Disgruntled Maroons stars have spoken publicly about a prickly photo that is proving to be a sore spot heading into Game Two in Brisbane.
Queensland players have spoken publicly about the extent of their angst towards a provocative photo that emerged from Origin I in Townsville, revealing they will use it as motivation heading into Game Two on Sunday.
NSW romped to a 50-6 win in the series opener and debutant Jarome Luai was one of the BluesтАЩ best. After the match an image emerged of the Panthers five-eighth standing over Felise Kaufusi and roaring, which reportedly led some Queenslanders to question if his confidence was tipping over to arrogance.
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Luai was reportedly sledging plenty of opponents during his first ever Origin match and Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans said his teammates have spoken about the image, which didnтАЩt set well with many in the Queensland camp.
тАЬYeah, yeah it has popped up a fair bit since game one,тАЭ Cherry-Evans told Channel 7.
тАЬI dare say it is going to happen again. He (Luai) will probably be doing the same sort of stuff (sledging) on Sunday, but we will be better prepared for it.
тАЬWe are all aware of it (the photo), so we donтАЩt need our noses rubbed in it.
тАЬWe are really aware of how bad it was on that night and when you win by 50 you probably have the right to stand over us, donтАЩt you.
тАЬWe owe it to ourselves and to the rest of Queensland to go out there this Sunday and really turn it around.тАЭ
Forward Tino FaтАЩasuamaleaui said Queensland will be using the photo as added motivation to level the series.
тАЬOne hundred per cent it is motivation for Game Two and you never want to see a brother on the ground like that and someone standing over them,тАЭ FaтАЩasuamaleaui said.
тАЬNext time it will be one of us there helping him up, so we just have to have each otherтАЩs back out there and we donтАЩt want to see anything like that.тАЭ
NSW is preparing to seal the series with a win at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday night, but Queensland will be desperate to atone for a first-up horror show and keep things alive heading into the final game in Sydney.
Luai might have a target on his back but itтАЩs something heтАЩs used to тАФ and the confident playmaker isnтАЩt about to apologise for his on-field passion.
тАЬIt might put a target on my head, but I was targeted the first game anyway, so it wonтАЩt affect me. LetтАЩs go,тАЭ Luai told the Sydney Morning Herald of the photo on the weekend.
тАЬI donтАЩt really remember the actual moment, and I donтАЩt even think it was because I had done something good. It was because of a Junior (Paulo) carry. He left a few boys on the ground and I was really hyped because of the mad carry off the kick-off.
тАЬThey were giving me a bit of lip, telling me I was soft. I backed up тАШTeddyтАЩ (James Tedesco) and got shoved in the face by Joe Ofahengaue.
тАЬI love that stuff. IтАЩm used to it. I knew Origin was going to be a different beast and they would try to get into my head. ItтАЩs one of the toughest games throughout the year. I wanted my brothers to know IтАЩve got their backs.тАЭ
