Blues fans go ballistic over Cody Walker’s incredible display for NSW – and blast Brad Fittler for not picking him earlier: ‘Done more in 20 minutes than Luai did in six games’
New South Wales fans hailed Cody Walker’s impact in the State of Origin finale and questioned why Brad Fittler picked Jarome Luai ahead of him for the first two games.
Walker was a surprise recall to the Blues set-up for his first New South Wales game since 2020 for Wednesday’s dead rubber at Accor Stadium.
Fittler turned to Walker to bolster an attack that has struggled to match Queensland in the opening two games and the Rabbitohs star immediately sparked the Blues’ moribund attack into life.
Walker almost created a try on the first play of the game, with Bradman Best touching down only for referee Ashley Klein to rule the Newcastle man offside.
The Blues No6 then had a hand in the Blues’ first tries as Brian To’o, Josh Addo-Carr and Best all crossed.
Cody Walker was superb in his first match for New South Wales since 2020
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‘Cody Walker on that left-hand edge is tearing apart the right edge of Queensland,’ Paul Gallen said on commentary on Channel Nine.
‘There’s no communication at the moment between Valentine Holmes and Daly Cherry-Evans.
‘They normally work so well together. Valentine Holmes is stuck in two minds.’
Walker replaced Jarome Luai in the team after the Penrith superstar was underwhelming in the losses in Game I and Game II.
And a number of Blues fans questioned why Fittler hadn’t brought Walker into the team earlier.
‘Cody Walker has done more for the Blues in 20 minutes than Jarome Luai did in 20 minutes,’ one fan tweeted.
Another added: ‘For the first time in years New South Wales are prepared to play a full 3/4 wide attack and not everything from the middle. Makes such a massive difference to what you can do and open up, especially with Cody Walker.’
A third said: ‘How much better do New South Wales look with Cody Walker running the show, suddenly the Blues can attack and go wide again.
New South Wales fans noted Walker had done more in 20 mins than Jarome Luai in two games
Another fan felt vindicated after suggesting Walker should have played Game II
Viewers said the Blues looked incredibly more fluent with Walker in the side
Walker’s impact reinvigorated a moribund New South Wales attack
‘And unsurprisingly, the Foxx goes OK when he plays on his natural side. Common sense finally prevailing for Freddy in his swansong game.’
Ahead of the series finale, Fittler said he felt Walker could provide the Blues with a focused impetus with the ball in hand.
‘There’ll be pressure in the game at some time but he deals with that well at his club,” Fittler said.
‘This will be different, he’s got different teammates and he hasn’t had the chance to work with them as much.
‘But there’s nobody better at doing what he does, so I look forward to it.
‘He’s not intimidated, he’s not overwhelmed.’
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