The Queensland Maroons have Game I in the bag and head to Melbourne this week aiming to wrap up the 2024 State of Origin series.
We saw glimpses of what Billy Slater had worked on in the lead up to the series opener but the Reece Walsh injury disrupted most of the plans QLD would've had for Game I.
I'm still expecting Walsh to heavily feature on either edge for the Maroons attack but with all the pressure on New South Wales this week, I'm tipping a more conservative approach from QLD on Wednesday night.
The long kicking game of Daly Cherry-Evans in particular has been the difference in previous series and profiles as a deciding factor again this week. His ability to find the grass and ask NSW to work out of unfavourable areas on the field will go a long way to negating the Blues productive back three on kick returns.
In good-ball, that same right boot will look for the myriad of aerial targets on both QLD edges. The Maroons very nearly scored yet another try from a batted-back kick in Game I and the spaces around Brian To'o and Latrell Mitchell will again be a target for Xavier Coates and Jeremiah Nanai in the air.
Closer to the ruck, the involvements of Ben Hunt and Harry Grant will be crucial for QLD.
If the Maroons do wind the clock back and try to grind NSW out of this one, the little advantages both Hunt and Grant create in yardage can be the difference. Both can generate positive matchups in yardage or run on quick play-the-balls until they hit the right spots on the field for Cherry-Evans to get on the ball.
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