Maroons look to regroup as Toia debut provides rare bright spark

Debutant Robert Toia was a rare bright spark on what coach Billy Slater called a ‘flat’ night, for the Maroons, more than holding his own despite the overall disappointing performance from the home side in their 18-6 loss.  

Plucked from relative obscurity after playing only 10 games of NRL and handed the daunting task of marking up against Origin specialist Latrell Mitchell, the Roosters rookie didn’t look out of place, with the time spent in camp with Slater helping instil him with confidence.

“His reassurance was unbelievable, from the beginning of camp until the end, his constant reminders of picking me really played a part in me trying to be the best I can be,” Toia said.

“I like to think (I belong in this level), I like to back myself, but who knows.

“For sure I'd love to (get selected for Game Two in Perth), hopefully I did enough to have Billy reconsider me, but if not, I know the boys will be able to get the job done.”

Another player who stood tall for the Maroons was his right edge backrow partner Jeremiah Nanai, who overcame being dropped from the Cowboys team in Round 2, to fight his way back firstly into the team, then into the starting side; eventually earning a recall for Queensland.

“I had a rough start to the year but I turned it around, but for me now (the thing is to) stick solid and keep working on a few things,” Nanai said.

“I still have a few areas that I can focus on from this game where I can be better.

“(As a team) we've got two more weeks to work on a few things when we come back, so very disappointing game, but credit to the boys, they dug deep and there was great effort around some points … (but) I guess they (the Blues) just ran harder and tackled harder than us and we just didn't match that physicality, so we have got to work on a few things next camp and turn up next game.

“We just didn’t protect our backyard long enough tonight and they just went through the front doors and got some quick play-the-balls and just didn’t defend it well.

“Like I said we've got to work on a few things.”

Nanai however had high praise for Toia for the way he handled himself in his debut and said it was a combination he could see developing into the future.

“He was good tonight, I think he was very good Bobby, strong defensively that's one of his strengths and I think he did a good job on Latrell,” Nanai said.

“This was his first game … he’ll learn from it and be better.

“It was a new combination on our right edge, but me and DCE [Daly Cherry Evans] and Coatesy [Xavier Coates], we have had a connection there for a while and Bobby was just another centre that you have to get used to, he was a bit quiet there, but that's his first game, he's still young.

“I remember when I was in this position and I didn't talk much, but I'm used to it now and more  confident.

“I know I have I just got to help the young ones come through and we have just got to work together.

“We were around the same age making out debuts, I think I was 19, he's a good player, he's silky, he’s a very strong defender, so if we can get that combination going on the right edge for the next few years, we can go a long way.”