Wild theory on Nathan Cleary's poor kicking in State of Origin opener emerges
NRL great Andrew Johns has floated a conspiracy theory surrounding the balls used in the State of Origin opener after wayward kicking marred the Blues' 18-6 victory.
While New South Wales won the match by 12 points, it could have been a far greater margin if it wasn't for some poor kicking.
Penrith superstar Nathan Cleary, who nailed an early penalty goal, missed all three of his conversion attempts before Zac Lomax took over kicking duties and badly missed the final attempt of the match.
All three of Cleary's attempts were from difficult angles, but it was still a rare sight to see him fail to hit the target.
Maroons kicker Valentine Holmes was also way off with his conversion attempt, while Mitchell Moses also kicked one dead in-goal, which added to Johns' theory.
The NRL legend wondered if the balls were a bit fatter due to the different logos. The Origin Steeden has a Maroons and Blues logo on both points.
'I'm going down to the sheds and I'm going to ask Nathan if the balls were a little bit different,' Johns said on Channel 9.
'Even the sound of the ball when they were kicking, it just sounded different.
'Mitchell Moses kicked one (dead) in-goal, he never gets that wrong.
'Sometimes they are a little bit fatter, maybe the graphics on the ball, whether that changes it.
'Zac Lomax, he missed it by a mile, that was a sitter.'
But Cleary shot down the potential theory when speaking to Johns after the match.
'The last one I kicked was definitely just an F-up,' said Cleary.
'I think I'll reflect on that and I think there was a bit going in my brain, I had so many things I wanted to do.
'I've thought about being back in this arena so often and so many things I wanted to do and sometimes I need to calm down a bit and go through the processes.'
Blues coach Laurie Daley wasn't fussed by Cleary's wayward night.
'Well it's a good day to have off isn't it,' he said.
'I don't know Nath that well because I haven't worked with him, but just to see the way that he prepares I know that would be burning him and I know that he won't be like that again.
'He'll do whatever it takes … he'll be right.'
The comprehensive victory has the Blues on the cusp of back-to-back Origin triumphs.
So far ahead were NSW on Wednesday night, former Blues coach Phil Gould remarked in that they had 'shattered' Queensland and left them with no answers.
There are also signs that NSW will also only improve, with Moses and Cleary having got through their first game together in the halves, impressing in the process.
'I thought they were great,' Daley said.
'First time they've played together. It's difficult when you bring new people together. But I thought they were terrific.
'I thought Nate really threatened with the ball. Mitch was good. Defensively they were both strong.'
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