Welcome to League of Titans

Origin Game 3 : QLD vs NSW 2014

Both teams makeup could look very different for this match with Tate & possibly Scott out for Qld along with Gillett now in doubt after being injured this weekend, where as the Blues have already lost Watmough & Jennings..
 
GAGAI NO CHANCE FOR ORIGIN THREE
Knights QLD - Maroons
June 24, 2014353

TWO–try centre Dane Gagai is banned from the Queensland State of Origin team this year, Newcastle coach Wayne Bennett has revealed.

Gagai was a star as the Knights snapped a seven-match losing streak 36-28 at Hunter Stadium and extended North Queensland’s winless streak away from home to 296 days.

Gagai was disciplined for going AWOL from a Maroons camp in the pre-season and Bennett – who has close ties with the Queensland program – offered a succinct answer when captain Kurt Gidley was asked if he would make a good replacement for the injured Brent Tate.

“Gagai can’t play Origin this year,” he said. “He had an indiscretion in the camp, mate. He knows that. It won’t happen.

“That’s the way it should be, too.

“He’s been good all season. Tonight he just managed to get through a couple of tackles. He just had that little bit of luck you need some times.”

While Newcastle finished the game by conceding several late tries, it has been so long since their last win that the blemish was almost overlooked.

Bennett joked: “Of course it’s nice to get the win – especially if we had the bye next week: we’d go back-to-back.

“If we’d played consistently well all season, you’d be disappointed (to concede late tries) but I’m just pleased to get the win.”

Captain Kurt Gidley was pleased with his return to the halves. “I enjoy getting my hands on the ball, getting tackled,” he said.

Bennett explained: “Kurt’s been injured for two years and we kind of got on without him. He was playing fullback or halfback when I arrived.

“Last week when he went back to fullback, I was watching him at training and I realised how much he enjoyed that kind of role, the freedom. We lost enough games, it won’t do any damage to morale or anything.”

- STEVE MASCORD
 
Cronk could play Origin III: Hoffman
By Matt Encarnacion, Western Sydney Correspondent
NRL.com
7:14am Tue 01st July, 2014



New South Wales' Game Two hero Ryan Hoffman has described Cooper Cronk's chances of playing in next Wednesday's third Origin game as "very close".

Cronk broke his arm in the series-opening loss to the Blues in Origin I and hasn't played since. But Hoffman says the Blues need to start preparing for a Queensland side buoyed by the return of their most clutch player.

"Cooper's very close. Very, very close. I wouldn't be surprised if I see him playing next Wednesday," Hoffman told NRL.com.

"It's typical Cooper. He's a long way ahead of his rehab, which just shows what a diligent player he is in that regard. We have to be ready."

Storm coach Craig Bellamy admitted Cronk had begun doing light contact work in Melbourne last week, but was loathe to declare his star halfback was ready for a return.

"He's been doing some training. He's done a little bit of contact. It's been very light though," Bellamy said.

"It'll depend on the medical team to be quite honest. I imagine he'll have to have another scan to see how it's healed and then they'll go from there."

The original prognosis on Cronk was a six-week layoff, however Bellamy said Cronk had worked around the clock to return as early as possible for both his club and state but was weary of him coming back too early.

"I know he'll be keen as mustard to play, obviously. Hopefully we won't take any chances. And I'm sure the medical staff won't take any chances," he said.

"But he's always been a pretty quick healer. It was always tough when he first did it, they couldn't say whether it was four weeks or six weeks or eight weeks, it's just how it heals.

"I think he's been getting into a few different potions and lotions or his diet-type thing to try and heal the bone quicker. He would've done all he could, but I'm not quite sure what he's been eating or taking into his body. I think there's been a lot of stuff that you probably think is yuck.

"But that's just him. He's so committed and so determined. I wouldn't count him out. We'll just have to see what happens. It'll come down to him and the medical team – mainly the medical team."

Meanwhile, Maroons skipper Cameron Smith believes clubmate Will Chambers has the perfect opportunity to cement a spot on Queensland's flank following a possible career-ending ACL injury to incumbent wingman Brent Tate in Origin II.

Chambers was on standby for the Maroons in Sydney and eventually missed out, but is favourite to fill Tate's spot ahead of Brisbane hopeful Dale Copley.

"Last time if we had a reshuffle of our backline with Greg and Billy under an injury cloud for Game Two, he always going to be in the team," Smith said.

"He didn't harm his chances [on Monday night]. I thought he was pretty good. He was one of our better players. He was tough, he ran the ball well. He was good defensively, and that's what you need in an Origin player.

"He turns up every week, doesn't matter where he's playing, doesn't matter what side he's playing on the field, he just does his job. And he's been on the cusp for a couple of years now.

"He's been 18th man I think for three or four matches. So I'd like to think he's a real good chance. I think there's a bit of talk about [Dale] Copley being a chance as well, but Will Chambers, he's spent a bit of time as 18th man and on the cusp. So I think he's a real good chance."
 
