INGLIS TARGETS BLUES SPEEDSTERS
NSW’S SPEED A WEAK LINK
THE Maroons believe NSW’s backline speed merchants could crack under the defensive pressure of Origin as Maroons stars warned Greg Inglis will torment Blues rookie James Roberts. Inglis will return to the interstate arena in Origin I this Wednesday night after a 12- month absence and Queensland’s new skipper is primed to subject Roberts to an MCG nightmare.
Statistics underline the NSW speed machines’ defensive frailties, with Roberts, Josh Addo- Carr, Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic having collectively missed 53 tackles in the NRL this season.
QUEENSLAND believe NSW’s backline speed merchants could crack under the defensive pressure of Origin as Maroons stars warned Greg Inglis would torment Blues rookie James Roberts.
Inglis will return to the interstate arena in Origin I on Wednesday night after a 12- month injury- enforced absence and Queensland’s new skipper is primed to subject Roberts to an MCG nightmare.
The Blues are confident their backline can torch the Maroons with Josh Addo- Carr, Latrell Mitchell, Tom Trbojevic and Roberts comprising the fastest three- quarter line in NSW’s Origin history.
But statistics underline the NSW defensive frailties, with the quartet having collectively missed 53 tackles in the NRL this season.
Roberts’ defensive flaws were exposed by Mitchell in the BroncosRoosters clash a fortnight ago at Suncorp Stadium and Queensland are backing Inglis – the greatest tryscorer in Origin history – to monster The Jet.
Queensland winger Valentine Holmes admits the Maroons are tired of hearing about a Blues backline that collectively can’t match the incredible Origin record of 30- game giant Inglis.
“Look at their backline and look at ours – we have ‘ GI’ ( Inglis) and Will Chambers, who have played in mul- tiple big occasions,” said Holmes, the hat- trick hero in the Suncorp decider last year.
“Everyone is saying how good their back five is ( including fullback James Tedesco), but we have GI as captain and we all look up to him.
“Everyone saw the clash with Roberts and Latrell Mitchell a few weeks ago and GI is the same ( as the Roosters centre), he is big and lanky.
“GI will try and palm him ( Roberts) off and step outside him so I have to be ready for his flick pass.
“GI will try and take on James a lot more, he is excited and pumped for the challenge – I’ve seen how he has been around camp.”
Holmes believes the Blues could be guilty of poor defensive reads on their left and right edges. Addo- Carr, Roberts, Mitchell and Trbojevic will all be making their Origin debuts and don’t have the benefit of a club combination in defence.
“I think we can handle their backline fine,” he said.