{"id":772100,"date":"2026-07-01T13:00:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T13:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/772100\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T13:00:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T13:00:11","slug":"state-of-origin-2026-hudson-youngs-sledge-of-sam-walker-what-did-he-say-how-will-the-blues-target-walker-nrl360-impact-of-liam-martin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/772100\/","title":{"rendered":"State of Origin 2026: Hudson Young\u2019s sledge of Sam Walker, what did he say, how will the Blues target Walker, NRL360, impact of Liam Martin"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blues enforcer Hudson Young didn\u2019t deny a reputed sledge aimed at Maroons half Sam Walker creating a spicy subplot a week out from the Origin decider.<\/p>\n

Watch every game of every round of the Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n

Walker has been the best player of the series so far with the Blues unable to limit the crafty Origin rookie\u2019s influence.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The concern around Walker heading into the series was his slight frame and suspect defence yet he\u2019s held his own in that aspect.<\/p>\n

However, there have been calls for the Blues\u2019 new-look pack to specifically target Walker in defence in Game III.<\/p>\n

Young faced the NRL360 panel on Wednesday night where journalist Brent Read revealed an interesting comment Young had made earlier in the week.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to misquote you but I\u2019m told today you were asked about Sam Walker and you said words to the effect of sometimes it\u2019s hard to get at him because he\u2019s hiding on the wing. That\u2019s what I was told but that idea at getting at Sam Walker and challenging him defensively, how important is that?\u201d Read asked the Raiders and Blues back rower.<\/p>\n

Young didn\u2019t deny saying it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really important. It\u2019s my job as a back rower to do that but there\u2019s many factors that go into just running at one player. I\u2019ll take it personal to put a lot more pressure on him,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish it was like your (era) Gordie (Tallis) where you could get away with a bit more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gorden Tallis: The Raging Bull Teaser | 01:31<\/p>\n

MORE ORIGIN NEWS <\/p>\n

CRAWLS: Daley\u2019s big calls are his most baffling yet… at least he nailed one huge move<\/a><\/p>\n

NSW TEAM: Daley\u2019s brutal Blues shake-up as FIVE stars axed for crucial decider<\/a><\/p>\n

QLD TEAM: Billy\u2019s big \u2018risk\u2019 in miracle return as he opens up on \u2018tough\u2019 call in two changes<\/a><\/p>\n

Young\u2019s comments should serve as a warning to Walker, who is set for a busy night defensively at Suncorp Stadium. <\/p>\n

Defending on the right side, Walker will face a new-look Blues left edge featuring Young, Mitch Moses, recalled centre Bradman Best and debut winger Jack Bostock. <\/p>\n

Young spoke highly of his new left-edge pals Best and Bostock.<\/p>\n

\u201cBradman I\u2019m really excited to play with, Mitch is world class and Jack Bostock comes onto the wing,\u201d Young said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s (Bostock) in great form for the Dolphins and he\u2019s a great aerial target so I\u2019m excited to take the field with him and Bradman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another change the Blues have made from Game II is the recall of second rower Liam Martin, who will start on the NSW right edge. <\/p>\n

Martin\u2019s energy is infectious and according to Young, it could be key to a potential Blues ambush. <\/p>\n

\u201cMarto, he\u2019s mad,\u201d Young said. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so excited to partner him in the back row. He gives me energy, confidence and fuels the team with belief so to get him back in is so exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Blues enforcer Hudson Young didn\u2019t deny a reputed sledge aimed at Maroons half Sam Walker creating a spicy…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":772101,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-772100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/772100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=772100"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/772100\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/772101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=772100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=772100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=772100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}