'There's improvement in us': Why Madge isn't getting complacent after Game II win
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New South Wales Origin coach Michael Maguire, who's a good, decent man, and he did the state proud on Wednesday night. I was lucky enough to see him at the airport on the way home from Melbourne, and he had a smile from ear to ear, but he did say the job's not done yet. Michael Maguire, the Blues coach, is on the line. G'day, Madge. G'day, Mark. How are you guys? Mate, very well. How have you pulled up? It's been a big campaign, big few days, and have you had a chance to reflect on what the Blues were able to do on Wednesday night?

Yeah, I've obviously gone through the game being a coach and had a look at things that we want to move towards. But I look really pleased for the situation we've put ourselves in now. Obviously, after the first game, you know, you have your disappointment and everyone keeps telling you that's a hard assignment to do. But, you know, obviously, the playing group definitely thought different. And, you know, we went down to Melbourne and got our game on and obviously looking forward to taking that up to Brisbane. Madge, I thought your boys...

Well, they bullied the Queenslanders, I thought, at times. They just stood over them and were physically stronger than them in many areas. I thought Angus Crichton in the back row in particular was outstanding. Of course, you had Latrell in the centres, Stephen Crichton as well. You just looked like you were just going to dominate them right from the start, plus the fact you'd competed, I think, at 21 of 22 in the first half. It's a fair advantage. Yeah.

Yeah, Darrell, I guess we're still finding our game. Albeit we got a really good start in that first half because they're looking at how coaches, how we're trying to put our thoughts into the game but also to use the quality of the players we've got. So it was good to get the start. We had a lot of quality ball, so the boys capitalised on that.

which we planned and trained. And so it's nice to see, you know, what you put on the training field comes out in the game. And that definitely shone in that first half. And obviously moving into the second half, you know, we wobbled a little bit, I suppose, just in various areas. And you give the opportunity to the Queenslanders to jump. So we've got to be aware of that.

Madge, I know Mitch Ramos was man of the match. I'm not saying he didn't deserve it. But when you have a look at the start and what Darrell Bowman just spoke about, the Queenslanders could not control the Blues and they couldn't control their middle. Payne Haas, Cam Murray, Angus Crichton, as you said, they were just too powerful for them. And that's the reason you were so dominant.

Yeah, I agree, Gal. I mean, you know, everyone sort of talks about Payne and how he's playing in the Origin Arena and I thought it was one of his best games, you know, along with all those players that you spoke about. You know, Mitch gets obviously the reward of player's player and man of the match, but that's off the back of a strong forward pack and it's something there that we spoke about, I guess, you know, leading into the game and it was nice to see the big fellas look after the middle of the path for us.

Hey Madge, firstly, congratulations. I didn't get to see you after the game. How bloody good. But we were actually just chatting before about the Sharks and the Bulldogs game. We were talking about Stephen Crichton and the leadership that he has in the Bulldogs. How much of that transfers over and what have you experienced in the origin, in the squads, but also in camp, in the game, in the lead up?

Yeah, Stephen's a quality human. I must admit, Alana, all of them are. I really thoroughly enjoyed coaching the group because it's just coaching. I don't have to worry about all the external stuff that goes on in club land. So to be able to just coach the players and just talk to them about how they're feeling and what they're doing and learn about them or their characters, I've got a lot of strong leaders.

They're really strong people. So to be able to do that at training and then transfer into the games, it's been really enjoyable to see how it's sort of growing. And as I said, we've got plenty more to get to where we want to get to, which is exciting. There's improvement in us. Madge, we know, and all the talk has been about how hard it will be up in Queensland, and I've been there and experienced before. It is. They do, for some reason, turn up there. But you've got to be...

really confident going into this game. I mean, game one, down to 12 men for 73 minutes and at 20 to 10 the second half, probably a little bit on top. You've gone and dominated game two. You've got to be confident.

Yeah, Gal, I mean, you definitely give respect to who you're playing, but it's something there that we're trying to build internally. You know, I think we've got a lot of confidence out of, you know, what we did in that first half. And, you know, that's something there where we found how we want to play. But now it's maintaining that for long periods of time because, you know, you go up into a different environment, but at the end of the day, you still run around on the field, you know, and you've just got to make sure that you get into the headspace to go out and do your best job. And, you know, that's something there that we'll work towards.

Mate, you just said you've got a lot of leaders there and you have got a lot of leaders there. But your captain's Jake Turbo. Now, I was critical of your use of him in game one on the back that I think he only played 29, maybe 30 minutes or so. And when you're a man down, I would have thought you would have needed your captain on the field. How do you respond to that? Because I'm sure you've probably heard about the criticism.

Yeah, I cop a lot, Darrell. You're in that arena. And one thing I have learned, everyone's got an opinion, but you've also got to understand the makings of what your bench does and how you roll your bench. We were able to control that first half, so you tend not to use all your subs because you just never know whether or not you may have to face something later in the game. So,

That first game, Jakey got caught on the sideline there just because of the circumstances of who had to roll on and roll off. And this game, he did his job to start. And then the way the game rolled, it was just his turn to come on at the end and take us home. So we have got the leaders across the park, and albeit that Jakey's our captain. And that's what he does away from the actual field as well, which is really important. What he's representing, he's representing New South Wales. And you couldn't have met a more positive bloke

in Jake and the way he carries himself around the camp and how his love is for the players. So, you know, sometimes they might get all the game time they like, but at the end of the day, when you're playing for the Blues and whatever time you do get, you cherish. Mate, can I give Bram and my answer to that one? Yeah, mate, go for it. You go out and win game two the way they want it. That's what you do. You go out and win game two the way you want it.

I don't know if that answers my question. Well, it does. You asked Madge what Madge thought of it. I just said to him he had a lot of leaders in that side, but he didn't use his captain for very long in game one. Madge is big enough and strong enough to fight his own battles. I'm just here to stick up for him, mate. Hey, Madge, big occasion. He finally got to put on the Blues jersey, Dylan Edwards. What a debut, hey? Mm-hmm.

Oh, it was. He's a great player, a great person. But, you know, the way he played and the amount of work that he does, we've seen that for such a long period of time and we've been fortunate, I guess, in New South Wales that we've had a great fullback in Teddy. But Dylan's shown that consistently with his grand final wins and his patience. And he went out and showed that he's an origin player and he's going to be a great origin player moving forward.

All right, Madge, congratulations. You know that I've been a big supporter of yours and that will remain. You're a great coach. You've won every piece of silverware there is in rugby league. And I hope for your sake and for the state of New South Wales that you can do it again in Brisbane and lift that state of origin shield. Thanks for joining us, mate. And congratulations again on a wonderful night for the Blues.

Thanks, Drew. Appreciate it. Good on you, mate. There he is, Michael Maguire. A good, decent man and one of the most decent people I think I've met in rugby league. And congratulations to each and every one of the Blues.