Channel 9 has been taken to task by fans for its State of Origin coverage on Wednesday night after it almost missed the opening try of the game.
The broadcaster was left red-faced as it returned from an extended advertisement break with the action already on the way and NSW crossing the line for a pulsating try to give them a quick-fire start at the MCG.
The NRL’s official account posted a clip of the Kotoni Staggs try on social media with the somewhat ironic caption, “You’ve never seen this in Origin before!”, only for fans to take down the free-to-air broadcaster and say they didn’t see it at all.
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“You know what else we didn’t see live … the beginning of the play,” one fan replied to the NRL post.
And another: “You’re right. Because Nine was still running ads. Sucked all the oxygen out of the moment.”
The pile on was fast and furious with many noting that the error was untimely given the NRL broadcast rights are a hot topic at the moment.
NRL SuperCoach Whisperer said: “With broadcast rights at the forefront of everyone’s minds … pretty much missing the first try of the game due to some Harvey Norman ads … is a choice.”
And NRL Hynesight said: “Not a good look when you don’t come back from an ad in time to see a restart, that leads to a try.”
And another: “Channel 9 coverage a joke … missing the game …get the advertisers in there guys.”
And another: “Didn’t see it this time either. Fkn Channel 9.”
And another: “We didn’t see it because of NRLonNine putting on an ad!!! Thanks very much!!!”
And another: “To be fair. We didn’t even see it on Channel 9 as it happened.”
And another: “WTF. F*** Channel 9 …. Missed all of that.”
And another: “’No one’s ever seen that in State of Origin’ … exactly right, as the ad break was still on. Had to wait for a replay. What a fail Channel 9.”
The try was an early highlight for the Blues, but as the game went on such highlights were few and far between.
After holding a lead at halftime, NSW ended up with a demoralising 44-24 defeat that sent the series to a decider.
Laurie Daley is now facing fresh calls to overhaul his NSW side as the battered Blues look to drag themselves off the canvas following a the Game 2 two hammering.
But Daley is reluctant to rush into any decisions.
For a second-straight year, Daley’s men blew a 1-0 series lead as they threw away a 12-8 halftime lead.
His Blues outfit will be forced to defy history to become just the second NSW team in the last 20 years to clinch a series at Suncorp Stadium in Origin III on July 8.
“I think you’ve just got to analyse the game first and foremost, and then see how the players play over the next couple of weeks and see who’s playing,” Daley said.
“It is what it is. We’ll assess and look at the game and see where we can go and do better.”
Queensland great Cameron Smith claimed the Blues needed to make “four or five changes” in the post-game wash-up on Channel 9, while NSW legend Andrew Johns accused Daley’s side of being too structured and predictable.
Johns urged Daley to consider starting Cameron Murray and called for more creativity out of dummy-half after Api Koroisau was left as an unused interchange player while starting hooker Reece Robson toiled.
Johns also said he would kick the tyres on Latrell Mitchell, who has been sidelined for the last month with a back injury, because of the fear the South Sydney centre would strike into the Maroons.
“When he (Mitchell) walks into camp, they go ‘the big dog’s back’ but when he gets the ball all eyes are on him and the bigger the occasion the better he’d go,” Johns said.
Daley’s decision to drop Haumole Olakau’atu for the ineffective Dylan Lucas is expected to form a key part of any revamped Blues side, while the NSW coach confirmed he only took five-eighth Mitch Moses off in the dying stages of Wednesday’s game as a precaution.
Moses missed Game 1 with a hamstring issue but both he and Nathan Cleary struggled to make their mark in Melbourne.
Ethan Strange, who was the star in the Blues’ game one win, was only thrown on at the MCG when the result was decided.
– With AAP
