Maroons great Gorden Tallis has thrown down the gauntlet to Spencer Leniu, questioning the Blues prop's toughness and role off the bench in State of Origin.
Tallis mocked the idea of Leniu replacing the injured Mitch Barnett in the starting side, daring NSW to play him for the full 80 minutes.
“I think Spencer Leniu should start and play 80 minutes?” Tallis said on NRL 360, sparking laughter from the panel.
“What, can’t he play 80 minutes?" he said.
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The jabs come after Queensland avoided kicking off to Leniu in Game One, strategically dodging his explosive energy off the back fence.
That move followed The Courier Mail's provocative front-page headline: "Smash this Blues Grub."
"Will they kick off to him?" James Hooper asked.
"Yeah absolutely. If he comes on and starts with those guys in the middle, I'm sure you'd kick to him," Tallis said.
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(Instead he) comes on after all the tough stuff is done, after 25 minutes. Start him and play him 80 minutes," Tallis suggested.
"You're suggesting he ducks the hard stuff," Dave Riccio said.
Braith Anasta questioned the logic" "Why would he play 80 minutes?"
"Because that's how long the game goes for. If you guys didn't duck the hard stuff you would have kicked the ball to him," Tallis fired back.
When Hooper pointed out that no front-rowers play full matches, Tallis shot back sarcastically.
"Payne Haas does. Don't bag your own teammates. I'd pick him and play him 80 minutes but all of you three said he can't. They've got no faith in you, Spencer," the Queenslander said.