Braith Anasta blasts Blues for failed Reece Walsh plea in Origin fallout
The Blues have been called out for their lack of bite in State of Origin.
Braith Anasta has questioned the intensity and commitment in certain moments from the Blues players after the call to 'bash' Reece Walsh during State of Origin. The lead up to Game I against the Maroons saw the narrative that the New South Wales team would stamp their dominance on Walsh early in the series.
Walsh, a potential Origin great in the making, put in a wonderful performance and dealt with every bomb and play thrown his way in the Maroons' 26-18 win. Billy Slater - arguably the game's greatest ever fullback - has been praised for bringing in the 20-year-old and Walsh was all smiles after the game.
'RIDICULOUS': Heated debate erupts over James Tedesco Origin backlash
'DISTRESSING': NSW women's Origin captain rocked in 'scary scenes'
However, questions have been asked on if the Blues lived up to the hype and put pressure on the youngster. Speaking about Walsh on NRL 360 the night before the game, league reporter David Riccio claimed former Blues fullback Minichiello suggested the NSW players needed to really get physical.
“Anthony Minichiello, one of the champion NSW fullbacks for the Blues has called out the Blues to go all out on Reece Walsh, the rookie debutant,” Riccio said. “The 20-year-old has played just under 50 first grade games. Minichiello has called on the Blues to bomb and attack and bash Reece Walsh at all costs."
But Walsh rarely appeared ruffled during Game I, despite Queensland going down to 12 men for the final minutes. And Anasta has questioned the Blues' intensity during the clash after Buzz Rothfield suggested they lacked intensity.
“I think you’re right Buzz. I don’t want to be too harsh. Their intensity was there. But there were moments in that game where they dropped the ball, so to speak," he said on NRL 360. “And they capitalised – they always make you pay, Queensland.”
But Anasta was critical of the Blues' lack of bite when it came to the first tackle on Walsh. “What stood out to me was all week we said we were going to bash Reece Walsh,” he said.
“He had the first touch for Queensland. He ran at Payne Haas and he found his elbows and knees on the first touch of the game, on the first run. So all that talk about bashing him, you just straight away go (it’s fallen flat) … he hits the biggest player, elbows and knees, gets up and plays the ball. And it continued to happen.”
A fired up Anasta added: “They (NSW) had every chance to win the game. There were just some moments when I thought: ‘You know what? Queensland did just want it a little bit more than us.’ “I hate to say it, but that’s just my honest opinion. I did see it out there.”
Greg Alexander defends James Tedesco
While Walsh was praised, New South Wales fullback and captain James Tedesco endured one of his toughest games in the Sky Blue jersey. There has been plenty of calls for Tedesco to be replaced having struggled in 2023.
However, Alexander has pointed to the Australia and NSW captain's exemplary record in the representative arena, and says calls to potentially axe him after one poor performance for the Blues are crazy.
“They’re quick to get to this time of Teddy’s career, aren’t they?” Alexander said on NRL 360. “So what, no thought of what has happened in the past? They’ve just jumped to a game where people think that Teddy wasn’t 9 out of 10 and all of a sudden they want Teddy’s head. I think it’s ridiculous.”
Sign up to our newsletter and score the biggest sport stories of the week.
