State of Origin 2022 Game 3: Queensland Maroons v NSW Blues – live!

Key events:

Back to live, and Slater has just given his final pre-match interview. I’m not going to lie, he looked like he was bricking it. “It’s fantastic,” he replied unconvincingly to Paul Vautin’s Dorothy Dixer. “Really enjoying the moment here. The boys are up and about in their warm-up. How exciting. I’m sure there’s five million Queenslanders out there ready for this one.”

Queensland coaches Billy Slater and Johnathan Thurston are going through one of those classic Origin pre-recorded bombastic pieces of nonsense fluff that’s meant to sound like Wilfred Owen but comes out more wooden than a cricket stump. Just picture yourself reading sheepishly to class in year nine: “The fabric of these jerseys does more than just hold them together. It’s the fabric of our states.”

Conditions are cool and clear and dry in Brisbane, but there is a decent westerly breeze that is sure to make Matt Burton’s garryowens even more menacing. The Wallabies were on the same stretch of turf on Saturday night, so it might not be the best surface underfoot.

Fans arrive at Suncorp Stadium.
Fans arrive at Suncorp Stadium. Photograph: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

The Channel Nine live cross to Penrith leagues club, where a female Blues fan yelled “get a cockroach up ya” to Maroons fans, is absolutely a lock for all of the Logies next year #origin

— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) July 13, 2022

Anyone tuning it from outside Australia, I can confirm a young lady on live TV just yelled “GET A COCKROACH UP YA!” into the microphone and nobody batted an eyelid.

For context, NSW are known disparagingly as the cockroaches, and Queensland the cane toads.

Brad Fittler has just spoken to Gus Gould. He was calm, chipper, and confident. “Preparation has been good. From the point of view that we had a mishap earlier with Jordan McLean and it was most inconvenient from a team point of view, and obviously Nicho Hynes stayed at home. Apart from that, they trained really well…The one thing we spoke about is how they’re thinking. That’s the one thing we combat we have to take them to that fight. They’re pretty quiet, a good frame of mind to be in.”

Your referee tonight is, once again, Ashley Klein, who makes it a hat-trick of Origins with the whistle. Let’s hope he’s not too busy.

Ashley Klein
Ashley Klein takes charge of tonight’s match. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP

Brendon (AKA 20charactersNoSpaces) is tuning in from the other side of the world, and he still likes the Maroons.

“Greetings from sunny Copenhagen, where my Covid isolation ends in a couple of hours time & I can leave my hotel room once more! Despite losing Munster I still expect Qld to win. NSW are likely to choke again because they‘re favourites, as they often do.”

Signing off with: “Say hi to Harry for me, & enjoy the game!”

I enjoy a story that opens: “Queenslanders who need more of Wally Lewis than his statue can offer will soon be able to get into bed with him.” I hope there’s a Nate Myles corridor.

NSW XVII

Brad Fittler shook up his selection before Origin II and it worked so well he’s barely needed to touch his side for the decider. He has had to replace Payne Haas, who misses out with a shoulder injury, as well as the logical replacement Jordan McLean to a hamstring. The outcome is Jacob Saifiti finds a place in the 17.

NSW: James Tedesco (captain), Brian To’o, Matt Burton, Stephen Crichton, Daniel Tupou, Jarome Luai, Nathan Cleary, Junior Paulo, Api Koroisau, Jake Trbojevic, Cameron Murray, Liam Martin, Isaah Yeo. Interchange: Damien Cook, Angus Crichton, Jacob Saifiti, Siosifa Talakai.

Brad Fittler.
NSW coach Brad Fittler has enjoyed a smooth run into the Origin decider. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

Queensland XVII

When extended squads were announced Queensland presented a united front despite the mauling in Perth. Felise Kaufusi was the only premeditated change with the veteran forward unavailable due to family reasons, replaced in the squad by North Queensland debutant Tom Gilbert, and in the run-on 13 by fellow Cowboy Jeremiah Nanai.

But then the news broke that Cameron Munster and Murray Taulagi had both failed Covid tests, forcing a late reshuffle. Slater responded by handing a debut to 21-year-old Tom Dearden at five-eighth with Corey Oates coming in on the wing.

