HOLD THE BUS
Smith says history counts for nothing
THE stats mean nothing.
That’s the message Queensland captain Cameron Smith will be giving his teammates ahead of tomorrow night’s clash, despite the Maroons not losing a decider since 2005.
Queensland have won 12 of the 18 Origin deciders and have not lost in Game Three with the series on the line in more than a decade.
It’s a formidable record but Smith denied it would give the Maroons a mental edge heading into tomorrow night’s game.
“I don’t believe it does,” Smith said. “Last year was last year and the year before that is gone.
“This year it’s all about this match on Wednesday night,” Smith said.
“It doesn’t matter what’s gone on in the past, or the history of this side.
“It’s about focusing on what we can do Wednesday and that’s really all.”
History may be on Queensland’s side but their dominance over the past decade has come largely on the back of consistency, something they have not enjoyed this season.
With several of their most experienced players missing, Queensland have been true series underdogs, with Smith saying their Game Two win came on the back of sheer determination.
“Over the two matches we’re far from our best performance, there’s no doubt about that,” Smith said.
“But we still managed a victory in Sydney and that was just through effort, through determination and that’s going to be needed again on Wednesday night.”
A win then, would be an enormous effort from Queensland, who are without 117 games of experience minus injured quartet Johnathan Thurston, Darius Boyd, Greg Inglis and Matt Scott.
“There’s no doubt it would be a huge effort. Even if those guys were available it would still be a huge effort needed to beat NSW,” Smith said.
“There hasn’t been an Origin game in my career where we’ve just turned up and the result’s gone our way.
“It’s taken a lot of hard work. It’s no secret we’re missing a lot of big-name players, a lot of experience and it would be handy to have those guys available but they’re not here. “We’re not sitting back and feeling sorry for ourselves and thinking that it’s going to take an extra-special effort to go out and win.
“We believe that we’ve prepared well, we’ve got the game-plan to play well and if everyone goes out and does that, they play their best footy, then we’re a really good chance of winning the game.”
Certainly, Queensland have not been panicking.
Smith said while the team had been focused on the decider since coming together last week, coach Kevin Walters had not demanded a lift in intensity in what has remained a fairly relaxed camp.
“We know where it needs to be at but I think naturally when we run out on Wednesday night with a full house there, both sides will bring an increased intensity to the ground, there’s no doubt about that,” Smith said.
“We’ve had two games now and usually Game Three is the most entertaining, the most expansive game of footy in the series. Let’s hope it’s a good spectacle.”