EYE-BALL’s Snoop-Poop on – 2012 State of Origin – Game 2 Preview

Title: 2012 State of Origin – Game 2 Preview

The State of Origin Game 2 hype is building – the NSW team, and more importantly their coach Ricky Stuart is under immense pressure.  The fallout over the fist game loss and NSW’s focus on the Inglis try  is a distraction from the obvious – NSW lost the match, QLD did not win it. With the stats proving NSW had better field position, more ball, and more opportunities in the opposition 20 zone, NSW must look within to solve their problems. At the QLD camp in Roma on Wednesday – the QLD Coach Mal Meninga offered his counterpart some ‘glib’ for his troubles.  ABC story on this posted below: Blues have wrong mentality: Meninga | Updated June 07, 2012 09:42:03 | Link to ABC story on-line. | Still shaking his head over New South Wales’ game one reaction, Queensland coach Mal Meninga has taken a shot at the Blues by claiming they do not have the right “mentality” to play Origin. In the fallout from a host of New South Wales complaints over Origin I’s officials, whistleblower Matt Cecchin and video referee Sean Hampstead were sacked for next week’s second game in Sydney. So incensed was coach Ricky Stuart after Queensland’s 18-10 win, he threw a media ban on his team – which he was later forced to withdraw – and hired an independent analyst who reportedly revealed Queensland went unpunished in game one for 10 incidents that warranted penalties. Stuart has not backed down ahead of game two, threatening to speak with league officials about the new-look referees before next week’s Sydney showdown. But Meninga said Queensland would never let the referees become an Origin issue no matter what happened on the field. “If we get beaten we just put our hand up and say ‘we should play better’ – they (New South Wales) don’t seem to have that sort of mentality,” Meninga said during a team visit to Roma, in the state’s south-west on Wednesday. “We understand the referees have got a tough job to do – all we can do is play by their rulings. “We just get on and do the job. That’s who we are.” Meninga rated Origin I as one of the great series openers – and he should know as a 1980 original. But the Maroons mentor was frustrated that game one had been overshadowed by controversy, namely Hampstead’s awarding of a contentious second-half Greg Inglis try. “I was fortunate to be involved (in Origin) from the start (and) that was one of the best first games I have seen in a long, long time – it doesn’t get the recognition that it deserves,” he said. Asked about New South Wales’s post-game complaints, Meninga joked “that’s Ricky”. However he was deadly serious when he said he was already sick of the negative press from New South Wales ahead of game two. “The first 24 hours (after game one) I read the papers (then stopped) – you get sick of it after a while,” he said. “We are not like that. That’s not the way that we prepare. “Obviously they (New South Wales) are trying to instil a bit of hatred into New South Wales supporters, trying to boost their team’s morale by saying they were unlucky, but that’s not the road we take. “Now we’ve got to go to Sydney and prove them wrong.” Queensland was honoured with a street parade on Wednesday in Roma – hometown of Origin godfather Artie Beetson. It was an emotional time for the team, especially after Beetson’s death from a heart attack on the Gold Coast in December 2011. Roma – which was also where retired legend Darren Lockyer grew up – saluted its other favourite sons, current Maroons flyer Brent Tate and ex-internationals Willie Carne and Wally Fullerton-Smith on the main street. The only Maroons absent were Ash Harrison (groin) and Matt Scott (personal reasons). Officials were still confident Harrison would play and hoped Scott would enter Origin camp on the Sunshine Coast on Thursday. Meninga’s comments are relevant – and Stuarts rant and petulance and child like behaviour after the game brings back memories he would rather forget. Stuart was the Australian Coach during to 2008 World Cup in which Australia was beaten in the final by New Zealand. This result produced a ‘rabid’ Stuart that should have resulted in him being shunted from the game forever. This is what Wikipedia have to say about those events: World Cup 2008 Controversy | Posted from Wikipedia | Link to Ricky Stuart Wikipedia Page | At the 2008 Rugby League World Cup the Kangaroos dominated their opposition and Ricky Stuart took the team undefeated to the final against New Zealand. Despite their favouritism, the Kangaroos lost 20–34. Following an outburst at officials after the game Ricky Stuart stood down his position as Australian coach and was handed a $20,000 fine. Afterwards he was reported to be so incensed by the defeat that he verbally attacked Geoff Carr, the Chief Executive of Australian Rugby League, claiming that tournament organizers and match officials conspired to cause the Australian loss.[11] The next morning he had a chance meeting with Ashley Klein, who refereed the final, and Stuart Cummings, England’s director of referees, at their hotel. He is reported to have verbally abused both officials in front of a number of witnesses, calling Klein a cheat, and of being physically and aggressively intimidating. This article/story reveals the true Ricky Stuart – as a player he was admired for his all-out competitiveness – he has not learnt to control his passion nor his emotions as a Coach any more then the niggle factor he used as a player.  