The CRAZY stat that Gus says will decide Origin 2 | 100% Footy

But it is all about state of origin.We've had plenty of time to digest exactly what unfolded in dramatic circumstances last Wednesday in Sydney.But the news just keeps coming.Injury -wise, both sides.The New South Wales team, Blake Braley broke his arm on Friday night, put it back into place himself.He is gone, so now a lot of talk about Arthi Korosow.

Stephen Crichton, we'll get some news off Gus with him in a moment, that shoulder injury recurring.And synesthmosis rules Paddy Carrigan out.for the Maroons.So they're your key three injuries at the moment.Gus, the freshest news out of all that is, is Crichton and that shoulder, which is, it's been giving him some grief.We know that for quite some time now.

What's the latest on it?Yeah, it was a very serious injury at the time.And I think at the time we said he'd be out six to eight weeks.He played two weeks later, mainly because of the injury crisis at the club and the leader that he is.And he's been struggling with it, but he was in good shape.Once he got to origin, he's given a bit of a niggle.

He's played two games in a week and he's pulled up very, very sore from it.So We don't play till next Monday.I think they'll still name him tomorrow.But he would have to be doubtful for the Parramatta game.I think he'd be right for Origins in Game 2 if they pick him.And he'd be desperate to be there too, I would imagine.

Oh, absolutely.We'll give him every chance to do that.Last time when he did it completely, he played within two weeks.So I think, you know, hopeful.

Especially with Nola Trell.potentially or majority wise, that's probably what they're thinking.No, Luttrell, we definitely need him out there and healthy and ready to roll.

Gail, did you have Crichton in your Game 2 team for New South Wales?

No, but that was based on the fact he was injured.I thought he was out.So obviously Mitchell Moses is back.Luttrell, I've been told, was out.Then when I heard Crichton was out, I thought he may be looking.Steven Crichton, for me, just needs a week or two off.

As Gus just said, he played after one week.I've never heard of a Grade 5 AC joint injury.But he obviously had that and missed just one week and then came back.Based on the fact that I think he needs a week or two off, I didn't pick him in the side today purely on the fact that he's injured.That's the side I've come up with for Game 2 today.Ethan Strange is probably a strange one in the centre there, but he's a good guy.

think you just need him in the side.He's just a footy player, you can play him anywhere.He reminds everyone a lot of the coach Laurie Daly.Laurie Daly played in the centres in a 5 -8 for the Blues.Brad Fitler did the same thing.He's just a football player you need on the field.

He was the most probably dominant defender in Game 1 and I just think you need him on the football field somewhere.

If Mitch Moses is back, Gus, what do you do with Ethan Strange?

Look, you're trying to pick teams again.We've still got a round of football to get through.The people love it, Gus.The crowd loves it.People love it.

Think about the people, mate.

Everything you pick now is not going to mean a thing next Monday night.It doesn't mean a thing anyway, mate.It was good discussion.People like talking about it.My theory has always been with Origin.The less changes, the better.

You've had a win.You know, you can improve from that.Everything you did in lead up to Game 1 is lost if you go making too many changes for Game 2.The changes will happen anyway because of injury or suspension or whatever happens.They had played on the weekend, they already lost a couple.They'll play next weekend, hopefully there's no injuries, but there will be.

Same for both states and the teams will look different when they go into Game 2.Changing for change's sake, I've never been a fan of during the Origins series.I think the more you can stick to your original 17, the better you'll be.

I actually really love Ethan Strange in there.I thought he was fantastic on debut.He absolutely dominated, very physical from the start.And as soon as I saw that really first big tackle that he did, I knew he was on and he was ready to roll for that game.With injuries, I think also if Mitch Moses doesn't get through the game without hamstring, then it's Ethan Strange for me for all money.But if you are going to carry him and carry Moses, Moses is the one that has to start because Ethan can give you a bit more off the bench.

He can play multiple positions.But I would love to see him stay there in that starting number six jersey.And I think a definite change for me has to start up the middle and has to be Payne Haas in there.He has to get in there and provide a bit more punch.And I liked having Isaiah Yeo up there in front.like you did, I would do exactly the same thing.

Yeah, but Peyton Arsenault, look Isaiah, he's just got to run and he can do it.He has got the game within himself where he can just be a runner.We know he plays a ball -playing role at the Penrith Panthers.We don't need him to do that at Thorogood.We need him to run the ball.He's a big, strong body.

You throw Peyton Arsenault in there with him, then you've still got, obviously, Adam Fennell Blake coming off the bench.I think it's a big, powerful pack and this guy's just a beast.He's got to come back and decide, no doubt about it.And you've got to remember, It's going to be a very different game.The Blues will hopefully be a whole lot more disciplined with the ball.They dropped a whole lot of ball, turned a whole lot of ball over.

