The end of a State of Origin era? A turning of the wheel? Not if Queensland captain Cameron Smith has anything to say about it.
The shell-shocked Maroons will wake up on Thursday knowing they are one loss away from just a second series defeat in 12 years following Wednesday’s 28-4 Suncorp Stadium mauling by NSW.
Shorn of the experience and leadership of injured trio Matt Scott, Johnathan Thurston and Greg Inglis, the Maroons were out-hustled and outplayed by a rampant Blues’ outfit.
The winning margin was NSW’s biggest in Origin history at Suncorp Stadium and with old stagers Nate Myles, Sam Thaiday and Jacob Lillyman having little impact the Maroons’ decade of dominance has never looked so shaky.
Since the introduction of the three-game format in 1982, the team that has won the opener has gone on to win the series 26 times out of 35 – including seven in the past eight.
During the Maroons’ 11 wins from the past 12 series, Queensland have on three occasions lost the opening match but emerged victorious.
Smith, who played his 40th Origin on Wednesday night, says the challenge of keeping the series alive in Sydney next month is exciting, not daunting.
“It’s one victory, I wouldn’t call it a lot of momentum,” Smith said.
“It’s one game, you know? It all starts again. It doesn’t matter what happened up here in two and a half weeks’ time, the score is 0-0 when we both run out there in Sydney.”
Smith’s Origin lieutenant Cooper Cronk doesn’t believe the Maroons should throw the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to selections.
Thurston may return from a shoulder injury and Melbourne teammate Billy Slater is waiting for a recall after being overlooked for game one but Cronk is confident whoever plays Queensland can overturn the 24-point game one deficit.
“There’s decisions to be made around that,” Cronk said of a possible return for Slater.
“It doesn’t matter who comes in – you could bring back Allan Langer if you want to – we’ll work tirelessly during the week for game two and we’ll put everything we have into it.”
