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Message: [QUOTE="Big Pete, post: 3294531, member: 1899"] I'll have to catch a replay of it but my first thought was that Queensland were slow out of the blocks. I thought the middles were loose which was to be expected with Hunt there but Welch was being left behind which was surprising. Still to get those early two points was important. Queensland hadn't led all series so just that bit of difference put the pressure back on NSW. Of course they kept on coming and while I thought the first set restart on Tedesco was fair enough, Papalii did make a second effort but I thought the second set restart was confusing. After Latrell scored and the Maroons found themselves 3-0 down in set restarts after 10 minutes I thought it was going to be a long night. I'm not sure how the Blues got the numbers there so easily, were DCE and Kaufusi caught up with that infringement? That worry diminished when Holmes put that hit on Moses and while I thought it was unfortunate that it was called back for a knock on (fair call) I thought that play brought the Maroons out of their shelves. Suddenly the Blues kicking game wasn't challenging the Maroons and Ponga made them pay with a good kick return. With the momentum Munster backs himself from dummy half, Fa'suamaleaui linked up nicely and Hamiso pushed through to put a try on Tommy Turbo. The game became an arm wrestle from there with the Blues on the front foot until I think it was Ben Hunt came up with a great kick into the corner which gave the Maroons the ascendency. That led to the penalty against Latrell for the escort (fair call) and I thought the Blues were very lucky to keep 13 on the field. Some very deliberate penalties and some weren't even picked up. Still disappointed with Coates not taking that cross-field kick. He isn't Izzy is he? It just feels like whenever it's his time to shine he just doesn't take those moments. I really hope Bellamy can get something out of him, even though I think at this point only Sproj and I are fans of him. I thought the Blues took a lot of confidence out of that defensive effort and that period right before half-time and early in the second half was all NSW. I was so disappointed with the way the Maroons came out in that second half and for a brief moment felt like NSW were going to run away with it. It could be my memory playing tricks on me, but I thought it was the tackle from Hunt on Trell that stopped their momentum and helped get the Maroons back into it. It was around that time anyways Cherry-Evans came up with a great kick which just spooked Addo-Carr enough to get him to play at it. I was a bit surprised Haas stayed on the field that set. That was a deliberate tackle 1 grub it up play and nothing. Fortunately it gave the Maroons another surge of possession and credit to Hunt he did what he does best, ran the ball and got the try that swung the game. Whenever Hunt just plays to his strengths, the rest just follows and to go back to a previous observation so much of his good play comes off a big defensive effort. That's his barometer, if his defence is shot you know you're in trouble. With the game in the balance, I was so glad to see Ponga shift right and create the extra man to test out Latrell. It came up trumps and while I thought they had blown it and they were going to call Coates off-side one of the NSW covers got a touch which brought Xavier back onside. Good to see Capewell sum up the situation with a good in and away, that was reminiscent of the Game 1 try and Hunt once again does what he does best. I was absolutely livid with Munster when he kicked out on tackle 3. The Maroons did so well to keep the Blues out but then of course the dreaded second kick and I knew that Munster was never getting that ball. It really felt like the Blues were going to rip the Maroons hearts out when Turbo broke through the middle but Ponga just did enough to entice that pass and bat it down. The defence on the line once again was great and they backed it up with another great defensive right after. I think it was Tino in the set off the line who came up with a big run on that right edge to create the space for the kick. I thought the call on Moses was absolutely rubbish. Sutton fell hook line and sinker and it was karma that Mitchell just missed that kick. Not only did he fail to draw things up, he essentially cost NSW any chance of winning it. My only concern at that point was Murray stripping the ball and I thought he nearly had it at one point. In the end it was a typical back to the walls Queensland performance where they were beaten in a lot of categories but in those key plays just kept turning up and held their own against a great NSW backline. I think a lot of young players did themselves proud with Hamiso holding his own against Turbo and Addo-Carr whole Fotuaika continued his impressive series. I've seen a lot of criticism surrounding the refereeing. The bleating reminds me a lot of Game II 2008 where it was clearly officiated differently to the other games but calls went both ways. Once again when Freddy has to face any adversity he cracks. [/QUOTE]

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