Spencer Leniu and Haumole Olakau’atu are on the bench however have an important function for the Blues in Origin II – offering aggression, direct operating and physicality in defence.
The 2 large males have been all smiles at Blues headquarters on Tuesday, able to hook into coaching and their impression assignments for recreation two in Melbourne.
Leniu and Manly’s proper edge disrupter have been recent off large workforce wins and beastly particular person performances.
Haumole Olakau’atu pushes by defence. (Photograph by Chris Hyde/Getty Pictures)
Lenui performed a season excessive 54 minutes within the Roosters 28-18 win over the Eels and began at prop for simply the fifth time in his 88 recreation NRL profession.
But, the 23-year-old is very happy to spark fireplace as an interchange participant for the Blues beneath Michael Maguire – it’s his bread and butter.
“I believe my function in phrases of simply approaching and attempting to trigger as a lot havoc as I can and making a distinction and also you know, I’ve been doing that for the final couple of years now so I’m not new to it and I really like doing it,” Leniu advised The Roar.
“I’m simply grateful to be within the camp you already know. No matter function Madge needs me to play, I’ll play it.”
When requested if anybody received beneath his pores and skin in recreation one, Leniu grinned.
“I believe all of them as a result of they simply beat us. All of them, yeah,” Leniu laughed.
Olakau’atu, who romped by St George Illawarra on Sunday in spherical 15, is trying to present the same edge for the workforce, particularly after a sequence opener wherein the Blues failed to seek out front-foot momentum.
“Sadly issues didn’t go to plan in recreation one. Received chucked within the center and I used to be fairly candy with it too. So I simply advised him (Maguire) I’ll do, you already know, do no matter it takes,” Olakau’atu mentioned.
“He mentioned to me, simply be me. Carry the aggression and trigger havoc on the sting.”
When probed on his pairing with new No.7 Mitchell Moses, the Tongan consultant praised the Eels half.
“I suppose his defence (is what I’m wanting ahead too),” Olakau’atu mentioned. “I really like how he goes in direction of contact. I really like all that kind of stuff. His defence is a giant factor.
“Additionally his kicking recreation. He’s received a really, very large boot. That would come in useful after we’re, you already know, ever compromising on the sport.”
Whereas the towering backrower plans to oppose his clubland hip-tie Daly Cherry-Evans for the second time, Leniu was wanting to gentle it up with Chooks teammate Connor Watson.
“You possibly can play him anyplace and he’ll offer you a ten out of 10 efficiency,” Leniu mentioned.
“I believe that’s only a credit score to who he’s as an individual and as a participant. He’s gone by numerous adversity the final couple of years and to see him now reap the rewards of his arduous work, yeah it’s actually actually actually particular to have him in camp.”
Watson and Leniu have introduced again a one-two punch at Bondi, with the ruck speedster coming off the bench to hyperlink up with the uncooked energy of the previous Panther.
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In the meantime, Olakau’atu was wanting ahead to the ‘problem’ – able to go up towards the person behind a part of his untouched tries and checklist of line-breaks, Daly Cherry-Evans.
In a recreation that laid little platform for Lenui to fireplace, he rocked the Queensland center and impressed a 12 man Blues aspect by simply 23 minutes of labor.
Brookvale’s big was largely unproved throughout his Origin debut. He and Hudson Younger each obtained 23 minutes – nevertheless it was Olakau’atu who impressed the higher, with 83 run metres from 10 hit-ups.
Moses just isn’t in contrast to Cherry-Evans. They each have an instinctive knack for darting down the quick aspect and operating on the final sort out.
Aided by a powerful begin and a whole 13, recreation two may pave the best way for each bench brutes to create a frenzy within the center and any defenders on the sting who aren’t prepared to put on a number of bruises attempting to deliver them down.
