Mitchell Moses has announced himself as an Origin star, putting to bed concerns over his form and fitness to deliver a statement performance on Wednesday night.
The Eels gun tallied four try assists in the Blues’ 38-18 win, equalling Brad Fittler’s record for the most in an Origin clash.
He also kicked for 431 metres and earnt man of the match honours, returning to the team in place of Nicho Hynes after he was sidelined for the series opener due to a foot injury.
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Not normally his strong suit, Moses’ defence was also impressive
Twice he raced up to crunch opposing half Tom Dearden and force a knock on as the Blues defended their try line.
But it was perhaps this unseen moment that typified the confidence and aggression Moses brought into the game.
First spotted by the Sydney Morning Herald’s Michael Chammas, it shows Moses flooring Maroons forward Rueben Cotter in the opening seconds of the game as the Blues chased down Zac Lomax’s kick off.
Referee Ashley Klein chose to let the play go but it set the tone for Moses and the Blues.
It was a defining performance from Moses who faced questions over his form leading into the match after underwhelming outings for the Eels in recent weeks.
But after helping the Blues square the series, Moses came in for strong praise.
“Outstanding. (He’s) been outstanding all week. (He) spoke really well and the boys laid the platform. He’s clinical,” Dylan Edwards said post-match.
But the biggest praise came from the eighth Immortal Andrew Johns, who knows exactly what it takes to deliver in the Origin arena.
“This is the best game I’ve seen Mitchell Moses ever play,” Johns said on Channel 9.
Moses’ commanding presence after Dylan Edwards’ 61st minute try also caught the eye of Johns, who said the four-pointer was too easy.
“Look at Moses. Look at him demanding. Look at him talking, communicating,” Johns said.
“As a halfback, he does the thinking for everyone. He tells them where to run and what to do. He’s had a game.”
And Johns wasn’t done there.
“He’s been impressive Moses. Defensively really strong. Not known for his strong defence.”
“I think it was a nine out of 10. “He had just total control of the game.
For Moses himself, his playmaking masterclass simply came down to Maguire’s game plan.
‘You don’t miss an Origin game’ | 02:48
He also revealed he’d spoken to AFL players who regularly deliver on the MCG, hoping to better understand how to deliver effective kicks with the swirling winds.
“I felt we just had a simple game plan, we stuck to it, got to our spots, kicked to the corners and played simple footy,” Moses said post-match.
“It was a bit of silly stuff in the second half that probably hurt us. (We) probably should have went away with the game a bit more. We’ll learn from that, take it into Game III.
“I asked a couple of the AFL boys before I came out here just what it’s like to kick. It’s a big swirl around here. (I) just had to come out early and get a feel of my surroundings.
“The second half was a bit tougher, but, yeah, we just had to get the job done and that’s what we did. It’s a good feeling. I thought it was a team performance.
Mitchell MONSTERS Walsh, and loves it! | 00:29
“I’m not going to be able to do the things that I did on the field without the forwards laying an outstanding platform. Our back five were unbelievable. It was a team performance.”
Meanwhile, a potential return from a hamstring injury in time for the series decider is unlikely for Nathan Cleary.
But if the Panthers superstar is good to go, Johns is confident Moses and Cleary would be a dangerous partnership.
“It means both those players in the off-season are busting their backside to get in front of each other,” Johns said.
“There’s nothing like competition to keep you up here. Sometimes when you’re successful and going well, you can just drop your guard a little bit and you drop that five per cent, but those two are going at each other.
“Together, I don’t know how they would play together. They’re both first receivers and both very dominant players. I’m sure they could make it work but I see them both as first receivers.
“It’s really good, not only for NSW and Australia, but for their clubs. They’ll be working so hard to get in front of each other.”