2016 State of Origin

Once you add loading and carry over points for Graham's tackle, incidentally also against the Cowboys last year in the semis, I don't see how he can possibly play in Game 2. And if there is any consistency, there's no way he can fight that tackle and win. By the current standards, that is a grade 1 careless every day of the week.

 

Mind you, they didn't put him on report, which I find surprising, so that may help his cause. He certainly shouldn't miss an Origin for that but I think Warren Smith was right. Grade 1 careless is probably what he'll get. Poor cunt.

 

I highly doubt NSW will get 35 tackled in opp. 20's in Game 2. You have to wonder how they're going to produce more points with less field position.

 

Thinking of Tedesco, Dugan, Bird, Austin, Ennis, Merrin, Vaughan, Hoffman, Frizell, Cartwright, Peachey etc...A side built with those blokes would seriously challenge the actual NSW side imo. They'd lose in the forwards but man it would be a game to watch.

The stark contrast being that the QLD A side would get absolutely pumped by the real team.

 

I think it'll be close. Some Blues fans/commentators are making way too much of the point scoring thing. Yeah they will need to produce more points than in Game 1 but saying they need at least 20 to win is misinterpreting the history. Saying they need at least 20 is already conceding QLD will score at least 16 or 18. Well how many times has QLD scored 18 points and lost? Not very often.

NSW need to score two or three tries but equally important is keeping QLD to a low score. NSW has been most successful when they've restricted QLD to two tries or fewer. In a high scoring, tit-for-tat affair we have a lot more points. The answer to QLD's average points at Lang Park of 18+ is not -just score heaps more. The answer is don't allow QLD to score 18, 20+ in the first place.

 

Graham has been charged. No chance he fights that and wins imo.