Queensland: Kalyn Ponga, Selwyn Cobbo, Valentine Holmes, Dane Gagai, Corey Oates, Tom Dearden, Daly Cherry-Evans (captain), Lindsay Collins, Ben Hunt, Josh Papalii, Kurt Capewell, Jeremiah Nanai, Patrick Carrigan. Interchange: Harry Grant, Jai Arrow, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Tom Gilbert.

Tom Dearden
Tom Dearden has been thrown in at the deep end. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

HarryofOz is here; he’s always here. “Despite the match being played at Suncorp, I would still have made the Blues slight favourites and the absence of Munster has tipped the scales more towards NSW,” he emails. “Having said that, as we saw in the first two games, the team that won the forward battle went on to win the match. But, if neither pack dominates, then I’d give NSW the edge in the halves and spine, especially with Munster out. Come on you Blues!” Hard to disagree Harry.

Kalyn Ponga has just had a word with Channel Nine. “This is what dreams are about. I’m looking forward to the experience,” the Maroons fullback said.

Blue half Jarome Luai couldn’t have been more laidback if he was speaking to Paul Gallen on a lounger with a pina colada in his hand. How is he feeling? “Pretty chilled,” he says, “it’s us against them. Win or die.” What does he have to do? “The tough stuff, get in there early, do it for my brothers.”

James Tedesco and the Blues arrive at Suncorp Stadium.
James Tedesco and the Blues arrive at Suncorp Stadium. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP

The 2002 series features prominently for me. I was a wasted backpacker in Cairns, and the town was plastered with GOrDen Tallis posters, emphasising his divine status. I took it all in at the infamous Woolshed, trying but failing to spend the bar tab I’d earned for winning an earlier trivia night. There might have been dancing on tables to Groove is the Heart.

I’m not proud of myself.

Dwayne Grant takes us down memory lane with his rundown of Origin deciders.

All the logic points to a Blues win, but in his scene-setter Nick Tedeschi refuses to write off the Maroons.

Much is said about Suncorp, but it remains true that Queensland’s ability to find the right stuff when it matters at this venue is becoming the stuff of legend. In the past 14 games at Suncorp when the series was still alive, the Maroons have won 13. They have won seven straight game threes including five straight deciders. Home-field advantage is an often-overplayed cliche, but in this case it could prove critical in adding another famous chapter to Queensland folklore.

Preamble

Jonathan Howcroft

Jonathan Howcroft

Hello everybody and welcome to the third and final instalment of State of Origin rugby league for 2022. Queensland and New South Wales kick-off in their deciding clash at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium at 8.10pm.

A quick update, in case Wimbledon, the Wallabies or Le Tour have messed with your memory recently.

The unfancied Maroons stunned in Sydney in Origin I, but the Penrith-dominated Blues bounced back with a resounding victory in Perth in Origin II, which means it’s all to play for at fortress Suncorp, a venue where the visitors have not won a deciding rubber since 2005. We should be in for an Origin classic.

Or maybe not. Into the works this week came a spanner the size of something only the James Webb telescope could capture with the news Queensland mischief maker, Wally Lewis Medal contender, and big-game guarantee Cameron Munster has been ruled out with Covid. Without their star No 6, the Maroons are an enormously depleted unit.

Cameron Munster
Cameron Munster was superb in the opening two matches of the series. Photograph: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

But this is all part of the Origin myth-making. Into Munster’s shoes will step a soon-to-be hero, or so Billy Slater hopes. It’s how Queensland roll.

Nevertheless, they will be in the unfamiliar position of underdogs on home soil. Brad Fittler’s group has class to spare and intrigue in the Blues camp is over who is being left out, not ruled out, such is the strength in depth of a side that can deal without the likes of Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell.

I’m off to put a brew on so I’m fully charged for the build-up. I’ll leave you with my contacts details in case you want to join in the conversation. Feel free to drop me an email or tweet at your leisure.

Can Queensland get the honey without Munny?

source: theguardian.com