Today we take a look at the awful decline of the Parramatta Eels, the current whining about the "six again" rule, and whether or not Queensland need to make changes to their squad for the decider in Brisbane.
Read on as we tackle some of the big talking points in this week's State of Origin Real or Not.
Eels hit rock bottom, Barrett not the answer
REAL: On May 21, after a Magic Round flogging at the hands of Melbourne Storm, the Parramatta Eels terminated Brad Arthur's coaching contract. Some key injuries at the time hadn't helped, but the Eels were in 14th position, after missing the finals in 2023 just a year after appearing in the grand final. The severity of the downward spiral was not acceptable and after 11 years of Arthur's reign, the Eels board felt that a change was needed.
Arthur remained popular with the players and when it emerged that the decision to sack him had been made at the board level three weeks earlier and that the club had spent the interim time trying to acquire Wayne Bennett, there was an uneasy feeling at the club and amongst the fans. Still, onwards and upwards, Trent Barrett was handed the reigns.
Barrett had endured two previous first grade head coaching gigs with the Sea Eagles and Bulldogs, neither were considered successful, and both ended prematurely. Still, while the board tries to find someone willing to take on the job, surely Barrett could oversee the kind of performance bounce that usually follows a coach sacking. He had Clint Gutherson and Mitchell Moses returning from injury to help the cause, but in the six games since Arthur's departure they have won just the one against the Sharks. Barrett's first grade winning percentage as a coach, including this time at the Eels, sits at 31 percent.
Last weekend, after they blew the opportunity to beat the Knights largely through their own errors, a frustrated Moses reportedly ripped into his teammates. Meanwhile interim coach Barrett has been calling for the board to make a quick decision on who will be filling the head coaching role at the club.
They gave their all against the Rabbitohs on Thursday night, but mistakes across the field proved their downfall once again. Their outside backs were completely outclassed by Souths in both attack and defence. It's not something that any coach can fix immediately, but it has been a problem for some time at Parramatta. There is not much point having a solid halves combination, although Dylan Brown had an off night himself, if they have nothing outside them to work with.
Long-suffering fans can't believe the mess the once proud club is now in. They sit at the bottom of the ladder, level with the Tigers. They are once again closer to claiming a wooden spoon than an elusive premiership. They missed out on Bennett, but they definitely need a strong force to come into the head coaching role, to clean the place out. Many are suggesting that the clean out needs to start at the top, with the board that has overseen much of these troubled times.
'Six again' rule will be abolished
NOT REAL: I have been a critic of the "six again" rule ever since it was introduced, insisting that it is far too arbitrary, and gives struggling teams absolutely no chance of causing an upset when battered out of the contest through excessive defensive work. It now seems that because Queensland were flogged by New South Wales in Origin II, amid an apparent upsurge in "six again" calls which then apparently rolled over into Round 17, former players and current coaches are calling for the rule to be scrapped.
I could not agree more, but for the time being, there is a simpler way to avoid defending for multiple sets of tackles, and that is to stay onside and keep the ruck clean. That is the line that those in charge and advocates of the rule have long trotted out. The rule was introduced to keep a fast-paced game flowing, with infringements met with a six more tackles rather than a play-halting penalty. Supporters of the rule claim that the game is much faster and more entertaining as a result. Critics say the referees have far too much influence over who wins a game, and this rule doesn't allow for fair scrutiny of their performance.
The NRL has in recent years been quick to fiddle with any rule it feels will improve rugby league. What they have been loathed to do is to admit when they get it wrong. The "six again" rule is here to stay for the foreseeable future, and the game is worse off because of it.
Queensland need to stick with their picks
REAL: The Blues came out breathing fire against the Maroons at the MCG, and with a better than even share of possession, their attack proved to be too potent. The Blues had made five changes to the squad that was well-beaten in Game I after being left a player short after just eight minutes. The changes were players who mostly should have been there for Game I, but were injured or coming back from injury. Mitchell Moses, Latrell Mitchell, Dylan Edwards and Cameron Murray all made considerable contributions to the big win, while Connor Watson had limited opportunities from the bench.
Do the Maroons need to make changes ahead of the decider at Suncorp Stadium? When asked after Game II whether he would consider it, coach Billy Slater replied "We are still Queenslanders" implying that the pick and stick methodology was ingrained in their very being. They do need to replace injured Selwyn Cobbo and anyone else lost through club football before the decider, but otherwise they will stick with the same squad.
New South Wales will face a different Queensland in Brisbane, just the faces will be the same. The Maroons don't take kindly to being soundly beaten and they will fight fire with fire, with a much more aggressive approach than we have seen so far. You can't refer to Queenslanders as "soft" and "boys playing men" as Phil Gould did several times during Game II commentary and expect to escape unscathed. The Blues are in for a real battle for the right to hold the shield aloft at Suncorp.