Mark Riddell: Why Payne Haas is the man Blues need to step up
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Well obviously plenty of excitement as we lead into Origin Wednesday night. Darrell, Queensland with a chance to make it a third straight series victory under Billy Slater. They've been forced into a couple of changes. No Selwyn Combo, no Felice Caffouse, no um I should say who's the other one missing? Um Hopgood, Hopgood. So Felice Caffouse comes into the starting side. Kurt Cape will back in. How are you feeling Big D? Uh I'm pretty confident I'll win. They're

They're a good side. I mean, the record down there is not great. 4-1, I think it is, to the Blues. So, you know, the Blues, I keep reading this is a better side. Well, why didn't they pick that first game if it's a better team? Moses was out. Luttrell had just come back. Luttrell had just come back. He'd been suspended. I would have picked him again when I said that. Luttrell was available. Yeah, I would have picked him, I said. Okay, well, there's three more. But they never. Why didn't you pick them? Well, they made five changes, got rid of...

McGuinness? Well, they made five changes because they lost. They generally make a lot of changes, well, some changes when they lose. No, it's just a statement. I just thought if they're... Is that like you blokes and pick and stick? We're just pick and stick. Like Cobbo. Cobbo's gone. Pick and stick. Oh, we pick and stick. No, Cobbo went because of a problem.

What was the problem? I'm not telling you. He's getting needles one second, then there's an issue with his attitude the next. Which one is it? What about your man, Cameron Guinness? Don't change the subject. Feel very sorry for him. How many minutes will the captain play, you reckon? It doesn't matter. As long as he does his job, that's all that matters. As long as they win.

So he didn't do his job for the 29 he was on the first game? I thought he did, yeah, but it was probably a different circumstance in the match where they had to chase points. I wouldn't say Jake is a points chaser. He's more of a leader with his actions, particularly defensively, and they had to score points. That's a big difference. If you're a leader with your actions, shouldn't you be on the page? Defensively, I said. I said defensively. I don't know. Did I say that? Let's keep going. If you only hear what you hear.

you want to hear. That's your call going. But you didn't say defense. I did say defense. Did I not say defense? Can we run the tape back? Is this what happens every Saturday? Vicky, I think you've now realized why I much prefer Sundays. It's like a married couple in here just arguing nonstop about nothing.

Anyway, Gal, New South Wales with a job to do. Mitchell Moses, his kicking game is going to be important. Latrell Mitchell, all the reports are that he's looking good. He's fit. He's ready to go. And Dylan Edwards at fullback, how are you feeling about the Blues? Yeah, I feel good. I feel confident. Look, I was really confident before game one too. As we know, pretty big blow. They dealt a little in the match, which was their own fault. No one to blame there but Swale himself. So...

But that's been said and done. I think they can get the job done. I think a lot comes down to their forward packs. Even though it'll be games, forward packs...

really win the match they have to put the Blues in good field positions if they can do that by winning the battle in the middle of the field it'll bring Latrell bring Moses into the game and they can hopefully get some points but if they're constantly coming off their line and Moses has to find some big kicks look that's part of the game they can do it but they need to win that battle in the middle of field because we all know that's not Latrell's game Latrell's no good coming out of his end he doesn't want to do that tough stuff he wants to do the pretty stuff the flamboyant stuff

So we need to get him in that field position to be able to do it. So hopefully they can win the battle there and

Get the job done Wednesday. Where's it won and lost, Piggy? Do you agree with Gale? Yeah, I agree with everything Gale said there. Look, obviously Moses' kicking game is really important. I think they've got to really put a lot of kick pressure on Cherry Evans, who does a lot of the kicking, obviously, for the Queensland side. A lot of pressure on him, but yeah, through the middle. You know one player I want to see stand up for New South Wales? Payne Haas. I want him to dominate through the middle for New South Wales like he does at that club level. It'd be nice to see him come out on Wednesday night and do that.