Hi everyone!
Welcome to this Week 17 Tipping blog update edition!
State of Origin is now done and dusted for another year and unfortunately for Blues fans, it's the same result they've come accustomed to...a series loss.
This is now seven series wins in a row and with the home ground advantage heading QLD's way next year (likely 2x games at Suncorp), the Blues already face an uphill battle to stop eight series wins on the trot.
Having said that, after last night's epic battle in what many are saying is one of the greatest Origin matches of all time, with Queensland showing their class in coming back from 8-0 down early in the match to head into the sheds with a 16-8 lead. To NSW credit though, they hung in there and scored two tries to take the game to 20-all before a masterful field goal from Cronk sealed the deal in the 76th minute.
Wow...what a match...and what a series. Congrats to the Maroons yet again...a champion side.
State of Origin is now done and dusted for another year and unfortunately for Blues fans, it's the same result they've come accustomed to...a series loss.
This is now seven series wins in a row and with the home ground advantage heading QLD's way next year (likely 2x games at Suncorp), the Blues already face an uphill battle to stop eight series wins on the trot.
Having said that, after last night's epic battle in what many are saying is one of the greatest Origin matches of all time, with Queensland showing their class in coming back from 8-0 down early in the match to head into the sheds with a 16-8 lead. To NSW credit though, they hung in there and scored two tries to take the game to 20-all before a masterful field goal from Cronk sealed the deal in the 76th minute.
Wow...what a match...and what a series. Congrats to the Maroons yet again...a champion side.
In the NRL, it was yet another short weekend with missing Origin stars.
On Friday night, the Sharks surprised many, and have got many thinking they are a real premiership contender this season, in upsetting the baby Broncos at Suncorp Stadium 26-12.
On Saturday, the Knights made it 2 on the trot with a 20-12 win at Newcastle 32-16, while on Sunday the Cowboys were no match for a NZ Warriors not troubled by Origin with the Aucklanders running out 38-18 winners at Mt Smart and the Rabbitohs continued the surge into the top 4 with a resounding 38-12 win over the Penrith Panthers.
On Monday, the Raiders continued to be a curse for the Dragons, upsetting them 22-18 at Canberra. The Red V have now failed to win at Canberra since 2000.
On Friday night, the Sharks surprised many, and have got many thinking they are a real premiership contender this season, in upsetting the baby Broncos at Suncorp Stadium 26-12.
On Saturday, the Knights made it 2 on the trot with a 20-12 win at Newcastle 32-16, while on Sunday the Cowboys were no match for a NZ Warriors not troubled by Origin with the Aucklanders running out 38-18 winners at Mt Smart and the Rabbitohs continued the surge into the top 4 with a resounding 38-12 win over the Penrith Panthers.
On Monday, the Raiders continued to be a curse for the Dragons, upsetting them 22-18 at Canberra. The Red V have now failed to win at Canberra since 2000.
In our tipping competition, The Neighbour landed his 3rd All Correct of the season to send him flying up into 2nd place on 99 points, now only 1 point behind leader sava4 who became the first tipster to 100 points this season. cmcnls+1day (97) dropped to 3rd place, a further 2 points ahead of Wilshere Wonderland and Vee8Head (95) in 4th equal spot.
Steven Marshall (94), Feet Little, ootz, Kiwi_Misty (all 93) and wayne (92) round off the current top 10.
Keep getting those tips in!
The Neighbour with an All Correct score of 10 points and a margin of 2. Chur bro!
Here's what's happened in Week Seventeen!
QLD ARE IN SEVEN HEAVEN
Cooper Cronk's 40-metre field-goal broke New South Wales hearts, sealed a 21-20 win for Queensland and locked in a seventh successive State of Origin series win in a breathless encounter at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday.
Maroons half-back Cronk bisected the posts four minutes from full-time after a Josh Morris try, converted by Todd Carney, levelled the game for the Blues.
"It was hard but that's what State of Origin is all about," victorious skipper Cameron Smith told the media in the wake of the win in his first series at the reins after the retirement of Darren Lockyer.
"Everyone who came here tonight and paid their money to see it will remember it for a long time.
"It was a great Origin and I think it will go down as one of the classic matches.
"Hopefully all those people who thought we were all played out and had nothing to show, we showed them one tonight that we still have some fuel in the tank and we've got the desire to win football matches."
"Full credit to New South Wales, they were tremendous tonight as they have been all series," Civoniceva said
"But we have a tremendous spirit in our team, we've had a few injuries, we've had a few setbacks, but our preparation has been faultless and I'm so grateful to get that win. All week it has never been about me and my last game ... it's been all about the process and how we can improve on the first couple of games.
We're a very close bunch of mates, we've been through so much, obviously we've had a lot of success, but if you lose that faith within the team you can come unstuck. That hasn't been the case here."
Smith said he was confident his team was well-prepared despite injury setbacks throughout the series.
