With his decades of playing, coaching and commentating experience, Phil Gould was left confused, scratching his head at just how Queensland could possibly come back from the Origin game one humbling at the hands of NSW.
The margin may only have been 12 points, but watching it may as well have been 50.
“I think what they’ve achieved is shattering Queensland. I think Queensland are really going to have some nightmares over that game,” Gould said on Nine.
“So, where does that leave Queensland? Because they were off the pace tonight. They weren’t in the game.
“I’m struggling to see how they can improve it through selection, so it’s going to have to be these players that find a different way.”
Even putting aside his strong Blues allegiances and looking at his comment objectively, Gus makes a very good point.
The only try that Queensland scored was opportunistic. Jeramiah Nanai raced out at Latrell Mitchell, forcing an error and Xavier Coates – who was expecting to be a defender – was the widest man and won the race to the corner once he got the ball.
Other than that, the only other ‘chance’ was in the final minutes when Valentine Holmes thought he scored a consolation, only for the officials to rule a forward pass.
Normally-dangerous attacking players Daly Cherry-Evans and Cam Munster barely created anything in attack, while the Blues were able to keep Kalyn Ponga quiet.
“Disappointing is the best way to describe it; to walk away with just one try, there’s a bit of work to be done there,” Cherry-Evans said.
Mitchell Moses of the Blues tackles Daly Cherry-Evans. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Queensland coach Billy Slater was just as dejected after the game, the emotion still raw, as he gave more hopeful answers rather than anything substantial about turning things around.
He honestly noted that the 18-6 scoreline made it look closer than what it should have been – his team was a mile off their opponents.
“I feel pretty flat about our performance, obviously NSW were much better than us,” Slater acknowledged.
“The flatness comes from how we hurt ourselves.
“It doesn’t just happen, you’ve got to make it happen. We weren’t prepared to make it happen the tough way tonight.
“Too many leg-ups and too many penalties, a few errors, and that is what they did better than us.”
Billy couldn’t put his finger on the exact reasons for the failure at Suncorp Stadium, which is their second in a row at their fortress. It’s a stat that the coach says is just as disappointing as their performance.
But he admits there will be soul searching before the next game, however, he suggested there won’t be mass changes to the squad.
“I can’t right now… That’s something for the review, and looking through the tape,” Slater said.
“At the end of the day, that’s got to come from the players.
“Like every game, you sit down and review it, you go and take a breath and let the players go back and play footy (at their clubs).
“I definitely don’t think it’s a personnel thing, I know what this team is capable of, and that’s why I am disappointed because they haven’t played their best footy. I feel responsible to try and help them get there.”
The Maroons had a 78 per cent completion rate, which was only slightly worse than the Blues and were penalised nine times to the Blues’ six. But the biggest area of concern for Queensland was the defence – 54 missed tackles to NSW’s 20.
Even if the Blues kicked all their goals, the margin would have only been 28-6, not even close to where it should have been if the southerners put the foot down and played with attacking flair, rather than playing conservatively and just grinding out the game.
The Maroons failed to capitalise on the lifeline when Brian To’o was sin-binned just before the break. They scored their only try but failed to take any meaningful momentum for the rest of the half.
“We were close enough on the scoreboard, but not close enough in the way that we were playing,” Slater said.
“It was still game on at half-time, but we needed to change things, but we didn’t change things enough.
“It may have looked close, but in terms of us when we play our best footy, we were nowhere near it.”
Apart from the try-scorer Coates showing brief glimpses of prowess on the wing, Reuben Cotter was one of the few shining lights on a gloomy night, making 45 tackles without a single miss.
Payne Haas of the Blues. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Back to Gus’ point, where can the improvement come from?
The question that needs to be asked of the players; with their backs to the wall, can the Queenslanders dig deep now that they are firmly on the ropes, and find something deep down to restore some pride?
The way Slater is talking, there won’t be any substantial reinforcements; it is up to the current squad of men to find a way out of the mess, but the skipper is looking forward to the challenge.
“With losing comes the questions, and we’ve opened ourselves up to them. But I would love the opportunity to come back and correct it,” DCE said.
The Maroons may need to bring back a harder, dog-fight-like mentality. During the week, Slater brushed off questions that his team were too nice – and needed to show more aggression on and off the field.
Yet, there were few moments where big enforcers Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Moeaki Fotuaika or Lindsay Collins really took it to their New South Wales counterparts in the opener.
As much as the playmakers need to create more attacking opportunities, the forwards need to be more physical, and fight like their pride is on the line.
The stereotypical ‘Queensland spirit’ has got the state out of trouble and across the line in miracle situations in the past – and they will need every drop of that tonic, because based on the game one performance, they face an Everest-like climb to save, and then win the series.
That’s despite all of Billy Slater’s “we’ll be going after it” faith in his boys.
