EYE-BALL’s Snoop-Poop – 2013 State of Origin – Game 1 Post Match Review…

Latest ‘Snoop-Poop’ Posts: – 29th May – 2013 State of Origin – Game 1 Pre Match Review and Player Rankings … – 8th Mar – NRL 2013: Week 1 – Game 2 – SeaEagles [22] defeat Broncos [14] – – 7th Mar – NRL 2013: Week 1 – Game 1 – Rabbitohs [28] defeat Roosters [10] – 2nd Feb – Women journalist writing about Men’s Sport – they had better be good – – July 5th: – 2012 State of Origin – Game 3 and Series Review – June 25th: – 2012 State of Origin – Game 3 Preview – June 13th: – NSW SOO Coach – A Dirty Stinkin’ RAT … – June 7th: – 2012 State of Origin – Game 2 Preview – May 24th: – 2012 State of Origin – Game 1 Review – May 21st: – 2012 State of Origin Preview – Game 1 To see more EYE-BALL Snoop-Poop posts: click here …

Title: – 2013 State of Origin – – GAme 1 Post Match Review – | Author: EYE-BALL’s Snoop-Poop | 6th June 2013 |

The 2013 State Of Origin Match-up’s Position Player Comments Ranking Fullback Slater Hardly made an impact behind a forward pack driven backwards – Crnk/Smith/Slater combo non-existent – both NSW tries were soft and Slater’s normally desperate defence was not there … 6 Hayne Came of age as SOO player – confidence high – never under pressure – performed well behind a dominate pack 7.5 Wing Boyd Did everything asked – no mistakes – 6 Morris B. Not a wingers game – solid in defence and not keen to take the ball up in the ruck … 5 Wing Tate Did everything asked – no mistakes – 6 Fergeson Early nerves gave way to solid debut … stick with him … 6.5 Center Inglis Never seen in first half … rusty in position and behind a forward pack doing it tough – opportunities were limited – came into his own last 20 mins … 7 Jennings The new zip-zip man – elusive and scored one of the softest SOO tries ever … beat at least 5 defenders from 15 out, standing start, looked dangerous every time he had the ball … 6 Center Hodges Played up to ranking and more – dummy half running set up QLD’s only try … defence was suspect missing Hayne in NSW first try … 7 Morris J Was not a game for centers – missed Inglis for QLD’s only try – 6 Five-Eight Thurston Said it before the game – halfback is his position – was smothered all night … defence was off – and looked like he was under Cronk’s playmaking … needs to go back to half-back and take charge of the ruck area … 6.5 Maloney Brilliant debut – finally NSW got themselves a half who can play – took charge of the plays and gave Pearce some relief … kicking game excellent – running game excellent … NSW’s most dangerous player outside forwards … 8 Half-Back Cronk Out of sorts – kicking game was poor – had no time with forwards going backwards – entitled to a poor performance but Meninga should think about moving him to five-eight and Thurston back to half-back … 5.5 Pearce Never been a fan at this level but has to be said – had one of his better games behind a dominate pack – 6 Lock Harrison It’s time Mal – playing injured at this level is always a risk … no impact in defence or attack – one of the players that needs to be looked at … 4 Bird Was rock of NSW pack – big hits when needed – played disiplined all night … 8 2nd Row Myles Best QLD fwd on field – good marks for no retaliation to Gallen’s cheap shots – watch out for square up in Game 2 … 7.5 Lewis Played good – most dangerous fwd on field … troubles all defenders with his footwork … 8 2nd Row Thiaday Not his best game – tried but not up to this standard – never has been in my book … defence is best part of his game and that was lacking last night – unable to ‘hit’ in defence – a Bronco’s trait … 5 Hoffman Bought options to NSW forward attack – attracted defence all night … 7 Hooker Smith Worst performance ever – opposite completely out played him … so many fay passes – forwards just could not contain NSW in first half – and that sucked energy … 2nd half was better but the forwards were spent … 6.5 Farrah Played best game ever – controlled the ruck – inciteful cross field running … set up the forwards well … ever present in defence … 7.5 Prop Scott Not the force of previous seasons – well contained – had better 2nd half but damage was done … seems to have plateued as a player … 5.5 Gallen Surprised us all and played – is just a winging wining grub – talked himself out of a send off – cheap shots in Myles first of all the stiff arm that