NSW Confident Of State Of Origin Title

"Dominant" Blues.


Article heading image for NSW Confident Of State Of Origin Title

Far from being spooked by their Sydney meltdown, NSW are full of confidence heading into Wednesday night's Origin decider due to their series "dominance".

Blues assistant coach John Cartwright says it was only the lapse in the second half of the 18-16 loss to Queensland in Sydney which cost them their second series victory in the past 12 attempts.

Cartwright said on all the statistical counts, NSW have been the superior team over the first two games and that had buoyed the Blues going into the Suncorp Stadium decider.

"The thing we have looked at is that in those two games we were the dominant side for the majority of the (series)," Cartwright said on Wednesday morning.

"If you look at the two games as a whole and if we can come up with that sort of effort in game three then you would think that would amount to a victory.

"That's the attitude we'll take into the game."

Some Blues players, including captain Boyd Cordner, were inconsolable after giving up a 16-6 lead in game two, but Cartwright denied any mental scars remained three weeks on.

"You can't hide from when things go wrong in a game but we dealt with it early in the week," Cartwright said.

"We just had a 20-minute period where we made mistakes and gave penalties away and they came up with a try.

"We just have to make sure we don't have that little lapse period."

The spotlight shone heavily on Jarryd Hayne and Mitchell Pearce after the Sydney game but NSW are confident both can deliver under intense pressure at the Brisbane cauldron.

Cartwright admitted playmaker Pearce was "aware" his Origin career was riding on this match but said extra scrutiny had been unfair on one of the Blues' most consistent players this series.

"It wasn't Mitchell Pearce who cost us the game in game two," Cartwright said.

Hayne was heavily criticised after he butchered a first half try, failed to make a match-saving tackle at the death and also produced two key handling errors in the second half.

Cartwright said Hayne had shown a sharper edge in camp and expected him to be "more selective" in his play.

"It's been a different Jarryd in this camp," Cartwright said.

"In the end he's a big-game player and what makes him good is he does go for the big play and it comes off.

"He made a couple of errors in game two but I'm pretty sure he won't do that again tonight."

Cartwright is among the leading contenders to replace Laurie Daley as coach but the former Blues and Penrith great hopes the incumbent stays on and he he says he's given no thought to the top job.

 

12 July 2017




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