Cameron Smith and Paul Gallen have talked down fears Wednesday night’s State of Origin clash will boil over following a bitter verbal build up to game two.
The record-breaking Maroons arrived in Sydney on Tuesday without enforcer Sam Thaiday but fired up by weekend taunts from NSW coach Ricky Stuart who branded them “smug”.
Likewise, Stuart and his players, who must win to keep the series alive, are dirty on comments attributed to Meninga during a fan day visit by his team to Roma a week ago.
The verbal sparring has set the scene for the return clash to erupt on referees Tony Archer and Ben Cummins in front a hostile 80,000 fans.
Blues centre Michael Jennings was sin binned during Origin I in Melbourne after tempers flared and there’s concerns the referees could have their hands full with even more riding on the result this time.
“You guys ask this question every game,” said Queensland captain Cameron Smith when quizzed about the likelihood of the match erupting.
Smith said most of the niggling comments from across the border had come from Blues staff, not its players.
“Look, we don’t sit around camp or go to training sessions thinking `right boys, what are we going to do when a stink is on’,” said Smith.
“We’re not about that, we’re about playing football and that’s what we worry about first.
“But if it happens, we’ll be there to back each other up.”
Gallen, who stood by his coach’s comments, said NSW wouldn’t be looking for a fight.
“That’s Origin, it’s all part of the banter,” he said of Stuart’s comments about the Maroons.
“The hatred between the two states brings out those emotions.
“Every player out there is going to spill blood for their state.
“I am sure if that comes into the game, we’ll be part of it.”