Queensland ready to play the dummy - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Queensland ready to play the dummy

By Todd Balym 20/05/2008 05:37:04 PM Comments (0)

Queensland coach Mal Meninga wants his all-star backline to get their "hands dirty" as part of a dummy half running assault in Wednesday's State of Origin series opener at ANZ Stadium.

The Maroons annihilated the powerful NSW forward pack with quick darting runs out of dummy half last year and Meninga will utilise a similar game plan in expected greasy conditions on Wednesday.

Queensland boast some of the NRL's best dummy half runners including hooker Cameron Smith plus backs Billy Slater, Brent Tate and Greg Inglis.

"We've got a game plan and we believe in that game plan," said Meninga upon arrival to Sydney on Tuesday.

"As a team we believe if we stick to that game plan we are a great chance at being successful.

"We're not complacent, we won't underestimate them.

"Rugby league is about getting in and having a dig and you know that particularly early in the sets the big outside backs need to get involved and do a fair bit of the ruck work.

"They know they have to get their hands dirty and they know they have to get out there and play as a footy side."

But NSW skipper Danny Buderus has warned the Blues are ready for Queensland's one-out running tactics, declaring they won't be fooled for a third year running.

"They're going to come through the middle and we expect that," said Buderus.

"If you look at the games last year they blew us apart with dummy half running and we only had one or two players in the tackle.

"It's just about being consistent over a period of time and you need that to be 80 minutes in Origin.

"You can't let it be 65 (minutes) or 75 (minutes), it has got to be an 80 minute performance in defence."

Rookie Queensland winger Israel Folau has recovered from his stomach virus to complete Tuesday's final session and will play on Wednesday.

The other question mark over the Maroons lineup was whether Karmichael Hunt would start at five-eighth as selected or would Greg Inglis shift into pivot.

Meninga was giving no team secrets away on Tuesday other than that the Maroons were confident they would kick start their campaign for a hat-trick of series wins on the right foot on Wednesday.

"There's a certain amount of self belief in the footy side,' he said.

"There's a certain amount of belief in each other.

"Origin footy is about who stands up on the night and wants to put in for their mates and that's the way we approach it."

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