QLD ORIGIN THREE TEAM ANNOUNCED
QLD - Maroons
July 1, 201431

THE Queensland Maroons have announced their side for Game Three of the State of Origin series at Suncorp Stadium.

Storm back Will Chambers will make his Origin debut after being called up to replace the injured Brent Tate on the wing.

With Matt Scott out with a fractured cheekbone, Jacob Lillyman moves into the starting side.

Daly Cherry-Evans moves back to the bench with the return of Cooper Cronk from a broken arm.

Broncos prop Josh McGuire and Cowboys fullback Michael Morgan will join the squad for the first time as 18th and 19th men respectively.

The Queensland Maroons side is:

1. Billy SLATER – (Melbourne Storm)
2. Darius BOYD – (Newcastle Knights)
3. Greg INGLIS – (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
4. Justin HODGES – (Brisbane Broncos)
5. Will CHAMBERS – (Melbourne Storm)
6. Johnathan THURSTON – (North Queensland Cowboys)
7. Cooper CRONK – (Melbourne Storm)
8. Jacob LILLYMAN – (NZ Warriors)
9. Cameron SMITH (c) – (Melbourne Storm)
10. Nate MYLES – (Gold Coast Titans)
11. Aidan GUERRA – (Sydney Roosters)
12. Sam THAIDAY – (Brisbane Broncos)
13. Corey PARKER – (Brisbane Broncos)

Interchange:
14. Daly CHERRY-EVANS – (Manly Sea Eagles)
15. Ben TE’O – (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
16. Matt GILLETT – (Brisbane Broncos)
17. Dave TAYLOR – (Gold Coast Titans)

18th man: Josh McGUIRE – (Brisbane Broncos)
19th man: Michael MORGAN – (North Queensland Cowboys)
 
Josh Morris, McManus into NSW Origin side
NRL.com
1:08pm Tue 01st July, 2014

Josh Morris is set to return to the scene of his Origin I heroics, named as a replacement for the injured Michael Jennings in one of three forced changes to Laurie Daley's NSW side.

Morris returns for his first game in six weeks having recovered from the knee injury he bravely played on with in the Blues' epic win at Suncorp Stadium in Origin I, while Knights winger James McManus has earned a recall to the interstate arena as cover for injured Parramatta three-quarter Will Hopoate.

Roosters back-rower Boyd Cordner also joins the squad having proved his fitness in last Friday night's clash with Manly, coming in for the suspended Anthony Watmough on the bench.

New South Wales

1. Jarryd Hayne - (Parramatta Eels)
2. James McManus - (Newcastle Knights)
3. Josh Dugan - (St George Illawarra Dragons)
4. Josh Morris - (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs)
5. Daniel Tupou - (Sydney Roosters)
6. Josh Reynolds - (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs)
7. Trent Hodkinson - (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs)
8. Aaron Woods - (Wests Tigers)
9. Robbie Farah - (Wests Tigers)
10. Paul Gallen - (Cronulla Sutherland Sharks) (c)
11. Ryan Hoffman - (Melbourne Storm)
12. Beau Scott - (Newcastle Knights)
13. Greg Bird - (Gold Coast Titans)
Interchange:
14. James Tamou - (North Queensland Cowboys)
15. Trent Merrin - (St George Illawarra Dragons)
16. Boyd Cordner - (Sydney Roosters)
17. Luke Lewis - (Cronulla Sutherland Sharks)
 
Anyone else going to this game?

Just got 6 Gold tickets, 4 rows back, near the halfway line.

Sweet! :thumbsup:
 
I wish I was going!

I'm glad to see Cronk back, hope he is fit.

Also happy to see DT keep his position. Let's hope it all works out better this time.
 
I've got 2 spare tickets, 4th row, on the 40m line, cost $250 each, selling $150 for them both.

PM me if you are interested.
 
Well here we go. The Series may be lost. But I'm always just as keen for an Origin Match and to force the Blues to lift the shift after a loss.

Hopefully Inglis fires and Cronk is fit and all those players missing in action appear.

Let's hope for a great match, Game 1 was great, Game 2.... Nah.

I really hope the Maroons spread the ball with confidence.
 
This has to be the quietest the Qlders have been in bout 8 years,,,,,1st Origin in a long time that everybody isn't talking about the game , 2-1 or 3-0 the Blues are getting the trophy no matter what :banana:
 
Good half of Footy & the Blues would be filthy for being down by 4 after the dumb Kiwi missed the tackle on DCE but with 58% of the pill in the 1st half to QLD it's a huge effort to only keep them to one try
 
NSW have been awesome defensively apart from Tamou's pathetic miss on Cherry. Also looks as if NSW have done their homework on Thurston this series - either that, or the problem lies with him getting too old and slow for rep footy.
 
Well done QLD but stiff Shyte it means nothing ;)

The 2014 State of Origin Champions are NSW

Hodges = Scum :eyebrows:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom