A bit of an experiment as I’m going to live blog the second State of Origin game. Can Queensland square the series and resurrect origin? Or while the mighty Blues achieve another series win? Settle in with a adult beverage of your choice and enjoy the ride over the fold.
Pre game: I hate the pre-game lead up. Just a bunch of old footballers trotting out the same stories they do every year. Time to get a beer and fight the cat for a spot on the couch.
Pre game: The teams enter the arena!
Pre game: Ad for A Current Affair reveals that our taxes are paying for a brothel. Probably better value than parliment.
Pre game: The teams enter the arena! Just love the boos for the Blues.
Pre game: Please be upstanding for the ritual mangling of the national anthem
Game on!
3rd minute: Big Willie drops a ball QLD go very close with Hodges. Ball over the sideline. NSW run it back out after a scrum QLD defense is hitting hard.
6th minute: Gooooaaaaalllll! Thruston kicks a penalty goal and 2 – 0 to to QLD
11th minute: QLD stop a great NSW raid so close to the line. Run the ball back and get a relieving penalty. QLD playing with intensity. How long can they keep it up?
17th minute: QLD defense is still stinging but it is starting to tire them out a bit
20th minute: Try!!!! After a great chase by Mogg to put King into touch, from the scrum Carl Webb strolls over for QLD. Thurston converts for 8 nil lead to QLD.
24th minute: Phew! QLD lose the ball just short of the NSW goal line.
28th minute: NSW are not in the game at the moment. A penalty to the Blues relieves the pressure
32nd minute: Noooooooo!!Hodges take an intercept and races 90 metres to score. 12-0
33rd minute: Thurston converts. 14-0.
37th minute: QLD raid breaks down only for NSW to have played at the ball. Nervous few minutes for the bues. Tate goes across the field and busts through to only be held up over the line!
40th minute: Half time QLD 14 NSW 0
Halftime Summary: NSW are just not in this game. Full credit to the QLD forwards. They have responded to the criticism and have absolutely dominated the NSW pack. Thurston has been dangerous and Lockyer is back in form. Brent Tate is having a great game. For NSW sack Anasta now for that bloody awful pass that gifted Hodges a try. Grothe has been working hard and made a few good, hard runs as has King. Otherwise a pretty dismal performance from the Blues.
But remember, a lot can happen in Origin and as we know from game one, 14 – 0 is not a safe score line
Half time: Gould’s new toy is the Caltex Vortex try tracker. Try saying that after a few drinks.
Half time: I must admit the ad for the Melbourne SOO game is pretty cool
We’re back for the 2nd half! Come on Blues!
44th minute: What the hell are Hindmarsh and Buderus doing still on the bench?
44th minute: A shocker of a pass from Anasta leads to an Adam Mogg try for QLD. Thurston converts. 20 – 0 It could be a thrashing for the Blues
49th minute: Tonights post game question is if Anasta knows how to pass.
52nd minute: The Blues are shot. They need a miracle and a decent 5/8.
58th minute: Bloody hell! NSW should have scored a try but Menzies drops the ball with the line open and players outside him
61st minute: NSW need 20 points in 19 minutes. Hello Melbourne for the decider.
60 something minute: Going upstairs for anothe QLD try. Replay looks bad for NSW
63rd minute: Mogg gets a double on debut. 24 – 0 to QLD with the kick to come.
64th minute: Thurston misses 24 -0 to QLD
69th minute: Oh fuck. Berrigan scores under the post after Lockyer races through a gap. Thurston converts to continue the pain
77th minute: Tahu scores after the best passage of play by NSW. Means bugger all but good work by Hodgson and Menzies
78th minute: Hodgson converts and 30-6 to QLD
80th minute: All over! QLD come back from Origin I with a thumping 30-6 win. The Telstra Dome in Melbourne will host the decider.
Full Time Summary: Full credit to QLD. They won the game in the forwards and it would be unfair to single anyone out as they all played well. I wasn’t sure if they could keep the intensity up but they did. The backline was outstanding as well with Thurston and Lockyer leading the way and Brent Tate having a great game.
For NSW, Grother, King and Hodgson did well at the back as did Menzies in the forwards. Other than that it was a pretty poor effort.O’Meley and Mason both had games they would rather forget. And speaking if forgetting let’s forget about Anasta. I’ll give Finch a pass as if the forward pack is beaten the half does have a tough time. I’m not sure who to replace Anasta with but someone who can pass would be a start.
QLD deserved their win. They played with passion and intensity. Bring on Melbourne!
I’ve got a bottle of cheap red wine and the dog’s locked outside. But otherwise I’m all set up, especially because Jen’s still at school finishing her end of semester repors. That is a true blessing, because it means I can watch the game without continual snide comments along the lines of: “Oh look, he’s trying to dry fuck that bloke on the ground”. Jen grew up in Melbourne.
And another thing. Someone should feed Phil Gould some rat poison. He might not be as noisy as that unlamented loudmouth goose Darrel Eastlake, but he’s just as irritating.
I actually like Gould. He does a good analysis of the game (some pretty graphs just before the ad break) and while yes he can be annoying, he’s good value.
Have Qld used too much petrol for just 2 points in the first 16 minutes???
No!!
QLD are playing out of their skins. I do think it will take it toll later but at the moment they are all over NSW
Bugger.
Who threw that pass? Finch or Anasta? How could he not have seen Hodges? He’s been camped up in the NSW backline all night. Why throw a pass straight to him?
It was Anasta. NSW must have a better 5/8 somewhere
I agree. But a great half of football by Qld. With 10 minutes rest, if they score first in the second half I reckon they’re just about home.
Depends how fit QLD are. IIRC NSW were down 18 nil I think one year and still won. QLD have had all the possession as well. If that change the NSW will have a sniff.
But NSW need a playmaker at 5/8. Anasta doesn’t add value.
Hodgson has been solid at fullback as well, and Menzies put a bit of solidity back into the forwards when he came on (although it was largely undone by O’Meley who has so far had a shocker). That’s about it for the Blues, whereas just about every Queenslander has been outstanding.
Anasta gives away another try with another shocker of a pass. Game over.
For christsakes get Anasta off the field. Another shocker creates another try.
Must say as a Bulldogs fan, I am relieved that Anasta moved to the metrosexual Roosters, saving us a fortune in the salary cap. And having seen how he played at the end of last season and the this one with the Roosters, he belongs with those preening over-paid pretty-boys. I think management made the right decision in going for Big Willie and ditching Anasta whose head seems elsewhere on too many importance occasions.
I don’t disagree Stephen. Big Willie (apart from tonight) had played well this year.
Best of luck with this
But looks like RL is on its last legs anyway. The World Cup has shown that up. See:http://weekbyweek7.blogspot.com/
But also RL has a terrible recent track record. See http://weekbyweek7.blogspot.com/2006/05/rugby-league-news-gets-worse-and-worse.html
Massacre! I thought NSW would come back at least a bit, but they’re shot to pieces at this stage. Anyone know what the biggest SOO victory of all time is? 30-0 has got to be close.
40 pts Ken. NSW won match 3 56-16 in 2000
NSW 56-16 in game 3 2000. So they’re still 10 points away from that, but winning to nil would be pretty close in terms of decisiveness.
Indeed. NSW were never in the game.
All over redover. To Melboure for the decider.
Now here’s a question. Who do you select at 5/8 for the Blues in place of Anasta? Benji Marshall?
I don’t want to appear one-eyed, but I had an inkling we were well home when NSW was kicking off the second half. There was a shot of Mason, and he just looked non-plussed. Didn’t even looking like getting fired up enough to beat the Queensland forwards back.
Benji plays for New Zealand. Having said that, I am pretty sure Mr TBA, Tonie Carrol, has played for NZ as well. Scott Hill has to get a look in, given the Storm are top of the table.
D’oh. Yes, Scott Hill’s a good 5/8. Then there’s Trent Barrett. I know he’s off to England and all, but NSW should regard itself as desperate enough to explore all options. Or is he injured?
And Barrett has retired from rep football as part of his deal to get out of the final two years of his St George contract.
I don’t mind Scott Hill. Hasn’t had the best year but Origin seems to bring the best out of the players. I’d gamble on him.
Btw, I hope people enjoyed the live blogging. I kept finding I that I was missing game typing.
Give Lockyer his due. He was brilliant.
Thanks Shaun. It added to my enjoyment of the game. I managed to keep up with your comentary and add some of my own and hardly miss any game time. I hope you do it again for SOO III.
Orford and Hill to replace Fumbles and Anasta. The cane toads would break Benji in pieces and Hill is as strong as an extra forward. Hodson was safe but he is just too light. It would really help to have a blockbusting full back like the Wombat. Where is Minachello? Even Wade McKinnon if he was fit.
You would have to think that NSW will never play that badly again and the cane toads played above themselves. How did they manaage to get five men into each tackle for the full 80 minutes, I thought at 0-2 after 16 minutes the toads had used up too much petrol and it was time for a NSW score to deflate them. Some days nothing goes right, just ask Collingwood after Monday.
I’ve heard Orford and Gower which when tried in City/Country was a disaster. I reckon Hill is the best bet and if Gower is fit go with him.
Mini is injured still Rafe but may be back in time for Origin 3. I don’t mind Hodgson at the back but Mini could get the nod.
A few of us through the QLDers would run out of petrol but they didn’t. The buggers.