive. That backline is so much more vulnerable now. If it weren't for some braindead errors, we win that game based on their backline vulnerability.

Was happy with Dugan. One boggle, but they really heaped pressure on him with bombs all night and he defused every one. The cleanup he did in goal when we self-imploded on 3 occasions saved 3 tries. And of course his try-assist with the play they persisted with all night and finally paid dividends. He was very good behind such a poor pack.

The pressure on Queensland next game will be massive - I'm sure they would like to wrap the series up in Sydney. Scott was magnificent the best player on the field by a mile. What is it with Origin and Gallen - once again he let a try in with very poor goal line defense.

Queensland should have wrapped the game up when they 3/4 drop outs on the trot - once again it shows its the quality of the spine that wins out and until NSW get real quality 1,6,7,&9 they will struggle to overcome Queensland when it really matter

Sal, as a big rules fan, you and Andrew Demetriou will both be happy to know the game rated 2.3 million without the regionals. Should go 3 million easy...

Great night for rugby league. As Rabbits said "A series that is the envy of every sporting code and administrator in Australia..."

Impressed with:
Matt Scott. Best prop in the NRL, hands down. Had a blinder.
Cam Smith: Best hooker in the world.

Pearce: great defence on Thaiday, brilliant tackles.
Jennings: ...FINALLY he has had a great rep game. Proved he has what it takes, happy for him.
Dugan: great bomb defusal, looks like a rep player.
Uate: So much work and looks a natural.

Please please NSW make NO changes unless injury. Let's keep the whole f'n team there for ONCE.

Matt Scott was clearly MOM.

They often get it wrong.

Few in here smarting a bit today I see...

Life is good.