Addin Fonua-Blake Responds to Criticism and Aims for Origin Game Two
Addin Fonua-Blake has addressed the criticism surrounding his performance in the first game of the State of Origin series, where the New South Wales team struggled to gain possession. The NSW rookie is now hoping for a chance to play alongside the returning Payne Haas in the upcoming second match in Melbourne.
The Blues started the game poorly at Accor Stadium, which meant Fonua-Blake had only two runs for 17 metres before being taken off the field after Queensland scored their third try. He was caught at the ruck during that period, leading to some scrutiny over his performance.
However, Fonua-Blake made a strong impact in the second half, finishing the game with 10 carries for 82 metres as the Blues staged a remarkable comeback to win 22-20. His performance in the second half showed his ability to adapt and contribute when given the opportunity.
Fonua-Blake acknowledged the criticism but pointed out the challenging circumstances of the first 15 minutes of the game. “You see a lot of stories about not having an impact in the first 15, but I don’t think many people would have had an impact in that first 15 minutes of that game,” he said following Cronulla’s victory over Manly.
“We only got the ball maybe twice while I was on, and then it was a bit of a shit fight. We regrouped and we went out there in the second half, and I thought I did what I know I could do.”
He also expressed confidence in his ability to secure a spot in the team. “I’m not worried (about getting dropped). I know if I just do my job here and do what I know I can do here, then I give myself the best opportunity to get a call. But if I don’t get a call, then I’ll just work hard. I’ve just got to keep doing my job here.”
Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon defended Fonua-Blake’s performance, highlighting his strong showing in the Sharks’ game just 48 hours later. Fonua-Blake finished with a team-high 139 metres, along with 18 tackles and zero misses.
Fitzgibbon, who has experience in the Origin arena as a former player and NSW assistant coach, believes Fonua-Blake should be retained for the second game alongside Broncos star Payne Haas, who is returning from injury.
“I’d love to see them play together with Mitch Barnett. That’d be all right,” Fitzgibbon said. Jacob Saifiti is also competing for a spot after not being selected in the first game.
Fitzgibbon criticized the focus on carries and metres for front-rowers, pointing out that the lack of possession in the first half affected their performance. “It frustrates me that front-rowers have to have carries and make metres (for people to rate their performance). We need the ball to do that. They had no ball, and him and Mitch Barnett were off before they had one or two carries each. Then their second stints, both of those front-rowers got them back in the game.”
He also highlighted Fonua-Blake’s defensive contributions, which are often overlooked. “His defence is always underestimated for Addin, whereas guys like Addin are notorious for their meters and tries and the things that everyone notices. But for what we’re valuing Addin at the moment, he saved three tries, three weeks in a row for us on last plays. It’s actually kicks downfield that he turned up on the try line. So there’s some stuff off the ball that he’s probably not getting credit for.”
Fonua-Blake’s opportunity to play in Origin came after changes to the eligibility rules allowed the New Zealand and Tonga representative to play for the Blues. Now, he is eager to team up with Haas in what could be a formidable middle combination.
“That’d be an ideal situation to get to play alongside him,” he said. “I definitely think he’s one of the best players to play the game.”
He emphasized the importance of performing well at the club level to earn another selection. “I can only be in that conversation if I’m doing my job right here at club level. In the next couple of weeks, I want to be doing what I can to get back in the team or to get another selection and then we’ll go from there.”
Fonua-Blake has played against Haas multiple times and is aware of his capabilities. “I’ve never played with him. I’ve played against him a lot of times and seen what he’s capable of. I feel like it’d be a really good one-two punch, but I can’t think about that too much. I have to do my job here back at club level and then give myself an opportunity to get there again.”
