Origin II Review - Melbourne Massacre
I'm upset.
New South Wales have sent the 2024 State of Origin series to a decider with a dominant 38-18 victory over Queensland in front of 90,084 people at the MCG. Every single concern that I had regarding this match-up from the Maroons perspective played out as I feared in the first 40 minutes, so let’s go through my raw takes from immediately after full time.
The most dominant half of Origin football that I’ve ever seen
On Sunday I had the pleasure of witnessing the most embarrassing performance by a Raiders team in the last decade, so it was only fitting that my beloved Maroons followed it up with their most embarrassing half of football in my lifetime. From the moment the Blues received a penalty on fifth tackle in the 7th minute of this game, they dominated in a manner I’ve not seen before at Origin level.
Following Game I, I wrote that despite the 28 point win, the ease at which New South Wales dominated the physicality of the game should’ve had alarm bells ringing for Slater moving forward. Unfortunately, Game I was only a small taste of what was to come, as the Blues destroyed Queensland in contact on both sides of the ball. Whether it was their back five getting their shoulders through contact on almost every carry they took, or the relentless line speed from their middle, the Blues were ruthless in their treatment of Queensland all night. Dylan Edwards ran for 200m on debut, while Brian To’o laid an incredible platform with 176m on 20 carries. I thought Payne Haas (19 runs for 193m) finally had his ‘breakout’ Origin performance that everyone has been waiting for, while Cameron Murray also had his fingerprints over everything positive the Blues did in his 49 minute first stint.
For Queensland, it was a laundry list of all the worst errors that you can make in a big game. Late tackle penalties, late tackle set restarts, kick offs out on the full and key players asleep at the wheel on big plays. It’s not uncharacteristic for a Queensland side to come out soft in Game II of a series when they know a Suncorp decider is still to come (see 2020 and 2022), but the way they unravelled in the first half of this game felt different to previous defeats.
After 20 minutes, the Maroons trailed 12-0 and had received just 34% of possession. While obviously less than ideal, it was not an insurmountable lead if they were able to get back into the set for set slog. Instead, they went on to concede four of the softest Origin tries that you’ll see, with the Blues heading into half time leading 34-0. I still have no idea how Reece Walsh was so out of position on a fifth tackle play following a 30 second break, or how Spencer Leniu was able to make a line break on tackle two following a kick off.
At the break, the Blues had 16 minutes in possession to seven and a half, 107 runs to 51 and just one missed tackle in comparison to Queensland’s 20. I can’t remember the last time I saw a stat line so one sided at half time.
Mitchell Moses has his finest hour
My biggest criticisms of Nicho Hynes following Game I were that his kicking game was below par, his defence was exposed and he played far too laterally for an Origin match. Mitchell Moses could not have been further from this in his return, regularly digging into Queensland’s line and creating space for his outside men, kicking beautifully and forcing two errors with his defence. While his external circumstances were far superior to those given to Hynes (13 players for a start), I thought he made the most of every touch that he had without overplaying his hand (62 receipts vs Hynes 81).
The most impressive moment for me was the kick that he put in from his own 40 after their second try. Most halves would have put that kick down the throat of an opposition fullback, allowing Queensland to gain ascendency in the arm wrestle. Instead, Moses was able to put it over the head of Taulagi and away from Walsh, with the ball bouncing over the sideline just metres from the goal line. This forced Queensland, who had barely had any ball, to once again work their way out of their own end. Just two minutes later, Zac Lomax scored off another Moses pinpoint kick to extend the lead to 16.
Crazy Stat: Mitchell Moses had four try assists tonight, one less than Nathan Cleary’s entire Blues career (per NRL.com stats).
Angus Crichton
It is absolutely insane that this guy started the season in NSW Cup and was in the process of being moved on by the Roosters just a few months ago. He was arguably one of the top 2/3 players on the field again tonight and completely dominant on both sides of the ball. He finished with 17 runs for 171m, 77 post contact metres, one line break assist, seven tackle breaks, two offloads and a hit that hopefully snapped Valentine Holmes out of the zombie state he’s been in for the past 17 weeks.
SOS David Fifita
Billy Slater’s generational run of hating was slightly funny when the Maroons were winning the series, but it is time to be serious. Kurt Capewell played 16 minutes of centre and just 21 in the backrow, Felise Kaufusi played 11 minutes total and Jaydn Su’A had 3 errors and a below par game.
New South Wales have speed and power in their forward pack that Queensland can’t match and the most damaging ball runner in the state is wasting away on the sidelines. I don’t know what David did to you Billy but it is time to forgive and forget, the mental health of the hard working Queensland people depends on it!
Other notes:
Billy Slater used the term “get our footy on” in both his interviews again tonight. I’ve still never heard this term used by another person on planet Earth. Please just get your Fifita and Cobbo on for Game III.
Stephen Crichton had only 4 runs, with one of them being his intercept. It felt like he was in everything.
Latrell Mitchell somehow lived up to the pre-match hype with his return to the Origin arena. He was fantastic ball in hand and imposing defensively.
Obviously didn’t remotely impact the result but I was surprised neither of Liam Martin or Latrell Mitchell went to the bin for their spear tackle and high shot. Martin later going for a head ruffle was comical.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow being sent back out for Queensland with a bung shoulder while trailing 34-0, can only imagine the Dolphins staff were pleased. At least the try scoring streak continues.
Harry Grant has still not kicked on the way I thought he would over the last two to three years. Ben Hunt has had the much better dummy half minutes for Queensland in this series so far, which should not be the case at this stage of their respective careers.
For a player as destructive as Haumole Olakau'atu, I could not tell you one involvement he’s had in his first two Origin appearances outside of contesting a bomb.
Who’d have thought a starting team featuring five Cowboys players could be so poor defensively?
Queensland to win Game III by six points.