QUEENSLANDER!

This is how excited I am too. (Source: Courier Mail)

Obviously you can tell I'm pretty excited about the outcome of the first State of Origin. However, I don't think the game had the same kind of magic as other State of Origins.

Yes, QLD fielded a very similar team to last year. There were talks that Queensland would not be the same without Cam Smith, but I think Matt Ballin and Cooper Cronk did amazingly well. I also thought that the team would miss the experience of Karmichael Hunt (why, oh why, did you go to AFL?) but the combination of Boyd and Folau on the wings, with Tonga and Inglis as the centres worked really well.

I was looking forward to seeing some big hits - where were they??? I thought with Dave Taylor on our team we'd see some NSW players go flying but he was extremely quite when on the field. Sam Thaiday, on the other hand, was playing all over - directing plays that resulted in tries, tackling, and having a high number of hit-ups - and was playing extremely well.

I will reserve my comments about the refereeing.....no, can't be done. It was atrocious! Tony Archer and Shayne Hayne - what were you thinking??? I'm also incredibly annoyed at Bill Harrigan, the video ref, for giving Ben Creagh's try all the confidence in the world, but only giving Billy Slater's the benefit of the doubt - what the hell?? I don't think OPSM did a very good job of checking their eyes....or maybe they didn't check their colour blindness, and they can't see blue when blatantly doing something wrong.

I am definitely looking forward to the next game in Brisbane.....come on, Queensland! I suspect NSW may move some players around - I don't think Gidley will keep his spot as fullback. For Queensland's sake, I hope he does; otherwise, we'll have to deal with Jarryd Hayne in his pet position.

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Poor Kurt, his position doesn't seem to be guaranteed for the next game. Boo Hoo! (Source: Courier Mail)

What did you all think about the game?