NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler has used his final press conference ahead of tonightโ€™s State of Origin decider to declare he canโ€™t see the Queensland Maroons winning because his NSW stars simply want it more.

The absence of Cameron Munster is a huge blow for the Maroons, but Fittler refuted the suggestion that his team were going to face an ambush at Suncorp Stadium.

โ€œItโ€™s all set up for a good game,โ€ Fittler said.

โ€œAt the end of the day, for whatever reason, some team is going to come out and want it a bit more than the other.โ€

โ€œIt will be (NSW). Iโ€™ve seen the way theyโ€™ve trained, the preparation theyโ€™ve put in. I just canโ€™t see any other result.โ€

The subject of referees also came up following Fittlerโ€™s criticism of Ashley Klein following the series opener. The Blues coach said his side is prepared to be on the wrong side of tight calls in an amped-up Suncorp cauldron.

โ€œI canโ€™t control Ashley Klein. Heโ€™s a fair referee and Iโ€™m sure heโ€™ll be fair (tonight).โ€

Blues captain James Tedesco echoed Fittler's sentiments but was also quick to assert that the Blues werenโ€™t making excuses.

โ€œWeโ€™re not going to expect many calls to go our way,โ€ Tedesco said.

โ€œThatโ€™s just how it is up here. Thatโ€™s not an excuse, thatโ€™s just how it is. Iโ€™m fine with that.โ€

NSW v QLD - State of Origin Game 2
PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 26: James Tedesco of the Blues is tackled by Kurt Capewell of the Maroons during game two of the State of Origin series between New South Wales Blues and QueenslandMaroons at Optus Stadium on June 26, 2022 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

History is against Fittlerโ€™s team this evening, with the oft-repeated statistic that the Blues have won just two Origin deciders in Queensland since the three-game series was introduced casting a shadow over much of the conversation around the game.

Fittler knows first-hand how hard it can be, being a member of the 1994 NSW squad that became the first to win it all north of the border.

But the coach says itโ€™s just another hurdle for a team that has accomplished so much so far.

โ€œIโ€™m assuming Queensland will have more experience than us. Itโ€™s not as if weโ€™re playing a bunch of rookies. There are a lot of players who can create points and opportunities.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m totally aware of what theyโ€™re capable of.โ€

The State of Origin decider kicks off tonight at 8.10pm.

1 COMMENT

  1. โ€œI canโ€™t control Ashley Klein. Heโ€™s a fair referee and Iโ€™m sure heโ€™ll be fair (tonight).โ€

    A statement that implies some referees are NOT fair.
    Doesn’t Brad Fittler follow the news? Doesn’t he know that Brandon Smith has just been suspended for impugning the integrity of a referee?

    Poor choice of words perhaps? Maybe what he wanted to convey was: “Ashley Klein is a good referee. He usually gets the 50-50 calls right” (or something like that) but as it stands, he just sounds like Brandon Smith

Comments are closed.