'We have been here before': Maroons belief not waning

Maroons players will draw on the memories of their fightback to win the 2022 series after a heavy defeat in Perth when they take on the Blues in the July 17 decider at Suncorp Stadium.

Like 2022, Queensland are coming off one of the biggest defeats in Origin history after NSW levelled the series with a 38-18 win at the MCG to set up an intriguing decider in Brisbane.

The Blues will be aiming to repeat the feats of the 1994 team, who lost the opening match in Sydney and were forced to triumph the next two games away from home, including Origin II at the MCG to win the series.

However, the Maroons have more recent memories to draw on, with hooker Ben Hunt securing victory at Suncorp Stadium in 2022 after charging down a Nathan Cleary kick and running 70-metres to score and secure a 22-12 win.

“It’s one-all and we are going to a decider in Brisbane, but obviously we have to be a lot better than we did,” Hunt said.

“I’m extremely disappointed but I’ve been here before and I think we have got it in us to be better than we were. It is going to be a big hill to climb but I’m going to stay positive and help the younger guys as much as I can.

“You never know what is going to happen in this game. NSW played really good footy, and we need to match that but there is always a belief that we can play better than that.”

The Queensland right edge defence was placed under enormous pressure by Angus Crichton, Latrell Mitchell and Brian To’o, with Val Holmes being forced to make 37 tackle attempts – six of which he missed and another four that were ineffective.

Star fullback Reece Walsh wasn’t able to impose himself on the game in his first appearance since being KO’d in Origin I and Mitchell, in particular, seemed to make it a mission to physically test him.

“Reece is an excellent player and he does some very special things but that was a tough game of footy and it’s not all on Reece,” Hunt said.

“There were some other players, myself included, who need to be better so we all need to have a good look at how we can improve.”

Queensland prop Reuben Cotter said coach Billy Slater had remained positive at halftime, despite the team trailing 34-0, and there was belief within the team that they would bounce back in the decider.

“We have been in this position before in Perth. We have got a lot of belief in this group, and we need to get back to work,” Cotter said.

“We need to take a good hard look at our game and what went wrong. There will be discussions and we will review the game. I reckon we didn’t turn up with the right intent.

“We were good in periods, but it wasn’t anywhere near our best football. They were better than us at the end of the day, so we have got plenty to work on.

“We have got a lot more footy in us, we know we have got points, but we have got to turn up and be better in defence, and we have got to be disciplined.”

The Maroons appear likely to be without strike centre Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow for the first half after he suffered an AC-joint injury in the first half but Game I hero Selwyn Cobbo is expected to be available.

Veteran centre Dane Gagai is also expected to come under consideration after being 18th man in Melbourne, while Titans forward David Fifita is another player who may receive a recall from Slater.

“The message at halftime was positive, Billy told us to back our footy but we have just got to keep the ball in play, kick to corners and play the long game,” Cotter said.

“That’s the style of footy that we base our game off, and this team has done the last few years. We couldn’t get that for the full 80 minutes tonight, so we need to be better.”

Hunt said the Maroons had taken confidence from the way they defended as NSW attacked their line relentlessly in the opening stages but once Liam Martin crossed for the opening try the floodgates opened.

“Any loss in Origin definitely stings and when you put up a performance like that it is disappointing,” Hunt said.

“I think they had four or five sets at us on our line, which I thought we defended pretty well. We kept turning up and it took them a lot of plays to get a try but for some reason we just went away from what was working for us.

“We just kept giving them opportunities and we were ill-disciplined. They are a very good side and made us pay.

“They came to play a real physical game and after that first 10 minutes we never had another opportunity in that first half.

“They kept kicking to corners or rolling down field and scoring tries so they never gave our key players any opportunities.”