Cowboys juniors will take plenty out of game
COWBOYS junior guns impressed on the State of Origin stage, but their efforts were not enough to stop a rampaging NSW Blues under-20s in the curtain-raiser at ANZ Stadium.
Cowboys outside back Murray Taulagi was one of the Maroons best and scored a late consolation try in the 36-10 drubbing on Wednesday night.
But it was the effort of the Maroons middle men that let the next generation Origin stars down, with the bigger and faster NSW pack getting the roll through the middle third.
It allowed NSW and Roosters dummy-half Sam Verills to control the game from behind the ruck, with NSW fiveeighth Matt Burton running riot with two tries in the opening half.
Speaking to QRL media after the game, Townsville Blackhawks battering ram and Queensland vice-captain Tom Gilbert said it was a case of the Maroons failing to “walk the walk”.
“It was disappointing, we did everything right all week, we had the right attitude coming into the game. We had a lot of talk but honestly we didn’t walk it,” he said.
“Our discipline in the middle in terms of what we talked about all week with owning the ruck. Us middle forwards need to put our hands up for that, we let our boys down, (it’s) as simple as that. Cheap penalties and dropped ball out the back, it didn’t seem to be anyone’s day really.”
It was a turnaround in fortunes for Taulagi who had been part of Queensland’s strong win in the corresponding clash last season.
It was a proud night for the North Queensland club which had six contracted players take the field for the under-20 Maroons including Taulagi, Gilbert, Elijah Anderson, Logan Bayliss-brow, Ben Condon and Nathan Barrett. Fellow Cowboys contracted junior and Mackay Cutters rising star Garrett Smith was 18th man.