Red alert as Horsburgh enters Origin frame for Maroons
There are myths surrounding the Raiders rocket, affectionately known as "Big Red" and "Horse" by fans.
One of those myths is that he is just a throwback to the 1980s who will take it to the opposition with a no-holds-barred approach.
There is more to the 27-year-old than that worthy methodology.
Maroons coach Billy Slater looks for Origin-like habits in his players and Horsburgh epitomised that in second-placed Canberra's recent 16-10 win over the Warriors.
With time almost up on the clock, giant Warriors back-rower Marata Niukore charged towards the line for a try that would have levelled the match. Horsburgh appeared from nowhere to turn Niukore on his back centimetres from the line to save a certain four-pointer.
The Raiders stalwart debuted for the Maroons in the dead-rubber game three of the 2023 Origin series which they lost.
The 2025 series will go down the gurgler if the Maroons don't win in Perth on June 18 after their dismal 18-6 opening loss in Brisbane on Wednesday night. Queensland needs an enforcer to take on beastly Payne Haas and company.
Horsburgh has 20 tackle breaks and 19 offloads in his 11 NRL games this year. He also has a tackle efficiency of 95.2 per cent and has averaged 134m per match in attack. It is a stellar record.
Former Maroons star Ben Ikin, now the Queensland Rugby League CEO, was asked before game one about Horsburgh's omission and whether he would get another chance.
"I'd say to Corey to keep playing the way you are playing and eventually you are going to find yourself in a Maroons jersey," Ikin said.
"He embodies what it means to be a Queenslander. He is full of passion and is in a team that is playing outstanding footy. The Maroons program is in a pretty good place when someone like Corey Horsburgh can't make the team."
NSW great and Channel Nine commentator Andrew Johns is also a fan.
"I think there has to be changes with Corey Horsburgh, he's one I think can add something," Johns said when analysing the Maroons' loss.
Horsburgh will line up against the Sydney Roosters and South Sydney in the next fortnight where he can make a compelling Origin statement.
"Hopefully I can keep playing good footy at the Raiders and put my name in the picture but the Queensland side is not an easy team to get into," Horsburgh told AAP.
"I was lucky enough to do it and that's my goal again this year.
"When I was a young fella I would watch Origin and I looked up to Petero Civoniceva and Matt Scott ... big tough front-rowers that never took a backward step."
Rabbitohs forward Jai Arrow and versatile Warriors gun Kurt Capewell are two other former Origin representatives that could stake a claim.
Maroons coach Billy Slater has also had his eye on Dolphins young gun Max Plath.
Plath is expected back from a foot injury for the round 14 clash with St George Illawarra and could be an option as a utility on the bench.
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The Advertiser
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The Warriors are still not guaranteed to play finals but will finish the season with a winning record if they can snatch one more victory. Canterbury's three biggest losses this season have all come in the wet, but the Bulldogs finally mastered the slippery conditions before 25,377 home fans. "I woke up and read in the paper today that we couldn't play in the wet. It was nice to prove that one wrong," said coach Cameron Ciraldo. They remain in the hunt for a top-two spot, only behind second-placed Melbourne on points differential. After three early penalty goals between the sides in the driving rain, the Bulldogs began to control territory on the back of Matt Burton's boot. Bailey Hayward replaced North Queensland-bound Reed Mahoney at starting hooker as a possible glimpse into the Bulldogs' future. Mahoney only made it on in the final 16 minutes when the result appeared beyond doubt, with Ciraldo indicating Hayward would remain at No.9 next week. 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The Warriors' top-four dream is threatening to slip away after a 32-14 loss to Canterbury continued their disastrously timed form slump ahead of the NRL finals. Saturday night's loss in rainy Sydney caps a tough month for the depleted Kiwi side, who will finish a weekend outside the top four for the first time since round six. Now in fifth, the Warriors' top-four hopes have been left to rely on red-hot Penrith losing once on the run home - assuming they win all four of their own remaining games. That is easier said than done for the Warriors, who have lost their last three matches and have watched the Panthers, 17th after round 12, jump into fourth. "Everyone wants to be a top-four team. It gives you a really good shot at the end of the season," said Warriors coach Andrew Webster. "But tonight won't define us. We've got a lot of football to play at the back end of this year. "No one is happy in there (in the dressing room). We wish we were winning each week at the moment. But there's a lot to build off and a lot of spirit in that group. We'll keep fighting." To make matters worse, Te Maire Martin will join an already busy casualty ward after a head knock 23 minutes into his first game replacing Tanah Boyd at halfback. Boyd is set to replace Martin for next week's clash with giant-killers St George Illawarra, who could leave the Warriors as low as seventh on the ladder by the end of round 24. The Warriors are still not guaranteed to play finals but will finish the season with a winning record if they can snatch one more victory. Canterbury's three biggest losses this season have all come in the wet, but the Bulldogs finally mastered the slippery conditions before 25,377 home fans. "I woke up and read in the paper today that we couldn't play in the wet. It was nice to prove that one wrong," said coach Cameron Ciraldo. They remain in the hunt for a top-two spot, only behind second-placed Melbourne on points differential. After three early penalty goals between the sides in the driving rain, the Bulldogs began to control territory on the back of Matt Burton's boot. Bailey Hayward replaced North Queensland-bound Reed Mahoney at starting hooker as a possible glimpse into the Bulldogs' future. Mahoney only made it on in the final 16 minutes when the result appeared beyond doubt, with Ciraldo indicating Hayward would remain at No.9 next week. "He's earned the right to start the game through his performances. That's really hard on Reed, because Reed's been doing a lot of good things for us," Ciraldo said. "It's not so much about him, it's more about Bailey." Hayward sent a short ball from dummy half for Viliame Kikau to score the Bulldogs' first try, the big man slipping over attempting a left-foot step and sliding to the tryline. Errors hurt the Warriors and put the Bulldogs in position to score their second on the left through rookie winger Jethro Rinakama. On the back of two repeat sets, Enari Tuala dived over on the right in the final 90 seconds of the first half to lift the scoreline to 20-2 and leave the Warriors at sea. A crisp pass from Jacob Kiraz helped Tuala to his second as the final 10 minutes approached. In his fourth NRL game, Sam Healey had his first try with a kick for himself out of dummy half, before a late Roger Tuivasa-Sheck intercept try put some respectability on the scoreboard.
ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
Matt Timoko: We knew we had to get more aggressive
After a surprise loss against the Dragons last weekend, Canberra bounced back in a fractious win over Manly. After a tough first half they asserted their dominance with a hat-trick to Ethan Strange the highlight. Centre Matt Timoko had another impressive match and he told Andrew Moore, Matthew Elliott and Michael Carayannis that after the loss in Wollongong they knew they had to up their levels of aggression - even if Corey Horsburgh has been keeping his in check most of the year.
