Legends of the league have heavily criticised Queensland for their peculiar choice to give Spencer Leniu an easy ride during the opening State of Origin match in Brisbane on Wednesday night.
A newspaper headline earlier in the week called for the Maroons to “smash this Blues grub”, yet the team nearly rolled out the red carpet for the passionate New South Wales prop.
Fans and media in Queensland had hoped to see their representative players seek revenge on Leniu after he verbally confronted league great Johnathan Thurston during an earlier match this year.
However, when Leniu entered the field late in the first half, he was visibly frustrated as Queensland deliberately kicked the ball away from him, and their tackles lacked the intensity expected from the Maroons.
“We should have targeted Spencer Leniu,” Corey Parker, who notably clashed with promising Blues rookie David Klemmer during a heated Origin match in 2015, remarked on SEN radio.
Spencer Leniu charges into the Queensland defence. Getty
“If Jaydn Su’A and (Corey) Horsburgh were part of the squad and we suggested kicking off to Leniu, they would have been keen, completely fired up.”
Historically, the Maroons have thrived on a sense of anger and chaos during State of Origin matches.
In the lead-up to the series opener, Wide World of Sports discussed how the amicable atmosphere before the game played into the hands of NSW.
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Billy Slater opted against trading any verbal jabs across the Tweed, and it appears that friendly attitude filtered down to the players.
Former long-time coach Mal Meninga expressed his confusion regarding the apparent lack of aggression from the team on Wednesday.
“NSW was in control and had players willing to take hits,” he told SEN.
“Queensland needs to reevaluate. It’s not about the players involved; it’s about their style of play.”
Former Blues enforcer Willie Mason launched into Queensland on his Levels Podcast.
“You’re just scared because of what (Leniu) did to Max King the week before,” Mason stated, pointing to a powerful Leniu run off the kick-off at club level against the Bulldogs.
“This is a victory for him. To him, it’s almost like, ‘You don’t even have the guts to kick it to me’.
“They often try to designate someone as public enemy No.1, and because (Thurston) is such a revered figure up there, they think they can get to him. But you can’t rattle a bloke like that.
“I anticipated that moment for Queensland and Suncorp. You threw the challenge down, a rallying call if you will, and then you kicked it the other way… unsatisfactory.”
Interestingly, legend of Queensland rugby league Gorden Tallis defended the strategy of avoiding Leniu, calling it “tactical”.
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui of the Maroons is pulled away by NSW Blues players. Getty
Titans veteran Kieran Foran—who has yet to play Origin but has represented New Zealand extensively on the world stage—suggested that a decision to kick to Leniu could have sparked a Queensland resurgence.
“It would have demonstrated a strong mentality from Queensland if they chose to kick to him,” Foran commented.
“From what I observed during the match, how NSW targeted (Lindsay) Collins, that really set the tone; it was a statement.
“Queensland needs to reflect and question why they didn’t make the same choice and kick off to Spencer.
“Such actions can motivate the group and elevate team spirit. NSW executed this aspect more effectively than Queensland, to be honest.”
The Maroons will have three weeks to mull over their missteps as they look to equal the series in Perth on June 18.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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