FIVE CRUCIAL BATTLES THAT COULD DECIDE STATE OF ORIGIN GAME TWO:
*MATT PRIOR (NSW) v JARROD WALLACE (QLD)
The plucky Queensland forward has come under fire after notching just 43 metres from five carries in game one.
Given a reprieve, the Gold Coast Titan has promised to deliver in Sydney against a NSW forward pack missing Reagan Campbell-Gillard.
Matt Prior is the man entrusted with filling that void, having pipped Wallace’s clubmate Ryan James for an Origin debut. Two big men with bigger points to prove. Watch this space.
*LATRELL MITCHELL v WILL CHAMBERS
Chambers has become a reliable contributor in a successful Maroons outfit but was put on notice by the 21-year-old centre from Taree in game one.
The Sydney Roosters gun defied the 10-year age gap to rise above Chambers’ verbal and physical barbs and scored a try to take the bragging rights in his Origin debut.
Mitchell’s carrying a few niggles into Sunday’s clash and a proud Chambers is no doubt itching to even the ledger.
*DAMIEN COOK v ANDREW McCULLOUGH
Cook produced one of the great Origin debuts to orchestrate NSW’s 22-12 first-up win, using his speed and timing to tear through the ruck and unleash his lightning-fast backline.
Fellow debutant McCullough plays it differently at hooker, but the level-headed Bronco believes he can blunt Cook’s biggest strength and turn the tide Queensland’s way in the battle of the ruck.
Just how tightly the off-side and play-the-ball laws are enforced may also play a part, after few penalties were blown in game one.
*JAMES TEDESCO v BILLY SLATER
The Blues’ No.1 carved Queensland up in game one while a hamstrung Slater watched from the sideline.
Time and again he shot through the ruck and kick-started NSW’s attack, bagging a try in a man of the match display.
Queensland’s favourite son is back though and much is expected of the 35-year-old in his 30th Origin contest.
Not only will he provide stability by marshalling Queensland’s defence, Slater will also add another much-needed offensive dimension.
*BRAD FITTLER v KEVIN WALTERS
They waged war as players in the early 90s and are at it again as coaches nearly 30 years later. While it is up to the players to decide the contest on Sunday, the pair’s methods and attitudes have had a massive say on the series so far.
Fittler has encouraged barefoot walks and invited all sorts of inspirational figures to camp.
In contrast, Walters was under the pump when a horror run of injuries hit ahead of game one and was unusually agitated when announcing the team earlier this week.
But the Queensland coach has an ace up his sleeve in Kalyn Ponga, with the manner of his employment perhaps the contest’s biggest talking point.
