Legendary coach Phil Gould says the Blues “got their pants pulled down” in the State of Origin opener, but isn’t forecasting mass team changes for game two.
New South Wales heads to Suncorp Stadium on June 21 needing to win behind enemy lines to level the series and force a decider in Sydney.
A 26-18 loss at Adelaide Oval was made all the more demoralising by the fact Queensland had a man in the sin-bin, and both specialist wingers on the bench injured for the final 10 minutes, but still managed to score two tries to execute a famous victory.
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The reaction south of the Tweed has been brutal, but expected, with many calling for coach Brad Fittler to swing the axe for Origin II in a desperate attempt to pull off a miracle in Brisbane.
Gould, though, does not subscribe to that idea.
“Any benefit you’ve got out of the preparation for game one is lost if you make massive changes for game two,” Gould told Wide World of Sports’ Six Tackles with Gus podcast.
“Now everyone wants to throw everyone out and change the whole side. I don’t think, A: that’s going to happen, and, B: nor should it happen.
“Anything they change now is only going to make preparation for game two more difficult. Remember where we’re going… unless you’ve experienced it (an Origin at Suncorp Stadium), it slaps you in the face.
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“Our record up there is poor. It’s not a place for rookies, it’s not a place for first-timers, it’s not a place for experimenting with your team. You’ve got to go with the tried and true.
“I would suggest he picks a team that he could lose with – he could say ‘Well I got the players I wanted and I’m happy for them to play for my coaching reputation’, and that’s why I don’t think you will see many changes.
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“He will go down with those that got him there and he will go with experience, as he should.”
Fittler is resigned to losing his job as Blues coach if Queensland wins this year’s series.
While the coach is in the gun, so too is his captain.
James Tedesco has been the NSW fullback since he debuted in game three of the 2016 series, and took the captaincy from Boyd Cordner when the latter was forced into an early retirement.
But the Roosters No.1 struggled on Wednesday night, as he has done for most of this season at club level.
He missed a tackle to allow Selwyn Cobbo to score a try, slipped over as Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow ran past him to put the Maroons in front late in the game, and then was out-jumped by Queensland prop Lindsay Collins in the dying minutes to leak the sealing four-pointer. Earlier he had been caught out of position when Tabuai-Fidow scored the opener off a Cameron Munster grubber kick.
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Pundits have suggested Tedesco could make way for the in-form Penrith fullback Dylan Edwards, or even let Latrell Mitchell take the No.1 jumper rather than return at left centre.
“I would be absolutely shocked if he is even contemplating going without Tedesco,” Gould said.
“(Fittler) won’t do that. He will go down with his skipper… if they go down. Whatever happens the coach will take the captain with him, I can guarantee you.
“He’s got great faith in James Tedesco, he has been a wonderful servant for NSW. I can’t see the Blues abandoning their captain.
“The things they are criticising Tedesco for, he’s never really been great at those things anyway. (They are) worried he didn’t pass this ball here or there… he made over 250 metres in the game, he was in there trying the whole time.
“I think with a different focus in attack James Tedesco can still be extremely effective.”
Gould also hosed down suggestions Tom Trbojevic shouldn’t be picked as he serves the 11-day stand-down after being concussed in game one.
Fittler is expected to name his team for game two on Monday week.
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