As New South Wales prepares to cop the full force of a chaotic and parochial Suncorp Stadium crowd, Darren Lockyer has declared the home fans give Queensland “a 12-point advantage”.
It’s an ominous statement for the Blues to mull over as they plot to become just the third NSW team in history to win a State of Origin decider at the Brisbane venue.
The Blues will be out to replicate the feats of the 1994 team, coached by Phil Gould, and the 2005 side mentored by Ricky Stuart, when they do battle with the Maroons next Wednesday night.
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“They definitely give you energy, but you’ve got to get them excited, and that means you’ve got to play well and you’ve got to come out there with intensity, be physical and get the crowd into it,” Lockyer said on Wide World of Sports’ QLDER.
“I’ve seen over the years where if you can get one try and the crowd gets really pumped you might get a couple straight after.
“While it has that really good effect on the Queenslanders, it can become intimidating for the Blues, too.
“It’s the best experience we’ve got in this country, I reckon, to have a decider at Suncorp.
“I always remembered pre-game the thing about my job in my five minutes, but then I couldn’t wait to get that roar when you run out. It just puts goosebumps on the back of your neck. Then singing the national anthem with them. It’s a good five minutes of your career when you run out and then sing the anthem.”
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Wally Lewis said charging up the race to the cheers of a Lang Park crowd made him feel “10 feet tall and bullet-proof”.
Felise Kaufusi won’t be wearing a Queensland jumper as the Maroons aim to steal back the Origin shield, after the Melbourne back-rower made a dash to the US to be with his ill father.
Queensland selector Lockyer said Kaufusi’s omission was “huge” but the Maroons had faith in his replacement — boom Cowboys youngster Jeremiah Nanai.
The 19-year-old, who’s stamped himself as a try-scoring freak with North Queensland this season, was catapulted off the bench in games one and two.
“I think the four-men (players who defend four players wide of the ruck), which is where Kaufusi plays, are probably the most important players in the defensive line, because they communicate to the middle guys who have got a big job to do and they have to work under a lot of fatigue at times,” Lockyer said.
“Then they have to work with their edges and talk to their halves and their centres a lot. So, it’s a big loss.
“But we’ve got to have some belief in Nanai because I think he’s a talent. The positive thing is he’s coming out of a club where the Cowboys have a really good defensive system, they have really good habits. It’s now to step it up to another level for Jeremiah. I’m confident he can do the job.”
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