Queensland issued grim warning ahead of State of Origin II as Cameron Munster to captain
Queensland great Chris Close has a stunning warning for the current Maroons squad if there is not a massive change in outlook and performance for State of Origin II in Perth.
'If we use the way we played in game one as a launching pad for game two we won't beat them for another 100 years,' Close said.
'If they can't find it within themselves to lift to the standard required in State of Origin then they are going to find it difficult to win.'
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While Close has resorted to hyperbole to make a point, the words of the man of the match in the first two Origin games in 1980 and 1981 should resonate with the current Maroons, who were dire in the series-opening 18-6 loss to NSW in Brisbane.
Queensland must win on Wednesday night to keep the series alive and avoid losing four Origin games in a row for the first time since 1996-1997.
Close backed the selectors' decision to axe former Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans as half and replace him with North Queensland co-captain Tom Dearden.
The former Maroons team manager said Dearden was the only player that went 'above their club standard to a level that is called State of Origin' in Brisbane when he came off the bench and sparked the attack.
Close said it wasn't just Cherry-Evans amongst the spine members who failed to fire.
'There are a couple of other players that are very lucky to be coming back,' he fired.
'Kalyn Ponga, Cameron Munster and Harry Grant were all very ordinary in game one, three of our most important players.
'I don't care how far you go back and how many games they won or what they did, we are talking about this week. They need to understand they are judged for each game, not for the collective of the season.
'If we don't have players that can lift and play above the club standard that is required to play Origin and put their bodies on the line then they don't deserve to be in the team.'
Close's comments come from the right place. There is no more passionate Queenslander than the man known as 'Choppy'.
'I get stirred up because I hate losing,' he said.
'NSW have a really good team and are playing with a spirit that NSW doesn't display that often, but this team has it.'(For Queensland) we have got to lose that mindset that the world stops when our good players are forced to retire.
'Let's find another mindset where we find a player who will take over and give us what we need — a performance at a level that is way above what they give on a week-in and week-out basis.'
Hooker Grant had one of his poorest games at Suncorp Stadium.
'I've played enough footy over the years to know what I need to do and know what's important going into a big game like an Origin,' Grant said this week when asked about his game one display.
'I probably went away from that a little bit and it flowed into the game.'
Munster will captain the side for the first time in Perth.
'I need to go out there and be the best player for this team and the best version of myself,' he said.
'I will do everything I can and get the ball in my hands to win this game, that's pretty much why I'm out there.'
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ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Payne Haas unconcerned by 'weak' Maroons tactic ahead of State of Origin Game Two in Perth
Payne Haas doesn't care if Queensland avoid kicking off to him, but claims he would want to send the ball Spencer Leniu's way if the shoe was on the other foot. The kick-off debate remains an unlikely talking point one day out from State of Origin II, after the Maroons refused to kick in Leniu's direction in game one. Haas was inadvertently brought into the debate last week, when Angus Crichton claimed he knew of predetermined Maroons plans to stop Haas and Leniu taking the first hit ups. ABC Sport will have live blog coverage of the State of Origin series. Of the four long kick-offs from Queensland in the series opener, the first two went left towards Mitch Barnett before the next two went right for Max King to return the ball. The situation left Leniu fuming, with the Sydney Roosters firebrand appearing to swear in frustration as the Maroons changed the direction of their kick to avoid him. Haas remains unfazed by the matter, while admitting having the chance to take the first carry remained one of the highlights of Origin. "It's cool. It's an adrenaline rush," Haas said at Blues training in Perth. "It's what you live for. You watch those first carries in Origin, your Mark O'Meleys and all those guys. "It's something you dream about as a kid, especially playing prop. It's always cool. "But I'm not really worried about what their tactics are. I'm just worried about our performance and what we are going to do." Former NSW front-rower Willie Mason accused the Maroons of being "s**t scared" of Leniu after not kicking to him in Origin I, while Braith Anasta labelled Queensland "weak". The kick-off situation has become something of a running joke when mentioned to NSW players, given the way it has blown up and how much it infuriated Leniu. But Haas said if there was a similar player to Leniu on the Maroons' team, he would want the ball kicked off to him in order to have the chance to take the rival firebrand down in their first hit-up. "Personally I would," Haas said. "But I'm not sure what Queensland's tactics are. I'm not really fussed about it, I don't think it's such a big deal." AAP
The Advertiser
4 hours ago
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Titans wing whiz has more 'crazy' try records in reach
