Zac Lomax says he won’t be tweaking his goal-kicking routine ahead of next week’s Origin decider in Sydney, despite a string of high-profile misses proving costly for New South Wales in game two.
The Blues outscored Queensland five tries to four in Perth but still fell short by two points, with Lomax converting just two of five attempts while deputising for the injured Nathan Cleary.
It followed a similarly forgettable effort in Origin I, where Lomax and Cleary combined to slot just one of five.
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Coach’s backing keeps confidence high
Despite the pressure, NSW coach Laurie Daley confirmed Lomax is set to retain kicking duties for the July 9 showdown, with Latrell Mitchell or Stephen Crichton likely on standby. Lomax, though, remains unfazed.
“You just keep kicking. For me, nothing changes from my routine,” he told AAP. “Sometimes you kick really, really well and sometimes things don’t go your way.”
Blaming the wild Perth weather for his performance in game two, the 25-year-old has since bounced back at club level, converting eight of 10 across two matches.
“I’m always feeling confident going over the ball, and nothing changes. I’m always trying to strike the ball the exact same,” he said. “It just wasn’t meant to be (in Origin II). That’s just the way it is, that’s goal-kicking.”
Having nailed all three attempts in a crunch decider last year, Lomax is hoping history repeats itself. “It sets itself up for a really good game three,” he said.
Meanwhile, Cleary continues to nurse a groin injury, admitting the hardest part has been holding back from training. “It’s probably been the hardest thing I’ve had to do… trying to substitute physical reps for mental reps,” he said.