{"id":451413,"date":"2025-05-27T01:51:27","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T01:51:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=451413"},"modified":"2025-05-27T06:15:17","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T06:15:17","slug":"friendliest-origin-build-up-spells-disaster-for-maroons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=451413","title":{"rendered":"'Friendliest' Origin build-up spells disaster for Maroons"},"content":{"rendered":"

This might have been the friendliest, and least eventful, build up to a State of Origin<\/a> series ever.<\/p>\n

\ufeffAnd if history tells us anything, it could well be playing into the hands of New South Wales<\/a> as the Blues plot another Suncorp Stadium ambush.<\/p>\n

Queensland<\/a> famously thrives on being under attack.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> 'Shouldn't have any bearing': The curious case of Terrell May<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Gould whacks Sexton's agent while Mahoney request confirmed<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> 'Struggling' star among six most under pressure in Origin<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Backs against the wall, everyone hates us, let's stick it right up 'em!<\/p>\n

It is 30 years since Paul Vautin led his famed Neville Nobodies – including an 18-year-old Ben Ikin – to a stunning 3-0 sweep\ufeff.<\/p>\n

\ufeffThe 2020 Maroons were called the worst Origin squad ever assembled – a jibe from one Sydney-based media outlet which, to be fair, was pretty much spot on.<\/p>\n

\"Queensland<\/p>\n

But Wayne Bennett somehow coached that squad of battlers to a series victory. Because of course he did – it's what the Maroons do.<\/p>\n

This year they are underdogs once again, at least according to bookmakers.<\/p>\n

But the adversity isn't there.<\/p>\n

There have been no reports of injury or illness leaked from Queensland camp. No one has labelled them the worst squad of players ever compiled in rugby league history.<\/p>\n

Watch the 2025 State of Origin series exclusively live and free on Nine and<\/strong><\/em> 9Now<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The closest the Maroons have come to being under attack this week is "Backdoor" Benny Elias taking a pop at the captain Daly Cherry-Evans for lunching with referee Ashley Klein<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Credit to the legendary hooker for at least trying to light the fuse and create some headlines.<\/p>\n

\"Daley\u00a0'not\u00a0sure'\u00a0if\u00a0Crichton\u00a0will\u00a0play\"<\/p>\n

\ufeffQueensland players and coaches have refused to publicly mention the name Spencer Leniu – although no doubt they will be chanting it behind closed doors, intent on reaping revenge for the firebrand forward's verbal attack on Johnathan Thurston almost two months ago.<\/p>\n

If there is any animosity at all between the two camps, it's being kept very quiet.<\/p>\n

Maroons coach Billy Slater could not have been more glowing in his assessment of the opposition when Today<\/em> host Karl Stefanovic attempted to bait him into a slanging match on Tuesday morning.\ufeff<\/p>\n

"You've got to \ufeffrespect your opposition. They are a quality team," Slater said.<\/p>\n

"\ufeffYou've got Payne Haas and Stephen Crichton who have had disrupted preparations… but everyone is a professional these days, and especially those two guys. If they take the field they will be at their best.<\/p>\n

\"Spencer<\/p>\n

"I've got great respect\ufeff for the whole coaching staff, and the support staff of NSW. I know them personally."\ufeff<\/p>\n

It appears to be a new approach from Slater, who in past series has been a little prickly with media.<\/p>\n

Last year Queensland went to war with Blues coach Michael Maguire over his "glass houses" quip after NSW rookie Joseph Suaalii took Reece Walsh's head off in game one.<\/p>\n

The Maroons won game one – thanks in part to NSW playing with 12 men.<\/p>\n

But when the series got heated after that, the Blues won games two and three – including a stunner at Suncorp – to clinch the shield.<\/p>\n

It's likely Slater is opting not to engage in any brouhaha this year for fear of the same happening again. Both camps are trying to fly under the radar – but will the new approach succeed or backfire?<\/p>\n

\"'Glass<\/p>\n

The biggest story of the week has been Stephen Crichton limping off Blues training on Monday.<\/p>\n

NSW legend and former coaching adviser Greg Alexander on Monday claimed he wasn't even aware an Origin game was being played this week.<\/p>\n

\ufeff"When you said Origin was\ufeff on this Wednesday, I had completely forgot," Alexander told his SEN co-host Andrew Voss.<\/p>\n

"\ufeffI'd forgotten about it."<\/p>\n

The NRL will be hoping Brandy is alone in failing to remember the series kicks off on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n

But administrators at the Moore Park HQ might also be praying for someone – anyone – to spark some life into the series opener.<\/p>\n

\"Coach<\/p>\n

Blues skipper Isaah Yeo was given the chance – several times – by journalists on Tuesday. He chuckled and said it's not his go to say anything mean.<\/p>\n

Leniu and Latrell Mitchell – two of the more interesting characters in either Origin camp this year – are on media bans and so haven't said a thing.<\/p>\n

NSW debutant Max King might be the nicest man in State of Origin history if his interview with 9News on Sunday is anything to go by.<\/p>\n

No doubt there will be fireworks come kick-off on Wednesday night and all the niceties will be shoved to the side.<\/p>\n

But it will be intriguing to see if this new Queensland charm offensive pays off for Slater's Maroons.\ufeff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This might have been the friendliest, and least eventful, build up to a State of Origin series ever. \ufeffAnd if history tells us anything, it […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":451415,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451413"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=451413"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451413\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":451420,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451413\/revisions\/451420"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/451415"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=451413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=451413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=451413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}