It was an Origin play. One of those Origin plays that you can only see if you played Origin, or read a textbook about Origin, or if you were wearing special Origin 3D glasses that allow you to see things that only Origin people can see.
In the 68th minute of Origin I, Queensland were camped on the NSW line and had a spring in their step thanks to a 12-point lead. On the last tackle of the set, halfback Daly Cherry-Evans placed a deft chip into the right corner.
Debutant winger Selwyn Cobbo jumped above NSW opposite Daniel Tupou, batting it infield to centre Dane Gagai, who looked certain to score.
But no! What Gagai didn’t anticipate was the large, imposing frame of Blues prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard giving him a big bear hug and wrestling him to the ground.
What those watching without the special 3D glasses also wouldn’t have noticed was how, on the previous play, Campbell-Gillard was on the other side of the ruck, meaning he’d had to sprint across to make sure he made up the numbers in the Blues defensive line for the last tackle.
Now that’s Origin. So, so Origin.
Alas, it wasn’t Origin enough for the Parramatta prop to avoid the selection axe for game two in Perth. Nor was it enough for him to get a call-up for game three in Brisbane when Broncos prop Payne Haas was ruled out because of a shoulder injury.
Instead, the Blues have selected Cowboys prop Jordan McLean and, while he’ll acquit himself with aplomb without being spectacular, as is his style, questions have been raised about why Campbell-Gillard has gone out of fashion quicker than see-through jeans. (They were a thing in 2017: Google it).
NSW coach Brad Fittler had a simple explanation when I spoke to him on Monday on his way into camp for the deciding match of the series against Queensland on July 13 at Suncorp Stadium.
“Jordan was in our last camp, on the extended bench,” Fittler said. “Reagan is a really good front-rower, but Jordan was on our extended bench for a reason when Payne wasn’t available.”
It’s difficult to criticise Fittler after his sweeping changes paid off so spectacularly in Origin II, including the axing of Campbell-Gillard as part of a desire for a smaller, more mobile pack.
Nevertheless, the snubbing of Campbell-Gillard even from the extended squad has left people — not least people at Parramatta — confused about his NSW future. He made his debut in Fittler’s first match in charge in 2018 but has played just one match since.
In McLean, Fittler knows what he’s getting. He has been impressed with him since his days at Melbourne before his move to the Cowboys in 2018.
“You watch the game but you need to go to the stats afterwards to see what he’s done,” Fittler said. “That’s the player we’re after. Between himself and the Cowboys, he’s having a great year. It’s a lesson for a lot of people: the benefit of being in a great team. He’s always had the game for big matches; that hard ethic that comes from Melbourne.”
Fittler resisted the urge to find a place for Jack Wighton, who has become the victim of circumstance after being the Blues’ best in game one. He missed game two because of COVID-19, which gave Matt Burton a chance at left centre. Burton played so well on debut he made himself un-droppable, even if Latrell Mitchell was available.
The only place for Wighton was the bench, but that traditional utility role is changing because of the emerging trend of picking two hookers, as the Blues did with Api Koroisau and Damien Cook for game two following the success of Ben Hunt and Harry Grant for Queensland in the series opener.
“Once you go with two hookers, your bench becomes limited,” Fittler said. “Your hooker becomes your 14 and that backrower/centre player becomes really valuable.”
Blues assistant Danny Buderus, one of the game’s great hookers, made a telling remark before game two about Origin being played at such pace that two hookers were now a must.
“Two hookers could well be the new normal, to make sure you’re always on top of that ruck speed and able to take advantage of anything you see,” he told the Herald.
Rugby league styles change quicker than most codes, but the fundamentals stay the same: slow down the ruck when they’ve got the ball, try to play fast when you’ve got it.
Origin III threatens to be played at an even faster clip than the first two, which is hard to wrap your weathered old head around.
Fittler has looked at the long-term forecast and it should be a clear, mild night with a fast surface.
What’s the gameplan, then?
“Start fast and don’t relent,” he said.
Sounds very Origin to me.
Replies
BULLSHIT!
Yep, bullshit indeed. What a pissweak answer to the question of why he was dropped. I get he wanted to make changes after game 1, and we won game 2 after those changes were made, but there wasn't anything to justify dropping RCG in the first place. He was one of our better players in game 1, and if not for him we would have lost by more than 6.
Off chops MeelK 🍻 4 30am... my team Corinthians beat Boca Juniors in Argentina today! Quarter finals now in the Copa Libertadores.
LOL good stuff Bert. Have a good time mate.
I have blocked Fifi on WhatsApp.
I hope we lose after that comment by Fittler. What a bunch of dogs they are. All because Chin boy can't stand him no doubt.
'You've got to look at the stats' - So McLeans club stats have been better than RCG's? Surely not.
Good to see Freddie stumble his way through & not answer that one at all.
Thanks for posting Bert, bullshit indeed.
The stats certainly don't suggest McLean is having a better year than RCG. The only stat where he leads RCG is tackle efficiency (96.8% to 93.4%).
beat me to it Meelk, freddy is a space cadet
So is BA 🥴.... bench FMD.
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