BLUES COOKING UP ORIGIN WIN
LET me take you back to Game Three, 2017 – The Decider.
The great Cameron Smith comes out and says he has been letting Queensland down after being limited to just two runs for eight metres in the opening two matches.
On the eve of the decider Smith publicly called his forwards out to lay the platform for him to increase his attack.
The crafty Queenland No. 9 was at his attacking best, scheming and probing every time there was a quick play the ball, every time a NSW marker was left on the ground. And when the big, powerful NSW forward pack tired, it was Smith who owned the moment.
Tonight as we embark on a new era of Origin, the Blues will field a side full of speed, athleticism and youth with 11 debutants thrust onto rugby league’s biggest stage.
For the Maroons, well, they face the daunting task of trying to defend their title without arguably the greatest spine in the history of league.
Few would argue Smith is the greatest dummy- half to ever lace up a boot, while Billy Slater is a player who completely revolutionised the modern- day fullback’s role, Johnathan Thurston is a future Immortal and few have ever been able to execute a coach’s game plan better than Cooper Cronk.
We’ve become accustomed to seeing these four Queensland champions owning the clutch moments when the game is on knife’s edge.
Who will rise when that moment presents now?
Is there a player with bigger shoes to fill than Andrew McCullough?
The retirement of Smith was going to eventuate and it was always going to be unfortunate for whoever had that daunting task of pulling on the famous Maroons No 9.
McCullough is the right man for the job. His temperament suggests he won’t go out there tonight and try to be Smith, he has to play his own game, something he has done so well for the Broncos over the past few years.
His game suits Origin. He’s tough and uncompromising, yet crafty out of dummy- half.
It is what Smith brought to the Maroons for over a decade.
McCullough though is up against a very big NSW forward pack and will need to play smart. He will need variety, movement and to change the angles of his forwards to fatigue the NSW forward pack.
We don’t see him run a lot but he must do it tonight.
When you earn momentum in Origin you must sustain it, put the foot on the throat and be relentless, play over the advantage line and terrorise the opposition through the middle.
This is a great opportunity for McCullough and one he thoroughly deserves.
Opposing McCullough is the electric Damien Cook.
Is there a player heading on to the MCG tonight in better form? What a story this is. He is the epitome of persistence.
He has had road block after road block in front of him at every club he has been at and tonight that incredible drive, determination and phenomenal work ethic pays off.
His form at the Rabbitohs has been incredible and could prove to be the x- factor for NSW. The Blues forward pack is powerful and aggressive and the onus is on them to lay the platform and generate momentum for the likes of Nathan Cleary and James Maloney but it is Cook who could do the most damage.
He now poses just as much of a threat in the opening 20 minutes as he does in the last 20 minutes.
What’s most important for Cook is that he doesn’t sit back and wait for his moment, sometimes in Origin they just don’t come. You have to go and find it.
Tonight on rugby league’s biggest stage, when that Origin moment arrives and the result is on the line, the two debutants in the No. 9 jersey will hold the key. Who will own that moment? I get the feeling that this is Damien Cook’s time.