Gold Coast winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira is on track to be one of the greatest try scoring machines of all time after notching his 50th career four-pointer in just 52 games. The 23-year-old said it was "crazy" that he equalled former Parramatta flyer Semi Radradra as the fastest to 50 tries in the NRL era. Khan-Pereira reached the milestone with a try double in the Titans' 28-8 win over Manly on Friday night to take his career tally to 51. "Just comparing myself with Radradra is pretty crazy. It's a cool stat," he said. If he keeps his strike rate up in the years to come, Khan-Pereira could overhaul the best of the best. The leading try scorers of all time are former North Sydney and Manly marvel Ken Irvine (212 tries in 238 games), South Sydney speed demon Alex Johnston (202 in 233) and Melbourne magician Billy Slater (190 in 313). Khan-Pereira has a better try-scoring strike rate than all of them. His achievements are even more remarkable considering he plays for a side that has a win record of just 35 per cent in the games he has played. Compare that to the win rates of the teams Irvine (55 per cent), Radradra (51 per cent) and Slater (77 per cent) played with. Khan-Pereira is a humble man and credited his left centre Brian Kelly, who set him up for one of his tries against Manly, as an inspiration and creative force. "Me and BK have got a mad combo," Khan-Pereira said. "We have worked on it for many years now. BK took me under his wing and I read him like a book. That try, where he set me up (against Manly), he was looking on the inside, I just knew he was going to pass it to me. "We are only going to get better." Khan-Pereira announced himself as a rare talent when he scored 25 tries in just 19 games for Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Cup in 2022. "The Burleigh boys put me on the map and big (centre) Sami Sauiluma set me up for just as many tries as BK has done," he said. "I couldn't be where I am today without those Burleigh boys." Khan-Pereira didn't start playing rugby league until the age of 11 after growing up playing soccer. The former Queensland under 18s representative is qualified for the Maroons and has played twice for the Prime Ministers XIII against Papua New Guinea. He has Indigenous and Pakistani heritage. Friday night's win was more remarkable considering the last-placed Titans were without 11 top 30 players through State of Origin and injuries, against a Manly side that did not have an Origin representative missing for the first time since 2015. "We all got together and wanted to play the way us Titans boys used to play," Khan-Pereira said. "That's with our fast footy and going around teams." The Titans travel to Parramatta, also on the bottom of the NRL ladder with 12 points, on Sunday night. "We are both at the bottom and the desperation is there. We are both going to be very hungry to get that W (win)," Khan-Pereira said. Gold Coast winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira is on track to be one of the greatest try scoring machines of all time after notching his 50th career four-pointer in just 52 games. The 23-year-old said it was "crazy" that he equalled former Parramatta flyer Semi Radradra as the fastest to 50 tries in the NRL era. Khan-Pereira reached the milestone with a try double in the Titans' 28-8 win over Manly on Friday night to take his career tally to 51. "Just comparing myself with Radradra is pretty crazy. It's a cool stat," he said. If he keeps his strike rate up in the years to come, Khan-Pereira could overhaul the best of the best. The leading try scorers of all time are former North Sydney and Manly marvel Ken Irvine (212 tries in 238 games), South Sydney speed demon Alex Johnston (202 in 233) and Melbourne magician Billy Slater (190 in 313). Khan-Pereira has a better try-scoring strike rate than all of them. His achievements are even more remarkable considering he plays for a side that has a win record of just 35 per cent in the games he has played. Compare that to the win rates of the teams Irvine (55 per cent), Radradra (51 per cent) and Slater (77 per cent) played with. Khan-Pereira is a humble man and credited his left centre Brian Kelly, who set him up for one of his tries against Manly, as an inspiration and creative force. "Me and BK have got a mad combo," Khan-Pereira said. "We have worked on it for many years now. BK took me under his wing and I read him like a book. That try, where he set me up (against Manly), he was looking on the inside, I just knew he was going to pass it to me. "We are only going to get better." Khan-Pereira announced himself as a rare talent when he scored 25 tries in just 19 games for Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Cup in 2022. "The Burleigh boys put me on the map and big (centre) Sami Sauiluma set me up for just as many tries as BK has done," he said. "I couldn't be where I am today without those Burleigh boys." Khan-Pereira didn't start playing rugby league until the age of 11 after growing up playing soccer. The former Queensland under 18s representative is qualified for the Maroons and has played twice for the Prime Ministers XIII against Papua New Guinea. He has Indigenous and Pakistani heritage. Friday night's win was more remarkable considering the last-placed Titans were without 11 top 30 players through State of Origin and injuries, against a Manly side that did not have an Origin representative missing for the first time since 2015. "We all got together and wanted to play the way us Titans boys used to play," Khan-Pereira said. "That's with our fast footy and going around teams." The Titans travel to Parramatta, also on the bottom of the NRL ladder with 12 points, on Sunday night. "We are both at the bottom and the desperation is there. We are both going to be very hungry to get that W (win)," Khan-Pereira said. 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Sydney Morning Herald
4 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Liam Martin missed an easy shot to Munster's ribs in game one. He's vowed not to miss in Perth
One of Liam Martin's big regrets in Origin I was missing a golden opportunity to put a decent shot on Cam Munster's exposed ribs. Martin's eyes lit up in the 43rd minute when Munster was being tackled, he raced in, but got his timing wrong and collected him a little high. In the 55th minute at Suncorp Stadium, Martin and Munster were also involved in a push and shove off camera as Martin chased through after a kick. Martin versus Munster generated no shortage of headlines before the start of this series – and Martin was not expecting his Maroons' nemesis to bite his tongue a second game in a row, especially now he had been elevated to captain. 'I don't know if he has become a bigger scalp now he's captain,' Martin said of Munster. 'Congratulations to him. But I'll certainly be going after him. I'll know he'll want to take the game on and lead from the front. I'll have to be there to match it and go to another level.' As for lining up Munster's exposed ribs, Martin said: 'That's what you have to do, especially in Origin. You need to be physical and do whatever it takes. 'If there's an opportunity, I'm sure I'll take it again. I'm sure he would as well.