In Yardage too.

In Yardage, yes.The amount of defence that some of those middles had to do, hopefully they don't have to do that that amount in Game 2 and they can be better with the ball.

When we assessed here on this show, we assessed the two teams leading into Game 1, everything I feared about Queensland came true.In the first hour of play, everything I feared about their side and the football in it, the skill, the spontaneity and the instinct of the halfback and the speed out wide to chase kicks, everything came true.And everything I feared about the NSW side came true.I mean there were some really lazy moments in defence, they made some mistakes coming out of trouble.They were hugely conservative in the first half of football.really conservative.

I know it was wet conditions, but Queensland were the first.They got into a little bit of a cycle of five up for a kick, five up for a kick.Queensland were first to break it.Queensland were first to pass the ball in their own half of the field.Queensland were first to spread the ball.Queensland were first to get offloads and put multiple offloads together.

Queensland were first to kick early in the tackle count.Queensland were first to grab a kick in the opposition 20m zone on early tackles looking for points.That's what I feared about them, that they had that football instinct in them.and that we were just a traditional grinding type team.It wasn't until we came out in the second half we started to move the ball a little bit and put them under pressure that things started to look different.It showed we can do it, but we were just too conservative in the first 40 minutes.

We played right into their hands.But the trend that's really developing now, if you look at the last four Origin games, and these statistics blew me away, in the last four Origin games, the second halfhalves, New South Wales have won 56 to 8.So in the four second halves, the three games last year and the first game this year, Queensland have only scored eight points in four games.Eight points.New South Wales have scored 56, which means that they're handling the fatigue of the game and they're handling the fitness side of the game a hell of a lot better than Queensland over the last four games.

They've just got to get their start right.Their start was terrible the other night, dropping the ball and some really lazy defence on their line.The tries that were conceded should have been stopped.They should have been stopped but Queensland knew exactly where they would be weak and where they got them.And that's what they've got to fix up.If they get into the game better and they can be a little bit more adventurous early and really put Queensland under the pump, I think they can beat them handsomely.

Rue with Abbey Corriss our now an option.Conor Watson, Wade Egan with no Blake Braley to come off the bench and look he's a big loss because he had a blinder when he did come on the other night.Who would you be leaning towards?

Yeah I have to say I'm devastated for Blake Braley.I've been wanting to see him in that blue jersey for a couple of years now and seeing him when he got out there how bright he is out of nine it just added that spark that Gus spoke about as well.He was part of being able to jettison that those point scoring opportunities towards that back end of that second half.But for me, I had Api Koroyasau in there.ahead of Reece Robson before he was actually rubbed out for that suspension.So I thought the way Appie had been playing, again he's very scheming around the ruck, he's nice and quick on his feet, he's a good strong defender as well.

I did have him in there, so I think for me it's Appie out of those three.

to worry about Apicora South first or Ahuka first, they've got to worry about that there before they go to Nathan Cleary and I think that's an advantage that we need.

The Queenslanders, Gimichu Iwasaki, gone to five to six weeks with a knee injury.Patrick Carrigan though Gal, a huge loss, a loyal servant to this Queensland side with Sindus Moses suffered in that loss to the Dragons.

Yeah, I was surprised he'd come from the bench actually.Gus discussed that with the coach on last week's show but obviously he's going to be out now which is a big loss for the Maroons.He's such a good back row.Up there with Vaseya, the best lock in the competition and he's going to be a huge out.possibly yeah he was 20th man Jack House also a great player they could bring him but yeah you can't replace Carrigan he's a he's a leader of their side too so he's gonna be huge loss.

We're gonna get a few chances to talk about it Gus but the MCG you talk about those fast starts or lack thereof for New South Wales is it going to be similar story there?get on the board early?

Yeah particularly if you haven't played there before and depending on the weather what it is it'll be very cool sometimes damp even if it's not raining and it's a big expanse it's a big oval field you can lose yourself within it but yeah we're talking about the best players in the game and the surface is hard it's very bouncy so you know kicks, short kicks, rubber kicks, letting the ball bounce is going to be a problem for both sides or something different for both sides to contend with.Look, from what I saw of Game 1, I think if NSW get their start right, and NSW...I think New South Wales has got the players and the games to really put a score on Queensland.That's the way I see it at the moment.

To be fair, we couldn't have played any worse.

The first 60 minutes, we couldn't have played any worse.But by the same token, we were running one out and we were getting gang tackled.That's what I'm saying, we couldn't have played any worse.We couldn't generate any speed.

Queensland should have been in front by more.That's the reason we won the game.Queensland moved the ball.They went on winge and carry on down to 12 men.They definitely helped, I'm not going to deny that.But had they should have been in front by more, the amount of possession they had, the field position they had, they should have been in front by more.