went unnoticed right in front of Ref’s eyes – and then the cheap punches to a completely unsuspecting Myles … does his share of work and more but reminds me of a former drug cheat ‘Howes’ and is mixed up with the ‘Sharks’ drug problems … have to respect his work ethic – but is just a grub … 7 Prop Shilington Hardly noticed on field all night – one of the reasons QLD lost the forward battle – he had plenty of others who helped as well … 5 Tamou Quite game compared to last seasons debut – no offloads and did his share of hitiups … 7 Bench 1 Parker Good impact off bench – should make run on side on last nights performance … 7 Gidley – Reynolds Never went on the park … 5 Bench 2 Gillet No mistakes – did his job without making any impact … still learning at this level … 5 W’mough Made an impact when on field – 6.5 Bench 3 Teó Did good – should be in run on side in Game 2 – 6.5 Fifita Great debut and looks made for this level … 7 Bench 4 McQueen Limited opportunities in an already beaten forward pack … 5.5 Merrin Made an impact – perhaps the fact NSW were winning contributed to his efforts … 6.5 Coach Meninga Had his team flat from the outset – needs to rev them up for game 2 or the streak ends … 6 Daley Has to be given some credit – but NSW played well against an underperforming QLD … Game plan was to use forwards to force QLD to do the hard work in their 20 zone – it worked and QLD looked out of the game at half time … 6 QLD Team Score 107.5 NSW Team Score 118.5 Qld were never in the game – as if they left their ‘mongrel’ behind … NSW played all over them and proved that attitude counts for so much at this level … To the referees: Momentum was given to NSW from the outset – the ‘knock-on’ call when Tate went up for a high ball and replays show he never touched the ball set up the repeat set that NSW scored their first try from. Early penalty to NSW for ‘hand on the ball’ – only one given all night yet the NSW players were just as guilty – Gallen’s cheap ‘stiff arm’ in front of the referee went unnoticed and was put on report only after the ‘stink’ happened and replays showed the infringement and the referees view of the play.  Gallen’s pathetic plea to mitigate his ‘cheap shots’ has to be seen for what it was – and the referee’s inaction on the matter – i.e. keep that stuff out of the game  will see him booted for Game 2 … Qld won penalties 7-5 – but never a penalty in NSW half … Game quality: NSW ball security kept QLD in the game – and QLD replied in kind – their normal clinical finishing was all over the place. NSW put in a slick performance from the kick off and deserved their half-time score – QLD won the second half and at no time did they ever look like they were ever likely to reign in NSW lead. NSW will have some belief and deserved their win … the final scoreline flattered QLD’s efforts … Not sure what QLD’s problem was – but their forward pack was outplayed across the park starting with Cameron Smith’s efforts.  He missed Jennings when he scored his try, as did Cronk and three others.  Farrar was given too much room from dummy half and that should have been Smith’s task … Inglis was AWOL until the last 20 minutes … him coming back to center after his stellar fullback performances for Souths is an issue.  QLD have three fullback’s in their backline … that has to be a problem when players have to remember as opposed to natural instincts honed in their normal positions. Slater has to stay at fullback – Cronk and Thurston don’t work as half and five-eight, reverse them and allow Thurston to get closed to the ruck – he has a better kicking game given what Cronk served up last night … and Cronk’s defence was suspect around the ruck in a weak forward pack. The game never reached any highs – NSW fans will take the win and head to Suncorp with a spring in their step – they’ve been there before and if they don’t win in Brisbane – the chances of them winning again in Sydney in the decider will be far different to last nights odds … Then again – this QLD side might be complacent enough that a series loss is on the cards … Meninga has some work to get his forwards up to scratch – and instill some fire in the belly … but right now if you can get 7/4 – 2/1 about a QLD series win – you’ll be able to lay that off in Game 3 if QLD win Game 2. Congratulations NSW – you deserved the win … EYE-BALL’s Snoop-Poop …