New South Wales great Andrew Johns has given his reaction to the 2-1 State of Origin series loss to Queensland.
While the rugby league Immortal criticised several key aspects of the Blues’ performance, he also suggested far more respect needed to be given to the victors.
“We’re eating our own (NSW), but we’re not giving Queensland enough credit for how good they were,” Johns said on the Sunday Footy Show on Channel Nine.
“You can only play as well as the opposition lets you and, all in all, they (Queensland) were way too good.”
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“We didn’t have a Plan B, they had the rushing defence on Queensland’s right side, they rushed us hard, someone had to say ‘right they’re rushing, we have to change’,” he continued.
‘If you walk you get found out’
Known for his passion and commitment as a player, Johns was particularly scathing of the performances of some Blues players at key moments during Game III, calling out a combination of fatigue and lack of desire.
“At the highest level, if you walk you get found out, and we walked on some of the big occasions,” he said.
Johns then specifically referenced a poor kick chase on Maroons winger Xavier Coates in the second half when NSW replacement Connor Watson was left stranded on his own looking for support defenders to his left—only to see there were none.
“Where are you? What are you doing?” Johns said frustratedly watching the replay.
“You cannot stop moving your legs because you think the ball is going dead.”
“On some of those big occasions we just weren’t there.”
“Does it come down to desire, or fatigue? It’s probably both.”
Blues coach Laurie Daley has come in for heavy criticism following last Wednesday night’s defeat, however NSWRL chief executive Dave Trodden has confirmed it has no intention of making a change ahead of the 2026 series.
“Laurie is contracted for next year and we don’t break contracts,” Trodden told The Daily Telegraph.