Maroons veteran Chris Close warns Queensland to not write off NSW
Passionate Queenslander Chris Close has warned the Maroons to be wary of an invisible rival called “adversity” in Wednesday night’s return State of Origin clash with a desperate NSW at Suncorp Stadium.
Most of the pre-game hyperbole has centered around the “mission impossible” task confronting Brad Fittler’s Blues in saving the interstate series at the Cauldron where there will be 50,500 fuelled-up Maroon fans waiting to make life as uncomfortable as possible.
That concerns Close, especially following the loss of glamour strike centre Latrell Mitchell on Friday which adds to the drama surrounding the Blue’s disrupted preparation with Cam Murray (groin) and game-breakers Tom Trbojevic and Liam Martin still under fitness watches until after the weekend.
Martin is currently on an 11-day contact ban after being concussed in his last NRL game for Penrith which doesn’t expire until match eve.
Close knows better than most the influence the infamous Lang Park crowd can play on Origin night at the Cauldron having been Queensland’s man-of-the-match in the first two NRL games at the venue in 1980-81.
The veteran of 14 Origins knows firsthand adversity can sometimes prove to be an unexpected weapon.
Queensland embraced adversity many times in Origin’s formative years when Close was part of sides regularly written off before a tackle or pass had been made.
State of Origin Queensland Maroons Game 2 team list
The Queensland team, announced by the Queensland Rugby League at 9am on June 12, 2023, is as follows:
Queensland Maroons
- Reece Walsh (Broncos)
- Xavier Coates (Storm)
- Valentine Holmes (Cowboys)
- Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins)
- Murray Taulagi (Cowboys)
- Cameron Munster (Storm)
- Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles)
- Lindsay Collins (Rooster)
- Ben Hunt (Dragons)
- Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Titans)
- David Fifita (Titans)
- Jeremiah Nanai (Cowboys)
- Patrick Carrigan (Broncos_
- Harry Grant (Storm)
- Thomas Flegler (Broncos)
- Reuben Cotter (Cowboys)
- Moeaki Fotuaika (Titans)
- AJ Brimson (Titans)
- Corey Horsburgh (Raiders)
“Quite often adversity can have the opposite effect,” said Close.
“The greater the challenge the more it can motivate players and a team, I experienced it with Queensland.
“When you are hard-up against the wall, you can often find things you didn’t know you had.
“Even though you find them accidentally, that’s exactly what happens to players when they make that choice to defy the odds.”
Queensland legend and team co-selector Darren Lockyer agreed with Close about the dangers of the players thinking they only had to turn up to win the series and disrespecting the desperate situation the Blues were facing.
“If we start to feel comfortable or get complacent in any way and think they just need to turn up and the crowd will help us play well and we will beat the opposition because they lost stars and have had a disrupted preparation, we will be asking for trouble,” said Lockyer.
The last word of warning though came from Queensland’s greatest Origin player, Wally Lewis, who reminded the Maroons, they only just won the first game in Adelaide.
NSW Blues team for Origin II, 2023
New South Wales Blues
- James Tedesco (Roosters)
- Brian To’o (Panthers)
- Stephen Crichton (Panthers)
- Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)
- Josh Addo-Carr (Bulldogs)
- Jarome Luai (Panthers)
- Mitchell Moses (Eels)
- Junior Paulo (Eels)
- Damien Cook (Rabbitohs)
- Payne Haas (Broncos)
- Tyson Frizell (Knights)
- Hudson Young (Raiders)
- Isaah Yeo (Panthers)
- Stefano Utoikamanu (Tigers)
- Cameron Murray (Rabbitohs)
- Liam Martin (Panthers)
- Reece Robson (Cowboys)
- Keaon Koloamatangi (Rabbitohs)
“Queensland played arguably one of their best performances in Adelaide and only just got home in the end.” said eight-time man-of-the-match Lewis.
“If we offer anything less than that effort the result could be different.
“You can never underestimate New South Wales, they’ve got three, four, five times the number of players to choose from than we do, and every one of them feels as proud as Queensland players do to represent their state.
“They’ll be inspired and they all know they must produce their very best to not only save the series but keep their spot in the NSW side.
“That was always how Queensland players thought going into Origin.
“Play the best for your mates, the best for your coach, and the best you could for the people and fans who supported them.”
Fittler will be hoping recalled Parramatta five-eighth Mitchell Moses clicks quickly with fullback James Tedesco and pose many headaches for Queensland’s defence both through the middle and also on the edges.
Moses, who finds himself in the Origin hot seat replacing injured Penrith gun Nathan Cleary, is rated a $12 chance with the top NRL bookmakers to win Man of the Match.
Since Mitchell’s withdrawal. the Blues have blown out to $3 to win on Wednesday and to $4.50 with Neds to take the series from 1-0 down.
