There are two ways a coach can make a real impact on the end result: team selection and the interchange.
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When a coach is not coaching regularly and doesn’t have an experience or feel for the modern day game, the interchange is one where you can really stuff up.
Game 2
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And on Wednesday night, in the space of 10 minutes, that’s where the Blues came undone.
It didn’t have to be this way. The Blues were leading at halftime. They had one hand on the shield.
But then they ran out to start the second half without Payne Haas, Mitch Barnett or Addin Fonua-Blake on the field.
In a nutshell, that’s the game for me.
When you’ve got guys like Haas, Barnett and Fonua-Blake, while also carrying a bench that is undersized and wanting to play your captain long minutes in the middle, you need to recognise that there needs to be at least one big body out there.
I just couldn’t fathom what happened in the first 10 minutes of the second half.
Field position was swinging in Queensland’s favour and it took so much energy out of the Blues to try and swing it back.
That in itself highlights a coaching error.
When Haas was on the field in the first half, NSW had a really good balance and if anything, probably should have scored one or two more tries.
If the Blues were bang on with their interchanges, they would have made a change or two late to start the second half with at least Haas or Fonua-Blake on the field.
Instead, we got dominated through the middle.
The result was three tries in the space of 11 minutes. By the time Jojo Fifita scored and the Maroons were up 26-12, it was over.
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“There’s a belief problem!” | 01:27
We were too small to carry in attack early in the second half and too small in defence.
That’s the game.
You always hear Billy Slater talk about the Queensland style of play. You saw it last night.
It was a scary sight for Blues fans, because once the Maroons are able to get in that flow where Harry Grant is jumping out of dummy-half and Cameron Munster is a bit more confident and Kalyn Ponga is coming at you, they just grow another leg.
You just can’t allow them to get into that sort of a rhythm.
That is where the Blues fell short in the first 10 minutes of the second half. They stuffed up the interchange and allowed the Maroons to really get momentum.
NSW just could not get it back.
Now, everyone is already talking about what changes Daley should make for the decider.
But you know what? I don’t think there necessarily needs to be any changes.
It sounds stupid, but here’s why.
The real difference on Wednesday night was the coaching. It’s simple as that.
The one change I would make is not putting Isaah Yeo, Victor Radley and Cameron Murray on the field at the same time.
It is stupid. It is dumb. I just don’t understand it.
I cannot for the life of me understand why you play them all on the field at the same time. I just can’t get my head around it.
Sure, having multiple ball-playing options in attack sounds great. But you’ve got to think about the other side of the field.
Can you imagine if Haumole Olakau’atu was out there?
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Everyone wants to talk about Olakau’atu not being picked. About how devastating he would have been with the ball in hand.
But again, what about the other side of the ball?
If he was out there in the deep end during that possession swing, he would not have been able to compete.
If you think about the great Origin back rowers and the ones that hold up, they were able to defend.
Think about someone like David Fifita. If you put him next to Kurt Capewell, who do you pick?
The average punter would probably pick Fifita, but why doesn’t Billy pick him then? He picks Capewell because he can hold up in defence.
For all the talk about Olakau’atu, I thought Dylan Lucas and Hudson Young played really well.
The Blues should still probably bring back Liam Martin for the decider. But I’d be keeping Lucas in the starting line-up and move Young to the bench.
I wouldn’t make any changes to the halves either.
I thought Mitch Moses kicked really well. Nathan Cleary also got his game on at the start and set up a couple of tries.
But purely through possession and field position, they just couldn’t get back in the game. Once the game was gone, the Blues didn’t want to make the change and waited too long to put Api Koroisau on.
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Should Strange replace Moses for game 3? | 01:10
Daley missed the opportunity because when Kotoni Staggs got sent to the bin, he had to put Strange on.
You can only put Koroisau on when you’ve got Haas, Fonua-Blake and some big bodies in there that can really generate that ruck speed and hold up physically through the middle. As a coach, he just missed the mark.
He can’t make that mistake again, especially with the series on the line.
So, I’d have Koroisau there again on the bench ahead of Blayke Brailey, but this time Daley has to use him.
I’d also have Latrell Mitchell in if he’s fit. If not, it’s a risk but I’d almost think of putting Strange in the centres ahead of Kotoni Staggs, who struggled on Wednesday night.
Otherwise, I’m backing Brian To’o in despite his shaky performance in the air and like what I saw from Mark Nawaqanitawase on debut.
Tolu Koula retains his spot as well, as does James Tedesco, but I’d have Dylan Edwards on the extended bench as cover.
If Daley doesn’t feel like he needs the added insurance of an Edwards, who can play both fullback and on the wing, sure go with Victor Radley.
But otherwise I like the balance of a bench with Koroisau, Fonua-Blake, Yeo, Young, Strange and Edwards.
ALEX MCKINNON’S BLUES TEAM FOR GAME 3
1. James Tedesco
2. Brian To’o
3. Latrell Mitchell
4. Tolu Koula
5. Mark Nawaqanitawase
6. Mitchell Moses
7. Nathan Cleary
8. Payne Haas
9. Reece Robson
10. Mitch Barnett
11. Dylan Lucas
12. Liam Martin
13. Cameron Murray
14. Apisai Koroisau
15. Addin Fonua-Blake
16. Isaah Yeo
17. Hudson Young
18. Ethan Strange
19. Dylan Edwards
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