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, but he made a strong return in the second half, contributing significantly to the team’s comeback.
Fonua-Blake finished the game with 10 carries for 82 metres as the Blues managed to secure a narrow 22-20 victory. Following Cronulla’s win over Manly, he reflected on his performance and the challenges faced by the team.
“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. “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 continue playing for the Blues. “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.”
Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon defended Fonua-Blake against the criticism, highlighting his strong performance in the following game. The coach noted that Fonua-Blake finished with a team-high 139 metres, along with 18 tackles and zero misses.
Fitzgibbon, who has experience as a former player and assistant coach for NSW, wants to see Fonua-Blake retained for the second game alongside Broncos superstar Payne Haas, who is set to return from injury.
“I’d love to see them play together with Mitch Barnett. That’d be all right,” Fitzgibbon said, mentioning Jacob Saifiti as another forward competing for a spot after not featuring in Sydney.
The coach also pointed out the unfair expectations placed on front-rowers. “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.”
Fitzgibbon praised Fonua-Blake’s defensive contributions, which often go unnoticed. “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 the Origin series 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, whom he considers one of the best players in the game.
“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. 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.”
He admitted that he has never played with Haas but has seen his capabilities through numerous matches. “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.”
