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News.com.au
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Absolutely stuffed': Maroons icon toppled as bleak Origin reality exposed
Remember when the Maroons were so daunting they'd reduced the Blues to Origin's Washington Generals? When their side was packed with winners and Suncorp Stadium was such a bear pit that our boys would only leave the sheds to be winched to safety? FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Yep, Origin was once so traumatic for New South Welshpeople that we'd peek through our fingers on one hand while sucking the thumb on the other, and that was just for the coin toss. But in a long-awaited win for the good guys, these days are officially a thing of the past. After two straight losses at the Queensland icon of Suncorp Stadium and barely a four-pointer to share between them, you can consider the Queensland Spirit fizzled, Fortress Suncorp a public library, and the Maroons absolutely stuffed. With an ageing side and depressing lack of replacements, Queensland's Origin team is so shot to bits that the Blues don't even need to convert tries to beat them anymore. Wednesday's sweat-free 18-6 win was as breezy as it gets for the southern state, a night so relaxing that even a worrywart like Andrew Johns spent most of the night gleefully fixated on balls. And with coach Laurie Daley declaring in the aftermath 'I think we can get a lot better ', suddenly it's now NSW boasting the softest draw in rugby league. With the Blues entrenched in a golden window with options coming out the wazoo - and a mulligan at Fortress Perth beckoning - all of Queensland's bunkum about being lowdown underdogs is finally about to come true. Put simply, Billy Slater's options are so threadbare for a must-win game two that he has nothing to turn to but Maroon hyperbole or the bottle. The Queensland coach has already hinted at retaining his game one squad, probably just to give this sack of doorknobs one more chance to save face after Wednesday night. But what's the point? Such was the walkover at Suncorp, he needs new blood in the forwards and Botox in the backs, and he can start with handing the reins to Tom Dearden in favour of Daly Cherry-Evans. If Slater doesn't exhibit the intestinal fortitude required to axe a few mates, then Queensland Courage is nothing more than some kinda rum-based rocket fuel. And if he does choose to walk his state off a cliff, Queensland might as well cut to the chase and pronounce Origin as dead, which is what they usually do anyway whenever their team's completion rate drops below 65%. Yep, the Maroons need to pull some big kahuna moves because not even Suncorp can save them anymore. We all recall that horrifically lean time when the Blues could only win north of the border if it was a dead rubber or a pandemic. But after recording back-to-back triumphs for the first time since 1997/98, this graveyard for the Blues has become a virtual wellness retreat. Once a venue where futile NSW teams would be haunted by the ghosts of Queensland past, now the only translucent shadows on the paddock at Lang Park are the scared holograms kicking the ball away from Spencer Leniu. Even the baying locals have become inexplicably sober. Once so crowding you could taste the halitosis, last night's Suncorp attendance was so silent at times you could hear the clip-clop of all the horse and carts on Milton Street. In fact, the only stinging verbal attack that came from north of the border all week was from the Courier Mail and to be fair, the impact to Leniu's feelings from the paper's 'grub' headline was harder than any tackle he copped in the series opener. Even the Maroons once-superhuman attack has become such a flaccid east-west dish for the Blues marauding defence that it can only score provided it's against 12 men. It means Suncorp is still an Origin graveyard, but only for its hosts. That's why the Blues should seriously consider transferring all their home games there forthwith. After all, it's their new spiritual home, plus it's probably easier for fans to commute to and from Sydney than Accor Stadium. - Dane Eldridge is a warped cynic yearning for the glory days of rugby league, a time when the sponges were magic and the Mondays were mad. He's never strapped on a boot in his life, and as such, should be taken with a grain of salt.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
He's the angriest coach in the NRL. But Craig Bellamy lightened up for Origin
With a camera crew following his every move, Craig Bellamy last year revealed the game-day angst he has carried his whole career. Despite having coached more than 500 NRL matches, Stan's Revealed - Craig Bellamy: Inside the Storm documentary lifted the lid on how nerves frequently make the hours before a game almost unbearable for one of rugby league's greatest ever mentors. On Wednesday night, clutching a Jim Beam and cola (no Queensland sugarcane champagne, thank you) in the Suncorp sheds, Bellamy toasted the Blues' grinding 18-6 Origin I victory, and Laurie Daley. And for once, a pleasurable game-day experience. Bellamy, Daley's sounding board in the coach's box, made sure he sat largely out of sight of Channel 9's cameras. And revelled in the fact it was someone else going through the emotional wringer only a head coach can truly understand. A coach's burden can be a cruel and unusual punishment. An incredible investment in the 17 players in the middle, so much work poured into them, their game plan and every possible scenario … and then you have to watch on, largely unable to influence proceedings any further beyond interchanges and relayed messages. 'So I was well-behaved,' Bellamy grinned. No blow-ups, he swears. Daley confirms.
