State of Origin: The missed tackle stat that proves how bad Queensland really were

Brendan Bradford

State of Origin: The missed tackle stat that proves how bad Queensland really were image

Queensland leaked 50 points in a historically bad night in game one, but remarkably missed even more tackles than that. 

In the Maroons' heaviest ever State of Origin defeat, Paul Green's side managed to miss 52 tackles in 80 minutes of footy. 

Queensland have only ever missed more tackles four times in the 51 matches going back to 2004, when stats were first available. All of those were in big defeats as well. 

Every player in a Maroon jersey missed at least one tackle. 

The 52 combined tackles Queensland missed is more than any NRL side has missed in a single game in 2021 so far. 

The Broncos, who have missed more tackles and conceded more points than any other team in the competition, haven't missed more than 50 in a single outing this season. 

Neither have the Bulldogs, who sit dead last on the competition ladder. 

Missed tackle stats obviously don't tell the full story of a footy match (Newcastle only missed 14 tackles in a round four loss to the Dragons), but at Origin level it matters.

Both sides had 40 sets, with Queensland completing 31 and New South Wales completing 32. Total possession was 51-49 in favour of the Blues and both teams were penalised four times. 

Run metres is the other noticeable area New South Wales pulled away. Only four Queenslanders ran for more than 100m, with Valentine Holmes topping the stats with 146m. Meanwhile three Blues ran for over 200m, another four ran for 100-plus and Nathan Cleary clocked in with 99m.

With their attack struggling in the second half, Queensland's defensive effort went missing completely. Tom Trbojevic's second try of the night highlights this perfectly. 

New South Wales' set started when Nathan Cleary gathered a last-tackle kick from behind his own tryline and was tackled on the 10m line. 

Josh Addo-Carr and Brian To'o both made strong runs, before James Tedesco was taken down in the third tackle near the 30m line.

Scattered, tired and seemingly lacking trust in each other, the Maroons were disjointed on the right, allowing Jarome Luai to make a break - virtually untouched - before Trbojevic eventually scored under the posts. 

Queensland allowed the Blues to travel more than 100m in three tackles. It was similar coast-to-coast action minutes later as Turbo added his third try of the night. 

Unforgiveable at this level.

Compare that to the 76th minute effort of To'o and Isaah Yeo to stop Dane Gagai inches short of the line. The game was run and won, but Yeo scrambled across in defence as if the match was still hanging in the balance. 


"This sums up the game," said Michael Ennis in commentary on Fox Sports. 

"As a New South Wales former player and a fan, this is what you want to see - this is what the coaching staff wants to see.

"When it's all said and done, it might not matter to many, but it matters to the Blues and their defence. They put the brick wall up." 

It was an Origin play and typified what Brad Fittler's side was all about on Wednesday. 

It was also exactly what was lacking from the the Maroons.

 

Brendan Bradford