Key events
It is tipping it down in Perth! There has already been some rain today so conditions underfoot will be slippery. Fortunately there’s little wind to speak of.
The coaches have said their final pieces. “We want to get on early in the game,” Slater said. “They’ve worked on a few things throughout the week and it’s been a great preparation, so getting those actions into our game early and then sustaining them for 80 minutes.”
Laurie Daley: “It’s the greatest contest we have, isn’t it, State of Origin. It’s the test of your will and desire and your ability to compete and go to places where you’ve probably never been before. But you’ve got to fight your way out of that, and you’ve got to continue to fight till the end… The way that we’ve prepared, we’ve really built on what we achieved in Game One… We’ve got to front load our energy. We’ve got to be ready to go. And that’s what we’ve spoken about.”
Munster has his first win as Queensland skipper! It’s only the coin toss, but still. The Maroons will kick-off.
The first time the teams played at Optus Stadium the Blues won 38-6 in 2019. The last time, the Blues won 44-12 to level the 2022 series. Home from home.
What does Cameron Munster make of captaining Queensland? “It’s everything. As a kid you always wanted to play for Queensland and I never thought I’d have the opportunity to captain this beautiful team and this beautiful state. So to be able to do that tonight, I’m very proud. I can’t wait to lead them out.” Beautiful.
Nathan Cleary has matter-of-factly explained what NSW are planning to do tonight: “Obviously the kicking game is a big part of it, but just being in the game, aggression in defence, running the ball in attack.”
When you have a squad as strong as the Blues there’s no need to overcomplicate things.
NSW XVII
Necessary changes only from Laurie Daley, namely replacing the injured pair of Mitchell Moses and Mitch Barrett. Jarome Luai’s recall at five-eighth was an easy decision, while Stefano Utoikamanu adds his power to the interchange.
1. Dylan Edwards, 2. Brian To’o, 3. Stephen Crichton, 4. Latrell Mitchell, 5. Zac Lomax , 6. Jarome Luai, 7. Nathan Cleary, 8. Max King, 9. Reece Robson, 10. Payne Haas, 11. Liam Martin, 12. Angus Crichton , 13. Isaah Yeo. Interchange: 14. Connor Watson , 15. Spencer Leniu, 16. Hudson Young, 17. Stefano Utoikamanu.
Queensland XVII
Billy Slater has taken the monumental decision to drop his captain and halfback Daly Cherry-Evans, after one match of the series, and bring in Tom Dearden at first receiver. Up front Kurt Capewell returns to the Origin fold, while Trent Loiero gets his first start. Kurt Mann will debut from an interchange packed full of experience.
1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Xavier Coates, 3. Robert Toia, 4. Valentine Holmes, 5. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, 6. Cameron Munster ©, 7. Tom Dearden, 8. Moeaki Fotuaika, 9. Harry Grant, 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, 11. Reuben Cotter, 12. Kurt Capewell, 13. Trent Loiero. Interchange: 14. Kurt Mann, 15. Lindsay Collins, 16. Jeremiah Nanai, 17. Patrick Carrigan.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think the Maroons have been bold enough, especially with how the extended squad converts into the nominated XVII.
Put simply, if these two groups play out a typical match of NRL quality rugby league I don’t see how NSW don’t win every time. The Blues pack is a couple of weight divisions more powerful, Nathan Cleary is the halfback of his generation, Stephen Crichton is the premium defensive organiser in the game, Zac Lomax is an aerial weapon, Dylan Edwards is indefatigable, the interchange is deep, and if everything is too predictable they can always toss the ball to the sport’s greatest maverick, Latrell Mitchell.
For Queensland to win conventionally, they must perform at their very best, and NSW must slip off considerably in most areas. As a result, I would advocate the throwing of convention out of the window.
Maybe the Maroons could have turned tonight’s clash into a dogfight, especially taking into account the rain? Bring Corey Horsburgh into the starting pack, call up a scrapper like Jai Arrow, and add a chaos agent to the bench like Reed Mahoney or Felise Kaufusi to create a contest full of disruption and spot fires to deny the Blues flow. Are Kurt Capewell and Trent Loiero realistically likely to outperform Payne Haas, Liam Martin, Angus Crichton, and Isaah Yeo? It feels like Slater and his selection panel are pissing into the wind.
Behind the underpowered forwards Slater has gone all-in on Tom Dearden; an excellent footballer, but is he the kind to play lights-out footy and win a match off his own boot? I can’t see it. Queensland need to tear up the script, not try and rewrite it. They could take a punt on the instinctive qualities of Ezra Mam, Jye Gray or Jayden Campbell, or look at Jamal Fogarty or Braydon Trindall as kicking specialists to overcoming the likely territorial deficit. If that sounds like a lot of fullbacks and halves, then get creative with shirt numbers. Harry Grant was well below par in Brisbane, and Valentine Holmes increasingly seems like a legacy selection, not one based on impact, especially if he’s anything other than 100% off the tee.
Throw caution to the wind while the series remains alive rather than experiment in a dead rubber in July.
When the squads for Origin 2 landed they contained the bombshell that Slater had dropped his captain from the opening round, Daly Cherry-Evans, preferring Tom Dearden at scrum-half.
The call to leave Cherry-Evans remains one of the most seismic in recent memory from either state. He has been the Maroons’ first-choice No 7 and captain since 2019, taking Queensland to three series wins, including their incredible 2020 effort.
Jack Snape sets the scene ahead of a defining Origin clash for Billy Slater.
So it’s concern for camp Queensland, and confidence among the Blues: the State of Origin status quo. Apart from the period of the Maroons’ dominance in the 2000s and 2010s, the Queenslanders have spent much of the Origin era as outsiders. They may be preparing for this crucial clash in AFL-loving Western Australia, but spiritually the Maroons are in their natural habitat.
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of State of Origin Game 2. Kick-off between Queensland and New South Wales at Optus Stadium is scheduled for 8:05pm AEST (6.05pm AWST).
After selling the peerless quality of Origin footy in the preamble to game one I had the rug pulled from under me during a tepid 80 minutes of representative rugby league. The showpiece was undermined by a desperately poor performance from Queensland who were flattered by the 6-18 scoreline.
NSW deserve enormous credit for their control in all facets of the game at Suncorp Stadium, and they look set for a long period of ascendancy with Payne Haas dominating up front, Nathan Cleary dictating terms in the halves, and Zac Lomax demonstrating that precious ability to elevate his performance to the size of the occasion.
It is going to require an incredible turnaround for Queensland as the Origin caravan decamps in the west, and coach Billy Slater is already in the crosshairs following last year’s limp title defence. Slater has made a statement by putting Daly Cherry-Evans out to pasture, but he has more to worry about than simply who plays first receiver.
After four defeats in their past five outings perhaps the famed Queensland underdog spirit will come to the fore and keep the 2025 series alive? Or maybe it will simply be further confirmation that we are in a golden age of NSW rugby league.