"It's been outstanding, the last training run last night was the best we've had all series," he said.
"I walked off the park after the captain's run thinking we're ready to win the series."
It took just 86 seconds for the match to burst into life when New South Wales skipper Paul Gallen was penalised for throwing a punch at Brent Tate, with both sets of players jumping in to join the melee.
The Blues then managed to withstand an early set directly in front of their own posts, and then opened the lead in the fourth minute when Brett Morris brushed aside Sam Thaiday and sprinted 60 metres where he was hauled down just short of the line.
Corey Parker was adjudged to be offside from the subsequent play-the-ball and Carney converted the penalty.
New South Wales then stretched its lead when Morris dived over for his first Origin try in the 13th minute.
The early setback only served to inspire the Maroons, who seized control of the game with Johnathan Thurston becoming increasingly influential as the Blues were pegged back deep in their own half.
The pressure paid off at the halfway stage of the opening stanza when Thurston's glorious cut-out pass was hauled in by Darius Boyd.
"The boys were just great, I love everything about it (Origin)," man-of-the-match Thurston said.
He said the Blues had come hard at the Maroons.
"They did, they're a great side, that's why there's only one point differential. They took it to us the whole 80, we had to play some good footy to get out of it. I'm very proud."
Parker looked to have botched a certain try, but he managed to squeeze out an offload and Thurston dived over the line and then added the extras from in front of the posts.
New South Wales was incensed at the decision by video referee Steve Clark to award the four points, claiming Ben Hannant obstructed Beau Scott to prevent him from attempting a tackle.
Trailing 16-8 at half-time, the Blues needed a good start but they failed to muster a sustained spell of pressure as Queensland dominated the desperate Blues.
However, in a rare foray into the enemy territory the visitors found the try line when Brett Stewart dived onto a clever kick from Robbie Farah to score.
Carney's conversion closed the gap to four points, but instead of sitting back on the lead, the hosts continued to press.
Greg Inglis looked certain to score when Smith made a magnificent break and found the advancing full-back, but a brilliant try-saving tackle from Josh Morris saw him fall centimetres short.
Two penalties from Thurston, who was named man of the match, increased the hosts' lead as Ricky Stuart's side battled gamely to stop Mal Meninga's marauding side.
It took a moment of brilliance to get them back into the game when Josh Morris launched himself high above Boyd to miraculously hold onto Farah's kick eight minutes from full-time and Carney held his nerve with a sideline conversion.
However, it was Cronk who had the final word to break the Blues' hearts with a last-gasp field goal from Pearce failing short and wide.
"That's why you put in the hours, that's why you practice. We did a fair bit of practice of drop goals this week, because we knew how close Origin has been, and I'm glad it landed."
Hard-working Maroons forward Nate Myles was named man of the series, and provided some unintentional comedy late in the first half with a missed field goal attempt from 40m out.
Queensland: 21 (D Boyd, J Thurston, J Hodges tries; J Thurston 2/3 conversions, 2/2 penalty goals; C Cronk 1/1 field goals)
New South Wales: 20 (B Morris, B Stewart, J Morris tries; T Carney 3/3 conversions, 1/1 penalty goals)
