Mitchell Moses Leads NSW Dominance in State of Origin II

Moses floored Maroons prop three seconds into the game. It was the start of a masterclass.

It only took three seconds for Mitchell Moses to announce himself on his return to the Origin arena. The NSW halfback, who was superb on his return to the NSW side at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, showed his intent from the opening kick-off, shoulder charging Maroons enforcer Reuben Cotter to the ground. The incident occurred as his team-mates chased down Zac Lomax’s kick and signalled the intention of the Blues, who steamrolled the Queenslanders in a dominant opening to the match in Melbourne.

The incident was picked up by referee Ashley Klein but he decided not to sanction the Eels No.7. Moses wasn’t short of confidence with the ball in hand either, controlling a NSW masterclass in the greatest attacking half of football in Origin history. The previous biggest half-time lead was 21 points, however NSW went into the sheds with a 34-0 advantage.

Moses played a hand in several NSW tries, both with his sublime passing game and near-perfect kicking game. From the NBA finals to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Dallas Mavericks star Josh Green, was a special guest of the NRL alongside fellow Olympic hopefuls who recently gathered in Melbourne ahead of the Boomers’ and Opals’ pre-Games camps. Green hopped off a plane in Melbourne on Tuesday night fresh from end-of-season celebrations with Mavericks stars Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, despite playing in the NBA finals earlier this month.

Green, the only Sydney-born player in the NBA and averaged 19 minutes in the finals, was waving the NSW flag. NRj for France next month. The Boomers and Opals will play matches against China in Melbourne next week before the squads are finalised for Paris.

Joseph Suaalii is the only NSW player from game one not in the Origin II line-up. Roosters centre, in Origin I, flew into Melbourne on Wednesday evening. Sharks player Cameron McInnes, who was the Blues 19th man, is booked on one of the first flights out of Melbourne on Thursday morning to ensure he makes Cronulla’s training session.

Injured Maroons forward J’maine Hopgood’s season is likely over. Hopgood told Triple M. Regardless of the result in game two, don’t expect Nathan Cleary to feature in the final game of the series in Brisbane. Panthers coach Ivan Cleary said his son isn’t expected back on the field from a hamstring injury until round 20.

The reason the NRL won’t ever sell out an Origin game at the MCG is because of its members. Geelong’s Tom Stewart, Hawthorn’s Josh Weddle and Dylan Moore, Carlton’s Jack Silvagni and Melbourne’s Bayley Fritsch and Judd McVee were all in the stadium to watch the rival code in action.

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy was a special guest speaker at a Blues team dinner on Monday night after the jersey presentation. Those at the dinner said they were impressed by Bellamy’s stirring words and the aura he carries. CBA in the collective bargaining agreement, each player is given six tickets to a game at a venue with a capacity of more than 60,000 (Sydney and Melbourne in 2024), and four tickets to venues with a smaller capacity (Brisbane).