Magic moments prove Blue belongs

After destroying the Maroons with his brute strength and anticipation in defence, NSW centre Latrell Mitchell said it just showed he “loves being physical”.

His Blues teammate Damien Cook said Mitchell’s powerhouse demolition of Queensland to wrap up the series also showcased something else.

“This is where he belongs, in the Origin arena, and everyone saw why tonight,” Cook said.

After a two-year absence from Origin, Mitchell has returned to put his own stamp on the NSW side with highly influential and contrasting displays in the 50-6 win in Townsville and the 26-0 shutout in Brisbane on Sunday night.

Mitchell bullied the Maroons on their home turf. He was “the beast of Brisbane” and the Queenslanders were powerless to stop him.

First Mitchell stripped the ball one-on-one from Kyle Feldt with a “give it to me” reef, with a try to Josh Addo-Carr following soon after. He then dispatched Val Holmes back into the in-goal area with brute strength and will power after a kick.

Mitchell got the better of Holmes again when he read a cut-out pass by the hapless Maroons fullback and raced 90 metres to score. It was visionary stuff.

For all his attacking brilliance, Mitchell had destroyed the Maroons without the ball by halftime.

“We have got a lot of great players among us. The front-rowers set the platform. That gives me the opportunity to do what I do,” Mitchell said.

“I love the defence more than the attack, to be honest. I just love getting in and being physical.

“I was stuffed after ten minutes, but when I scored it changed the game, I guess.

“When I got to 50m out I was looking for Fox [Josh Addo-Carr], but he was too tired. By the time I got to ten [metres out] I was thinking I’d dive early, and ended up scoring.”

Latrell Mitchell celebrates after a try in game two in Brisbane. Picture: Chris Hyde / Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

NSW coach Brad Fittler said the fact the Blues kept the Maroons to zero for the first time in Origin history in Brisbane “says a lot about the team”. There was a cracking Tom Trbojevic try-saver on Xavier Coates, a committed ball strip by Brian To’o on Feldt when he seemed certain to score and other acts of desperation.

Mitchell set the benchmark with his key plays.

“They were all defence,” Fittler said.

“He took the intercept, he pushed Val Holmes over, he came up with some big tackles. His defence was outstanding. They were some big plays early.

“The sign of how strong the whole group was, was how they defended on their line.”

Mitchell finished the first half by throwing Dane Gagai over the sideline. He had other feats of strength to showcase in the second half, including carrying Kyle Feldt and Gagai on his back for 15m. He was having fun by that stage.

Big-game players come up with the big plays when they count and five-eighth Jarome Luai had no doubt about Mitchell’s influence.

“We spoke about building our game on defence on that left edge and he made the big play with that intercept,” he said.

“It is all about defence and to keep them to zero was a big achievement.”

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