THIS YEAR'S STATE OF ORIGIN COVERAGE WAS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
RANK
|
TIPPER
|
ROUND 17 SCORE
|
ROUND 17 MARGIN
|
TOTAL SCORE
|
TOTAL MARGIN
|
1
|
sava4
|
4
|
2
|
100
|
172
|
2
|
The Neighbour
|
10
|
2
|
99
|
217
|
3
|
cmcnls+1day
|
3
|
12
|
97
|
238
|
4
|
Wilshere Wonderland
|
4
|
2
|
95
|
167
|
5
|
Vee8head
|
4
|
2
|
95
|
209
|
6
|
Steven Marshall
|
4
|
16
|
94
|
159
|
7
|
Feet Little
|
4
|
14
|
93
|
172
|
8
|
ootz
|
5
|
2
|
93
|
190
|
9
|
Kiwi_Misty
|
4
|
2
|
93
|
194
|
10
|
wayne
|
4
|
1
|
92
|
186
|
11
|
Brenda Kirkman
|
4
|
16
|
92
|
199
|
12
|
Sincas
|
4
|
2
|
91
|
186
|
13
|
tais1
|
4
|
4
|
91
|
206
|
14
|
Link Abrams
|
4
|
6
|
90
|
205
|
15
|
BEARlythere
|
4
|
2
|
90
|
247
|
16
|
Yo Mama
|
5
|
2
|
89
|
208
|
17
|
Bronco2020
|
3
|
19
|
89
|
277
|
18
|
killswitch
|
4
|
0
|
88
|
168
|
19
|
steven bowers
|
3
|
5
|
88
|
206
|
20
|
Jessamine
|
3
|
14
|
88
|
210
|
21
|
TUMUCH
|
3
|
2
|
88
|
220
|
22
|
Harveysan
|
5
|
17
|
86
|
151
|
23
|
Evra69
|
5
|
4
|
86
|
185
|
24
|
Warmess
|
4
|
4
|
86
|
206
|
25
|
jared francois
|
4
|
12
|
86
|
226
|
26
|
Simply The Bears
|
3
|
2
|
86
|
232
|
27
|
melz
|
3
|
18
|
86
|
252
|
28
|
Lainey
|
5
|
0
|
85
|
194
|
29
|
Staks
|
2
|
22
|
84
|
208
|
30
|
Heath Caldwell
|
3
|
14
|
84
|
235
|
31
|
kazgriffo
|
3
|
2
|
83
|
186
|
32
|
Beakster
|
2
|
16
|
83
|
188
|
33
|
eviltwin
|
4
|
4
|
83
|
189
|
34
|
sole@basher
|
4
|
16
|
83
|
191
|
35
|
NO1QPRNZ
|
4
|
2
|
83
|
208
|
36
|
Keith Wilton
|
4
|
20
|
83
|
221
|
37
|
TimmyDemon
|
3
|
12
|
83
|
236
|
38
|
MrBusy
|
5
|
16
|
82
|
154
|
39
|
ROOSTERSRCHAMPIONS
|
1
|
12
|
82
|
159
|
40
|
Joejoez
|
4
|
0
|
82
|
183
|
41
|
NZ Tiger (Aka NZ Ranger)
|
3
|
10
|
82
|
202
|
42
|
Anotherstranger
|
3
|
12
|
81
|
186
|
43
|
OVERATEDBENJI
|
3
|
13
|
81
|
195
|
44
|
Balmainadrian
|
3
|
2
|
81
|
201
|
45
|
Richard McCourt
|
4
|
0
|
81
|
214
|
46
|
Dean Campbell
|
3
|
14
|
81
|
252
|
47
|
Pistol
|
4
|
2
|
80
|
184
|
48
|
Bearette
|
2
|
14
|
80
|
186
|
49
|
Shay Wall
|
4
|
2
|
80
|
194
|
50
|
taijay
|
2
|
17
|
80
|
233
|
51
|
Tiger Warrior
|
3
|
4
|
80
|
235
|
52
|
boogs_nz
|
3
|
6
|
79
|
176
|
53
|
Irontiger
|
0
|
8
|
79
|
200
|
54
|
Matthew Bowers
|
3
|
13
|
79
|
222
|
55
|
blo1
|
3
|
18
|
79
|
263
|
56
|
Scotsta
|
3
|
16
|
78
|
214
|
57
|
5JS
|
5
|
1
|
78
|
219
|
58
|
Scott Nielson
|
5
|
2
|
77
|
201
|
59
|
Kyle Thomson
|
2
|
12
|
77
|
212
|
60
|
Tigerstu
|
0
|
8
|
77
|
244
|
61
|
melros
|
2
|
12
|
76
|
181
|
62
|
kelren
|
4
|
2
|
76
|
182
|
63
|
Joey James
|
2
|
14
|
76
|
193
|
64
|
Hemi Ropata
|
3
|
14
|
76
|
200
|
65
|
money_box_man
|
2
|
12
|
76
|
276
|
66
|
Bruiser
|
5
|
2
|
74
|
186
|
67
|
haze13
|
1
|
20
|
74
|
224
|
68
|
Redv4me
|
3
|
10
|
74
|
243
|
69
|
mdt64
|
4
|
12
|
73
|
194
|
70
|
Darren Scott
|
3
|
16
|
73
|
224
|
71
|
Bearass
|
4
|
18
|
73
|
244
|
72
|
katie rice
|
2
|
18
|
72
|
238
|
73
|
rog the dodge
|
3
|
2
|
72
|
240
|
74
|
Radman
|
2
|
14
|
71
|
195
|
75
|
BT Ross
|
4
|
18
|
71
|
264
|
76
|
Rex Kwando
|
4
|
9
|
70
|
227
|
77
|
Tubasaurus
|
2
|
20
|
70
|
240
|
78
|
Gaddaffi
|
4
|
2
|
69
|
223
|
79
|
Dave Gearey
|
0
|
8
|
64
|
185
|
80
|
Sanka
|
0
|
8
|
60
|
177
|
81
|
Big Trouble
|
0
|
8
|
56
|
184
|
82
|
Tiger77
|
0
|
8
|
52
|
246
|
TO SEE WHO TIPPED WHAT - VISIT THE FOOTY TIPS 'WHO TIPPED WHAT' LINK (YOU MUST BE SIGNED IN TO VIEW). FOR THE LATEST POOLS TABLES PLACINGS - VISIT THE CURRENT POOLS TABLE PAGE
That's it for another update.
Have a great weekend!
Seeya'll next week!
Mark
aka NZ Tiger
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