DeeGan
14-06-06, 09:33 PM
To the "Queensland fans" and FOGS
Never write of a Queensland Maroons team. End of story.
As Webb said, "we won the battle, but we haven't won the war" so I am not going to sit here and lay the boot in to NSW who were never in the contest. For our "worst ever Queensland team" we have put 46pts to 9pts on the mighty new South Welshmen in the last three halves of football (120 minutes)....the "Queenslanders" who laid the boot in turning on their own can have a good look at themselves in the morning and vow never to write us off again. All is forgiven, jump back on the bandwagon whenever you please.
Let's look at those who has more than their share of critiques:
- Mal Meninga and his selectors: Adam Mogg surprised me, Lillyman even more, though the selectors and Mal are to be congratulated for sticking with the "plan" and staying true to what they believed would get the job done.
- Darren Lockyer: I never agreed with the call to move him back to fullback and he came out tonight and put on a 5 star performance to silence his critics in the best possible way. He answered the majority of questions asked of him in defence and in attack combined well with Thurston on the back of a dominant pack as he has done all year at Brisbane. Never write of a champion - those who did, another lesson learnt tonight.
- Karmichael Hunt: Yet again at rep level has silenced his doubters with a great debut for Queensland - this guy is having a great year. After game two I said Bowen had played himself out of the starting side sighting the combo with Lockyer as a plus for the team, it proved to be true. Hunt has played himself in to being a possible long term fullback for this team.
- The forward pack: Deservedly criticised after game one though tonight laid the platform for the win. As I love to say, no halfback or five-eight will win a game behind a badly beaten pack, the evidence was game one where Lockyer and Thurston struggled in the first half. Tonight they had a pack on top and they wore the boot on the other foot whilst Anasta and Finch tasted what it was like in game one. Petero, best rep game I have seen from him in two years - Price, brilliant - Smith, great - Johnson, sensational and Sam Thaiday was brilliant off the bench. Nate Myles just went up a level or two in my book, he was fabulous and I thought he should of seen more time on the field.
Some of the BS I read this week in the papers, magazines and online was embarassing from my view point - no matter how it was attempted to be sugar coated, it was embarassing to see Queenslanders turn so quickly on their team after losing the opening game. I was disappointed with our loss, sure, we all were, though the lead up to the second game was a total surprise when having to read some of the crap served up from well respected Queenslanders. I am sure Mal and co. will forgive, though they will not forget some of the choice comments from some.
New South Wales will bounce back, they always do.
When we launced this Origin forum I started a poll asking what members thought IF posed with this hypothetical: If the Origin series is 1-1 heading to Melbourne, do you think Andrew Johns will come out of retirement? He dodged the question tonight, though it will be given serious thought IMO given Finch played like the Finch of old and Anasta was horrible.
The NSW forwards I hope come in for some severe treatment by their own in the lead up to game three - they were belted out of the game as we were in game one.
I am hesistant to come out and predict the outcome of game three. At the start of the season I sighted the fact we were rebuilding this year and thought the Andrew Johns led NSW would take out the series 2-1 in Melbourne. We now know Johns AND Barrett are not taking part in the series so I guess I would rethink the prediction if knowing that before the season started.
I think Queensland can win the series in Melbourne and prevent NSW from taking their fourth consecutive shield home. Gould said NSW had their best team on the field tonight (minus perhaps Cooper and Gower) and I have to agree with him. I think QLD can improve more so than NSW and it will come down to preparation. More on game three later.
QUEENSLANDER!!!
Cheers to the NSW members who are/will sport QLD signatures and/or avatars for the next week ;)
Never write of a Queensland Maroons team. End of story.
As Webb said, "we won the battle, but we haven't won the war" so I am not going to sit here and lay the boot in to NSW who were never in the contest. For our "worst ever Queensland team" we have put 46pts to 9pts on the mighty new South Welshmen in the last three halves of football (120 minutes)....the "Queenslanders" who laid the boot in turning on their own can have a good look at themselves in the morning and vow never to write us off again. All is forgiven, jump back on the bandwagon whenever you please.
Let's look at those who has more than their share of critiques:
- Mal Meninga and his selectors: Adam Mogg surprised me, Lillyman even more, though the selectors and Mal are to be congratulated for sticking with the "plan" and staying true to what they believed would get the job done.
- Darren Lockyer: I never agreed with the call to move him back to fullback and he came out tonight and put on a 5 star performance to silence his critics in the best possible way. He answered the majority of questions asked of him in defence and in attack combined well with Thurston on the back of a dominant pack as he has done all year at Brisbane. Never write of a champion - those who did, another lesson learnt tonight.
- Karmichael Hunt: Yet again at rep level has silenced his doubters with a great debut for Queensland - this guy is having a great year. After game two I said Bowen had played himself out of the starting side sighting the combo with Lockyer as a plus for the team, it proved to be true. Hunt has played himself in to being a possible long term fullback for this team.
- The forward pack: Deservedly criticised after game one though tonight laid the platform for the win. As I love to say, no halfback or five-eight will win a game behind a badly beaten pack, the evidence was game one where Lockyer and Thurston struggled in the first half. Tonight they had a pack on top and they wore the boot on the other foot whilst Anasta and Finch tasted what it was like in game one. Petero, best rep game I have seen from him in two years - Price, brilliant - Smith, great - Johnson, sensational and Sam Thaiday was brilliant off the bench. Nate Myles just went up a level or two in my book, he was fabulous and I thought he should of seen more time on the field.
Some of the BS I read this week in the papers, magazines and online was embarassing from my view point - no matter how it was attempted to be sugar coated, it was embarassing to see Queenslanders turn so quickly on their team after losing the opening game. I was disappointed with our loss, sure, we all were, though the lead up to the second game was a total surprise when having to read some of the crap served up from well respected Queenslanders. I am sure Mal and co. will forgive, though they will not forget some of the choice comments from some.
New South Wales will bounce back, they always do.
When we launced this Origin forum I started a poll asking what members thought IF posed with this hypothetical: If the Origin series is 1-1 heading to Melbourne, do you think Andrew Johns will come out of retirement? He dodged the question tonight, though it will be given serious thought IMO given Finch played like the Finch of old and Anasta was horrible.
The NSW forwards I hope come in for some severe treatment by their own in the lead up to game three - they were belted out of the game as we were in game one.
I am hesistant to come out and predict the outcome of game three. At the start of the season I sighted the fact we were rebuilding this year and thought the Andrew Johns led NSW would take out the series 2-1 in Melbourne. We now know Johns AND Barrett are not taking part in the series so I guess I would rethink the prediction if knowing that before the season started.
I think Queensland can win the series in Melbourne and prevent NSW from taking their fourth consecutive shield home. Gould said NSW had their best team on the field tonight (minus perhaps Cooper and Gower) and I have to agree with him. I think QLD can improve more so than NSW and it will come down to preparation. More on game three later.
QUEENSLANDER!!!
Cheers to the NSW members who are/will sport QLD signatures and/or avatars for the next week ;)