State of Origin III has been won by Queensland, saving face and avoiding a clean sweep for the Blues.
Our regular sporting opinion returns to go through five of the most interesting points from the big State of Origin III clash.
Not all of them were on how bad Channel Nein’s coverage is, but there is the usual post Origin – Channel Nein suck rant.
Stand by for our five points of Interest from State of Origin III.
SURE BILLY WAS GREAT, BUT HOW DID HE WIN PLAYER OF THE SERIES?
People are dubious of the way Man of Match/Series awards, and last night’s awarding of Player of the Series to Billy Slater certainly won’t help the cynics think any different. If anything, it is worse as Joe and Josephine Public are also questioning how it happened.
Don’t get us wrong, Billy Slater was great, in the two games he played. And a player of the series doesn’t always have to come from the winning side. But if a Player of the Series does come from the losing side, then their contribution has to exceed all other players in the series by a comfortable margin, especially if they have only played two games.
So, did Slater do that? No.
Sure, he was among the best five players in each of the games he played, but is that enough? No.
The award should have gone to Damian Cook, someone who was the very best player in Game One, and can argue was NSW’s best or top three in the other two games. Much like Billy Slater was for Queensland, but with the Man of the Match first game.
Just goes to show that anything selected by Laurie Daley is questionable after years of picking Mitchell Pearce and expecting a different outcome.
However, a silver lining is the betting. When placing a wager on the Player of the Series, keep in mind the sentimental favourite and well as bookies favourite.
BEN HUNT MAY BE QLD’S BEST HOOKER
Ben Hunt carried the can for Queensland’s Game Two loss, more than a few writing him off as an Origin level player. Perhaps maybe as a halfback, but his stint at hooker in Game Three was quite impressive.
Having lost Cameron Smith to retirement just before the series, Andrew McCullough deservedly got his go at number 9, and has been solid but certainly not spectacular. Whether he is fully fit is a question, but compare him to the impact of Damian Cook for NSW and you see the gulf in contribution.
When Ben Hunt assumed the role if seemed to give Queensland a lift, and a few more attacking options. And he combined well with the other halves, both of which also has good games.
It’s no shame to be a great representative hooker and club halfback, Andrew Johns did it for years. So perhaps the number is the new home for Ben Hunt in future Origins.
COREY OATES MAY THINK HE’S A SECOND ROWER, AND VALENTINE HOLMES MAY THINK HE’S A FULLBACK…
Talking of different positions, there are two stories in the Queensland side of players who want to play another position, and two different reasons why they shouldn’t or won’t.
Valentine Holmes wants to play fullback, and could easily do it for any side he plays for on ability. But then the team would lose one of the sport’s great finishers. His intercept try was pure instinct, and the other finish yet another display of the athleticism of this great player. And he does it at all levels. With Kalyn Ponga to return next year, Holmes will probably be selected on the wing again. And that’s a good thing for Queensland.
It’s a different story for Corey Oates, who is selected as a winger for club and state, but has grand designs to move into the pack. He did some fine work from the wing, but you could hardly call it a powerhouse performance, and a couple of times you saw him struggle in the middle of the field when up against seasoned forwards. If he pursues a career off the wing, he’ll end up in the Queensland Cup rather than the Queensland pack. Great winger though.
NSW HAVE THE BASE FOR A GENUINE DYNASTY OF > 1 SERIES
In recent years NSW win one game and immediately call a dynasty, then more years than not lose the next two games to a side that knows about a dynaasty.
But the 2018 series win for NSW feels different, with all the new faces, all of which were found to be of Origin quality, and the spirit (embodied by their first half defensive performance and two tries with 12 men), it looks like a side that could win a few series in a row.
Even more so when you start to look at the depth for Queensland in many positions. And the superstars who have departed in the past two years.
With Brad Fittler in charge they have a man who seems to be a breath of fresh air in rugby league management, much like Mal Meninga was when he first took over the Maroons reins.
Could be a blue time for Queensland for a little while.
CHANNEL NEIN REALLY SUCKS. I MEAN REALLY SUCK.
Three down, one to go.
All we can say is thank god it wasn’t a white/blue wash.
You could say that we shouldn’t be surprised at the usual standard, but it still doesn’t mean it doesn’t annoy you to the core.
You could say that listening to the complete bias of Gus is the worst part of sports broadcasting, and you’d be right. But also a special mention for Paul Vautin, who it feels like his job is to spend most of the time in the commentary box trying to apologise for being a Queenslander by going overboard for NSW praise.
Hopefully, like the cricket, Channel Nein’s arrogance will be their downfall, and then four will become nil.
