Brad Fittler flops amid sad 'Turbo' reality: Good, bad and ugly of Origin Game II

😃 The good: Maroons Origin future looking ominous

😔 The bad: Brad Fittler's coaching tenure in tatters

😡 The ugly: Tom Trbojevic injury exposes sad reality

Signs of new Maroons 'dynasty' emerge

If you thought we'd seen the last of the Queensland dynasties when Smith, Slater, Thurston, Inglis, Cronk and Co gave it away, think again. This current Maroons side is more than capable of going on a run like we witnessed between 2006-13, given their quality, youth and Billy Slater's rapidly growing reputation of a coach of the highest order.

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Cameron Munster would not look out of place among any of those legends mentioned above and you could same the same about Daly Cherry-Evans, who gets better with age. Reece Walsh has the brash attitude to match his breath-taking skill set, Val Holmes is an absolute rock in the centres, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui is the stand-over man every Origin side needs, Patrick Carrigan and Reuben Cotter bundy-on for a full shift every time and Lindsay Collins looks a world beater when he throws on a maroon jumper.

Then there's David Fifita, Harry Grant, Jeremiah Nanai…the list goes on and on and on. Compare their "roster" to the ageing Blues.

NSW is a massive knockdown re-build job while Queensland is a three-storey waterfront mansion at lock-up stage. There's a lot more pain to come if you live south of the border.

Freddy Fittler comes up short again

The 2023 campaign has been a disaster, albeit with a fair dose of bad luck thrown in. There's been no Latrell Mitchell or Jake Trbojevic, Nathan Cleary and Api Koroisau played just one game, Tom Trbojevic was injured early in game two.

But that can’t camouflage some of Fittler's head-scratching selections. Nicho Hynes was thrown to the wolves then thrown out the door after game one, Damien Cook was left out of game one then forced to play right centre when Turbo came off in game two and Tevita Pangai Junior somehow got a start despite no firm evidence to support his selection.

Go back a year and Jake Trbojevic and Josh Addo-Carr were surprise omissions. It was almost like Fittler over-thought things and tried to be too out there in his thinking.

So, who replaces him? How about the Blues go 180 degrees and appoint a polar opposite to funky Fittler?

We're talking dogmatic Des Hasler. He's played Origin, taken teams to grand finals and premierships and runs a tight and ruthless ship where no stone will be left unturned in preparation.

The Blues could do worse.

Tom Trbojevic truth exposed after latest injury

There were calls earlier this year for Tom Trbojevic to give it away if he suffered another major injury. Manly life member and premiership winner Peter Peters angered the club by declaring their greatest asset was also their greatest liability in terms of value for money.

"He may have to take an early retirement if it keeps going. He’s played (121) games and he made his debut back in 2015. It’s just not enough games," Zorba said back in January.

"He’s a superstar but it’s like having a Lamborghini full of petrol in the garage, but you can’t drive it because, mechanically, it’s not sound. It’s a huge make-or-break for Turbo’s career in the NRL. He's 26, he’s got so many good years in front of him - if he's fit."

The pec injury Turbo suffered in the opening minutes of Origin II will likely see him miss the rest of the 2023 season. The Sea Eagles' chances of making the finals with him were already a 50-50 bet at best.

Without him, well, they may as well start booking their September trips to Bali. Turbo won’t retire after this latest setback and we're not suggesting he does.

It’s the damage it's doing to him mentally that is the greatest concern. His body continues to betray him and he must be at absolute breaking point as he confronts yet another length stint in rehab.

How many more comebacks can he endure?

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