Accountant savours his key numbers
COMETH the hour, cometh the man.
No better phrase can describe inspirational Queensland skipper Cameron Smith’s performance last night.
At 34 and playing in his 42nd Origin game, Smith was the man pulling the strings.
In the very first set of the game, he threatened the NSW defensive line with a darting 12m run out of dummy-half.
It set the tone for a decisive first half in which he would consistently challenge the Blues, running 41m and registering two line break assists – not to mention 23 tackles (40 by full-time) and a pair of pinpoint sideline conversions.
By comparison, opposite number Nathan Peats did not take a single run in the first 40 minutes.
When Smith wasn’t directing the troops from acting half, he moved to first or second receiver to form a crucial cog in the side’s sweeping backline plays.
And when NSW came roaring back into the contest, it was Smith who cleaned up a loose ball.
All series, inside balls around the ruck had proved the most successful method of breaking the line and it was Smith and his right-hand man Billy Slater who wreaked havoc last night.
Slater, who shares the same date of birth as his skipper, further stamped his mark as the game’s No.1 fullback.
Smith said pre-game a win – given the circumstances of injuries and new faces – would be the most special of his illustrious career.
Savour that one, Maroons fans. That’s as good as it gets.