CAM: HIT ME WITH ALL YOU HAVE GOT
Munster’s fine if NSW target him
MAROONS star Cameron Munster has challenged the Blues to target him after declaring he had been handed a licence to thrill following his Origin I heroics.
Munster (inset right) will be looking to back up his man-ofthe-match performance in Queensland’s 16-10 Game One victory when the series moves to Perth on Sunday.
The Maroons five-eighth was sensational in Sydney, producing a memorable second half to guide Queensland to a crucial win on enemy turf.
But his efforts have not gone unnoticed, with NSW expected to target Munster at Optus Stadium after he tore them apart.
As revealed by The CourierMail, Blues backrower Liam Martin made a failed attempt to stifle Munster with a series of questionable plays that had little impact.
Ahead of his 15th Origin, Munster dared the Blues to come after him and leave Queensland’s sublime spine unmarked.
“They can (target me),” he said. “If they put all their eggs in one basket and just focus on me you’ve got Harry Grant, Ben Hunt, Daly Cherry-evans and Kalyn Ponga to wreak havoc. I’m more than happy for them to focus on me. It lets the other boys around me play their best games.
“I’m not worrying about what I can’t control. They’re going to have a game plan against me so I’ve got to stick to my strengths and play calm footy. I know they’re going to try and take my head off and do things that aren’t usually done. I have to worry about myself, play my style of footy and let it come when it comes.
“It’s a challenge. You’re playing against the best and I know they will be coming for me. In previous years I’ve been known for it to get under my skin. I’d do things I probably wouldn’t usually do. I’m not that type of person.”
Despite his brilliant performance at Accor r Stadium, in which h he ran for 148m and busted seven tack- les, Munster said he e was not up to o scratch. His second nd half was much better tter than the first and Munster said he couldn’t n’t afford to start slow in Perth against a desperate NSW.
“The first half f was not above par and I knew ew I needed to be a lot better in the second. second I was lucky enough to do that,” he said. “In the second game I have to do that for 80 minutes. The younger boys look up to us in the spine and we need to lead them around and show them what Queensland is all about.
“Running the ball comes naturally to me. I spoke to Cherry after the first half and I was more playing a general role than sweeping role. We changed that a little bit.
“They’re obviously going to do a bit of video and watch us so we’ve got to change a couple of tactics. There’s been media around the Maroons giving me a licence to thrill … I’m going to go out there and play my style of footy.
“I know they’re going to be coming for me, and I’ll have a lot more heat on me than I did in game one, so hopefully I can get away from them.”
Munster and Martin have held many running battles at NRL level over recent years.
That transferred to the Origin arena in Game One when Martin produced a swinging arm on Munster and then dug his elbow into his ribs as the Blues trailed 16-4. Munster, 27, is expecting Martin to come after him again in Perth.
“We’ve had a bit of a rivalry ever since he’s come into grade,” he said. “I like what he brings, a bit of competitiveness and aggression. We’ve had our fair share of tits and tats with each other. That’s footy.
“He is obviously going to try and get under my skin on Sunday. All the best to him, fingers crossed we can get it over them.”