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'Doesn't mean anything': NSW boss unfazed by State of Origin I defeat

(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Brad Fittler was unusually tightlipped as the NSW coach fronted a slightly awkward boxing-style joint media conference on the eve of State of Origin II in Perth.

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In front of members of the public, Fittler was flanked by Blues captain James Tedesco, Queensland coach Billy Slater and Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans.

The setting didn’t lend itself to elaborate responses but Fittler kept his cards close to his chest before aiming to square the series at a sold out Optus Stadium on Sunday.

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The Blues coach knows his side is facing an uphill battle to turn the series around after losing the opener in Sydney.

NSW haven’t come back from losing an Origin I game in Sydney and gone on to win the series since 1994.

In 2019, Fittler took NSW to Perth while 1-0 down, winning Origin II 38-6 and then going on to lift the shield in the decider.

“We reacted,” he said of his learnings from 2019.

“I think we went away and noted that we could do some things better. We’ve trained accordingly but it gives you no guarantees.

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“We need to make it happen, just because you lost the first one doesn’t mean anything.”

Fittler has reacted once again, this time making seven changes.

The most notable of those resulted in hooker Damien Cook being benched for Api Koroisau and the recall of Jake Trbojevic.

Trbojevic will play at prop with Junior Paulo, who was ineffective as an interchange forward in Origin I and is one of the game’s best pace-setting props, coming off the bench again.

“Over the time in our team Junior has done both, he has come off the bench more so than not,” Fittler said.

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One of the main focuses for NSW in training this week has been slowing down Queensland’s fast ruck, an area the Blues lost out in during game one.

They were criticised for being “too nice” by Fittler’s deputy Greg Alexander, who said the Blues needed to push the envelope with referee Ashley Klein on Sunday.

“We’ve just done our due diligence, like everyone does and asked for explanations,” Fittler said.

“Outside of that, no I haven’t spoken to (referees boss) Gerard Maxwell.”

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J
JW 1 hour ago
'Let's not sugarcoat it': Former All Black's urgent call to protect eligibility rules

Yep, no one knows what will happen. Thing is I think (this is me arguing a point here not a random debate with this one) they're better off trialing it now in a controlled environment than waiting to open it up in a knee jerk style reaction to a crumbling organtization and team. They can always stop it again.


The principle idea is that why would players leave just because the door is ajar?


BBBR decides to go but is not good enough to retain the jersey after doing it. NZ no longer need to do what I suggest by paying him to get back upto speed. That is solely a concept of a body that needs to do what I call pick and stick wth players. NZR can't hold onto everyone so they have to choose their BBBRs and if that player comes back from a sabbatical under par it's a priority to get him upto speed as fast as possible because half of his competition has been let go overseas because they can't hold onto them all. Changing eligibility removes that dilemma, if a BBBR isn't playing well you can be assured that someone else is (well the idea is that you can be more assured than if you only selected from domestic players).


So if someone decides they want to go overseas, they better do it with an org than is going to help improve them, otherwise theyre still basically as ineligible as if they would have been scorning a NZ Super side that would have given them the best chance to be an All Black.

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