When a coach is not coaching regularly and doesn\u2019t have an experience or feel for the modern day game, the interchange is one where you can really stuff up.<\/p>\n
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And on Wednesday night, in the space of 10 minutes, that\u2019s where the Blues came undone. <\/p>\n
It didn\u2019t have to be this way. The Blues were leading at halftime. They had one hand on the shield.<\/p>\n
But then they ran out to start the second half without Payne Haas, Mitch Barnett or Addin Fonua-Blake on the field.<\/p>\n
In a nutshell, that\u2019s the game for me. <\/p>\n
When you\u2019ve got guys like Haas, Barnett and Fonua-Blake, while also carrying a bench that is undersized and wanting to play your captain long minutes in the middle, you need to recognise that there needs to be at least one big body out there. <\/p>\n
I just couldn\u2019t fathom what happened in the first 10 minutes of the second half.<\/p>\n
Field position was swinging in Queensland\u2019s favour and it took so much energy out of the Blues to try and swing it back.<\/p>\n
That in itself highlights a coaching error. <\/p>\n
When Haas was on the field in the first half, NSW had a really good balance and if anything, probably should have scored one or two more tries. <\/p>\n
If the Blues were bang on with their interchanges, they would have made a change or two late to start the second half with at least Haas or Fonua-Blake on the field.<\/p>\n
Instead, we got dominated through the middle. <\/p>\n
The result was three tries in the space of 11 minutes. By the time Jojo Fifita scored and the Maroons were up 26-12, it was over.<\/p>\n
Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/p>\n “There’s a belief problem!” | 01:27<\/p>\n We were too small to carry in attack early in the second half and too small in defence. <\/p>\n That\u2019s the game.<\/p>\n You always hear Billy Slater talk about the Queensland style of play. You saw it last night. <\/p>\n It was a scary sight for Blues fans, because once the Maroons are able to get in that flow where Harry Grant is jumping out of dummy-half and Cameron Munster is a bit more confident and Kalyn Ponga is coming at you, they just grow another leg. <\/p>\n You just can\u2019t allow them to get into that sort of a rhythm. <\/p>\n That is where the Blues fell short in the first 10 minutes of the second half. They stuffed up the interchange and allowed the Maroons to really get momentum.<\/p>\n NSW just could not get it back. <\/p>\n Now, everyone is already talking about what changes Daley should make for the decider.<\/p>\n But you know what? I don\u2019t think there necessarily needs to be any changes.<\/p>\n It sounds stupid, but here\u2019s why. <\/p>\n The real difference on Wednesday night was the coaching. It\u2019s simple as that.<\/p>\n The one change I would make is not putting Isaah Yeo, Victor Radley and Cameron Murray on the field at the same time. <\/p>\n It is stupid. It is dumb. I just don\u2019t understand it. <\/p>\n I cannot for the life of me understand why you play them all on the field at the same time. I just can\u2019t get my head around it.<\/p>\n Sure, having multiple ball-playing options in attack sounds great. But you\u2019ve got to think about the other side of the field. <\/p>\n Can you imagine if Haumole Olakau\u2019atu was out there? <\/p>\n MORE ORIGIN NEWS<\/p>\n \u2018NATHAN NEVER DOES THAT\u2019: Shock Cleary sight shows everyone is missing the point<\/a><\/p>\n