Maroons face all-time salvage mission to regain shield

Perth Now

a day ago

Billy Slater insists Queensland's State of Origin series is not already over, with the Maroons needing to replicate NSW's heroics from last year to regain the shield.
Wednesday night's 18-6 defeat to NSW at Suncorp Stadium left the Maroons fighting to stay in the series, needing wins in both Perth and Sydney to do so.
The 12-point defeat also only told half the story, with NSW dominating field position and beating the Maroons through both the middle and out wide.
Adding to the concern for the Maroons is that they would need to defy history in order to lift the Shield.
Never in Queensland's history have they come from 1-0 down when the final two games of the series are on the road.
Queensland also have a miserable record in Perth, beaten 38-6 and 44-12 in their only two outings at Optus Stadium since it first hosted Origin in 2022.
But if the Maroons need inspiration they need look no further than NSW last year, who were flogged in Origin I at home before winning in Melbourne and Brisbane.
In order to replicate that, Slater's men will need to be significantly better after handing NSW the ascendancy early on Wednesday and never really taking it back.
"Probably some decisions ... about the discipline side of the game (have to be better)," Slater said.
"And I'll look at my preparation as well. I'm not out of this. It's not just the players, it's everyone, and we'll all look at ourselves.
"I know there's so much more in this footy team.
"It's a best of three. You've only got to win two games, and that's still alive."
The issue for Queensland is that while NSW had obvious answers last year when they were 1-0 down, questions loom for the Maroons.
NSW went down to 12 men early in last year's series opener, and still dominated territory in that match while lacking polish.
Queensland, in contrast, have now been thoroughly outplayed in the past three Origin matches dating back to game two last year at the MCG.
The Blues also had Mitch Moses return from injury to play in the final two Origins of last year, while Queensland do not have any players to come back in key positions.
Instead, crucial decisions must be made around the future of the Maroons' halves, with pressure growing on captain Daly Cherry-Evans and his No.7 jersey.
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 Nathan Cleary having got through their first game together in the halves, impressing in the process.
"I thought they were great," Blues coach Laurie 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."