The Age
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
He's the angriest coach in the NRL. But Craig Bellamy lightened up for Origin
With a camera crew following his every move, Craig Bellamy last year revealed the game-day angst he has carried his whole career. Despite having coached more than 500 NRL matches, Stan's Revealed - Craig Bellamy: Inside the Storm documentary lifted the lid on how nerves frequently make the hours before a game almost unbearable for one of rugby league's greatest ever mentors. On Wednesday night, clutching a Jim Beam and cola (no Queensland sugarcane champagne, thank you) in the Suncorp sheds, Bellamy toasted the Blues' grinding 18-6 Origin I victory, and Laurie Daley. And for once, a pleasurable game-day experience. Bellamy, Daley's sounding board in the coach's box, made sure he sat largely out of sight of Channel 9's cameras. And revelled in the fact it was someone else going through the emotional wringer only a head coach can truly understand. A coach's burden can be a cruel and unusual punishment. An incredible investment in the 17 players in the middle, so much work poured into them, their game plan and every possible scenario … and then you have to watch on, largely unable to influence proceedings any further beyond interchanges and relayed messages. 'So I was well-behaved,' Bellamy grinned. No blow-ups, he swears. Daley confirms.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Shocked footy fans and greats of the game all have the same HUGE problem with State of Origin game one
NSW fans should be ecstatic after the Blues took a huge step towards winning their second straight Origin series with a dominant victory over Queensland on Wednesday night - but instead, many were left bitterly disappointed by the quality of the match. They weren't alone. Footy legends including Andrew Johns also slammed the teams' performances at Suncorp Stadium, with 'Joey' saying it wasn't close to Origin standard and was more like a club game. While the Blues were a class above the Maroons, the contest was marred by very poor play from Queensland and a shocking number of stoppages in play. Fans and legends love Origin because its intensity and habit of producing long periods of uninterrupted play set it apart as the highest standard of footy apart from the NRL grand final - but game one fell far short of that mark. The teams committed a staggering 23 errors between them, with the second half of the contest reduced to a constant stop-start affair as a result. And if that wasn't bad enough, 15 penalties were blown by referee Ashley Klein. Comments like this one from a very disappointed fan were common on social media in the wake of the game, which was ruined by errors and penalties from both sides It's not like he was needlessly blowing the pea out of the whistle, either - both sides, but especially Queensland, were guilty of very lax discipline that helped rob the fans of what should have been a great spectacle. Players who were picked for their spectacular attacking prowess - like Maroons stars Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Kalyn Ponga - went missing, and NSW were able to play very conservatively on their way to the win. After fulltime, Johns and Queensland icon Cameron Smith were anything but impressed with what they'd just seen. 'It wasn't a genuine Origin game,' Johns said. 'It didn't feel like one,' Smith agreed. 'It didn't feel that way, for whatever reason,' Johns continued. 'It just didn't feel like the intensity and the physical side of an Origin game. For me it was like a good club game.' Fans were in complete agreement, with some going a lot further in their criticism. 'Yeah I wouldn't be promoting this game. Absolutely horrible advertisement for the NRL,' one wrote on X. 'It was boring when Queensland were winning every year. Now it's worse. They need to reinvent this series somehow. It's losing its shine. Wouldn't know it's on in Brisbane if you didn't watch channel 9 this week. Nothing like it used to be,' another commented. 'This will go down as the worst Origin in a decade. So many errors,' added a third. 'If I paid for a ticket to watch Queensland, I'd be asking for my money back. Absolute disgrace, no vision whatsoever. Munster, Cherry, Ponga was a waste [of] space tonight,' an angry Maroons fan commented. 'Top 5 worst origin games ever this one,' another fan said. 'That was the most tickerless showing from a Maroons team I've seen. Just standing around waiting for someone else to make a miracle happen,' added another. The fallout from the match looks set to result in some big changes for Queensland - especially if the team follows Andrew Johns' advice and axes veteran skipper Daly Cherry-Evans. Maroons coach Billy Slater was blunt in his assessment of the performance. '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. 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.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Ridiculous': State of Origin sin bin controversy erupts in opener
Controversy has unfolded in the opening half of the State of Origin opener with fans left seeing red. In the dying seconds and with the Maroons looking to finally impact the scoreboard, a kick into the end zone hung in the air as Xavier Coates came leaping in. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. As the Queensland star leapt for the ball he was met in the air by Blues counterpart Brian To'o with the ball bobbling out of his hands and onto the Suncorp turf. Coates instantly argued with Ashley Klein that he was impeded with the official sending it to be checked by the Bunker. As slow motion replays began to roll it appeared the Blues star had wrapped his arms around Coates. 'There's no doubt he grabs Xavier Coates there,' Cam Smith said in commentary. The Bunker ultimately ruled it was a professional foul, which means To'o will now spend the first 10 minutes of the second half in the sin bin. The decision however from the Bunker to penalise the diminutive Blues star left those watching on seething. Darren Lockyer on Nine's halftime coverage said of the To'o sin bin: 'I thought he was a little bit hard done by it. A professional foul is something you do deliberately. I think that was an instinctive reaction.' Phil Gould added: 'I think it's a ridiculous exaggeration and a ridiculous interpretation of the rule. They're fighting for the ball in the possession. It's not a sin bin in an origin match.' The Mole wrote on X: 'Joke sin bin.. no intent from To'o to tackle … just got out-jumped.' Reporter Lachlan Jeffery wrote: 'That's just the worst call ever. I know they have to keep Queensland in the game, but that is so far from the correct call it's not funny. Even Queenslanders know that that's blatantly incorrect.' The moment opened the door up for the Maroons after the Blues had dominated proceedings in the first half. In a moment of pure magic, Latrell Mitchell stunned fans with a freak act that helped extend the Blues' lead. The ball worked its way to the left hand side of the field and Latrell Mitchell passed the ball on to To'o while mid-air as he was about to get tackled. 'He actually caught and passed that in mid-air, Latrell Mitchell,' Cam Smith said on Nine. Brad Fittler added: 'Latrell when he threw the ball he was off the ground. I don't know how he finds the strength to be able to flick it through his hands that quick.' Joey Johns just said this Blues start is: 'As good as it gets. They're (Queensland) getting blown away.'