His stints at Cronulla and the Roosters before that proved his coaching skills did not match his player abilities.  The early success at the Roosters happened whilst Phil Gould was his mentor at the Roosters.  Once Gould left – Stuart struggled and moved to the Sharks where his first season as Coach got them to the finals series and the second season was a nightmare resulting in him dismissing himself. It has always been his passion that has in trouble and in the modern game where ‘losin’ it’ is a fatal blow to a teams performance – Stuarts SOO team in game one played just like Stuart performs when he does not agree with the referee’s call.   Stuart ‘walked away’ from the Sharks and after the Test humiliation and shame his resurrection as the NSW SOO coach is the wrong choice at the wrong time.  He was openly looking for a full tie NRL position – and the NSW Rugby League handed him a gig he was not ready for – nor qualified for after Craig Bellamy served two years. What a step down from Bellamy to Stuart with an expectation Stuart could make a difference.  At this leve it is all mental and tactical.  If the players can’t do what the Coach wants on the field, then it is all a moot point from there.  Stuart picked players with known mental issues – Jennings, Bird, both played big parts in the Game 1 disruptions that allowed QLD back into the game. What has he done for game 2 – kept them both – and dumped two other players.   In the time in between everyone has been blamed for the NSW loss – all except Stuart.  This author has called Stuart to dumbest NSW Coach appointment in a long time.  WHere will NSW go if they lose on Wednesday? As for the GAME 2 Preview – NSW made two changes – Bruer was dropped and Williams is injured.   Grant comes in as Prop and pushes Gallen back to Lock/2nd row.  Lewis goes to bench and Watmough comes onto the bench.   The QLD team is unchanged except Cherry-Evans has been replaced by Ben Babar as 19th Man. The team rankings for the 2nd game move more in favour of the QLD side on the basis that Watmough is a tried and proven non-performer at SOO level.  Grant is a rookie and gains an automatic 5 ranking.  If he has the same impact as Tamou did in his rookie performance – this selection will have been a good one.    Gallen’s move to Lock/2nd row is a good move – his ego as the ’80 min man’ at prop was all about Gallen and not about the best options for NSW. Player comments/rankings for Game 2 appear below – 2011 2012 Rating Comments Rating 2012 2011 Slater Slater 10 Slater stays at 10 and Stewart remains at 5.  Expect a better performance from Slater. 5 Stewart Minachello YowYeh Tate 6.5 Uate drops from 6.5 to 5.5 5.5 Uate Uate Boyd Boyd 8 Boyd unchanged – Hayne jumps from 6 to 7 on the basis of his Game 1 performance. 7 Hayne Hayne Inglis Inglis 10 Inglis unchanged – Jennings unchanged – what Jennings offers in attack – is diminished by his defence and ‘walkabout’ problems. 5 Jennings Hopoate Hodges Hodges 8 Hodges unchanged – Morris had a big Game 1 in defence – stays at 5. 5 Morris Gasnier Lockyer Thurston 9 Thurston unchanged – Carney was overawed by occasion – drops to 5. 5 Carney Soward Thurston Cronk 7 Cronk unchanged – Pearce is just a poor selection stays at 5. 5 Pearce Pearce Scott Scott 9 Scott struggled in Game 1 – unchanged – Tamou the big improver moves from 5 to 7. 7 Tamou Mannah Civoniceva Civoniceva 9 Petro was quite unchanged – Grant the rookie comes in at 5. 5 Grant /Gallen Gallen Smith Smith 10 Smith unchanged – Farrah to play 80 minutes and will need to have an on-field spell – had a big first game – ranking lifted from 4 – 6. 6 Farrah Innis Myles Myles 7.5 Myles unchanged – Gallen in for Lewis and does not change the ranking. 7 Gallen /Lewis Creagh Thaiday Thaiday 6.5 Thaiday unchanged – Stewart had a poor game in attack – dropped from 6.5 to 6. 6 Stewart Scott Harrison Harrison 6 Harrison unchanged – Bird is an enigma – brilliant and stupid and he can cost a team with his lack of discipline.  Stays at 5 – purely for the negative potential. 5 Bird Bird Cronk Gillet 6 Gillet had little game time – his club form is poor at the moment – unchanged.  Merrin came on and tried but ineffective.  Drops to 5.5 from 6.5. 5.5 Merrin Gidley Taylor Taylor 6 Taylor had little impact Game 1 – unchanged – Lewis is a worker and the position ranking lifts from 5 to 7. 7 Lewis / Williams Watmough Hannet Hannet 6.5 Hannet improves to 7 from 6.5.  Watmough comes in at 3 down from Bruer’s 5 ranking.   I just don’t rate him at SOO level.  Been here many times and just does not have the goods. 3 Watmough / Bruer Lewis Lillyman Shillington 6.5 Shillington unchanged.  Creagh was a passenger – dropped his ranking down to 4 from 5. 4 Creagh Merrin Team totals:  QLD = 131.5.   NSW = 93.0. On the back of this QLD should be overwhelming favourites.   Rookie Bookie is offering $1.95 as a good price NSW – I rank then much longer at around $2.30, verses QLD @ $1.60. No doubt the NSW followers will give Snoop-Poop a serve – but he ain’t been wrong yet – Get rid of Stuart and you might have a chance. ________________________________________ To see other recent EYE-BALL Snoop-Poop posts …Click on this link: Snoop-Poop …