Blues admit their game plan didn’t suit Fifita

ANDREW Fifita had a target on his back in Origin II.

The Maroons knew if they could neutralise the threat he posed they were in with a chance of levelling the series in Sydney.

But little did they know they would get a helping hand from their opposition.

Forward Aaron Woods now admits the Blues gave the Queenslanders a leg up by not playing the kind of footy best suited to Fifita’s damaging style.

“They attacked him pretty hard when we had the ball,” Woods said.

“They just had a lot of numbers to him. They attacked his legs. He’s a big frame and the way they we carried sometimes didn’t help the way Fifita plays.

“We might have to look at a few things there and fix that up.

“He’s pretty disappointed he didn’t get enough ball.

“It’s something we’ll talk to Loz (coach Laurie Daley) about and how our game plan’s going to go and the structure we are going to play.”

Woods also revealed Fifita’s preparations have been hampered by illness during the first week of Origin camp but insists come Wednesday night he’ll be “raring” to go.

“He’s got a bit of the flu. He’s been a little bit crook earlier on but he’s got enough time to rest until Wednesday. I’m sure he’s raring and ready to go,” he said.

After a smooth start to the series, NSW was facing the prospect of being rocked by injury with five players arriving at Kingscliff worse for wear.

The most serious of the lot is captain Boyd Cordner, who is nursing a calf complaint, and Tyson Frizell, who has back and two separate rib injuries.

But Woods says he is confident the Blues will line up 1-17 at Suncorp Stadium.