NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley has shouldered the blame for his team’s lacklustre first half in their narrow 26-24 loss to Queensland in State of Origin Game II, played in Perth on Wednesday night.
The Maroons bounced back to level the series 1-1, taking a commanding 26-6 lead into half-time before withstanding a furious second-half comeback from the Blues. Despite scoring four unanswered tries, New South Wales fell just short, with Zac Lomax’s missed conversions and the early defensive lapses proving costly.
I’ve got to take responsibility, because we started well [with the first try] but the first half wasn’t great. So I’ve got to look at what I’ve done, because something isn’t right.
Speaking after the match, Daley said:
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The Blues’ first-half performance saw them concede eight penalties, complete just 56 per cent of their sets, and miss 22 tackles statistics that ultimately defined the match.
Despite the crushing result, Daley is not expected to make major changes ahead of the series decider in Sydney on July 9. The coach remains confident in his squad’s potential.
Well, I was confident at half-time, I know what this group is capable of, and that’s the thing you get disappointed with, because they never gave themselves that opportunity. You can’t play a half of football like that against quality opposition and expect to be close. So for us, it’s a good lesson. We’ll go back to the drawing board. It’s 1-1. That’s what Origin is all about, and it creates theatre and it creates headlines. I’m sure everyone wants a decider, and they’ve got it now.
Daley said.
Cleary’s Fitness Under the Microscope
A major talking point from the game was the condition of halfback Nathan Cleary, who was visibly restricted due to groin tightness. The Panthers playmaker was not used for goal-kicking duties, even after Lomax struggled with the boot, and only resumed general play kicking in the second half. With Mitch Moses sidelined for six weeks with a calf injury, Cleary’s fitness will be crucial ahead of Game III.
Daley confirmed Cleary’s groin issue but downplayed its impact.
He just felt a bit tight in his groin, so we wanted to limit the amount of force he put in there. He is a tough kid, Nathan. We know what a quality player he is, but he is tough. His groin was tight but he got through OK.
Daley explained
Queensland, under pressure coach Billy Slater, turned to playmaker Cameron Munster to channel the Maroons’ traditional fighting spirit, leading them to a gritty, hard-fought win that now sets the stage for a thrilling decider at Accor Stadium.