LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
NSW Blues captain Isaah Yeo has addressed the decision to change a beloved State of Origin tradition as the team prepares for the crucial decider against Queensland.
Over the past six years, the Blues have engaged in a dramatic pre-game routine that involves warming up at the NSWRL Centre of Excellence, followed by a four-minute march through an underground tunnel decorated with the faces of NSW Origin legends.
However, NSW coach Laurie Daley has suggested discontinuing this tradition to allow the team to focus on their game preparation.
"We just want to get over there and be a part of it instead of walking over there (after the warmup)," Daley stated.
He expressed a preference for taking a bus to the stadium, believing this would create a smoother experience and help in their preparation.
Yeo, while acknowledging the emotional intensity that the traditional entrance generates, conceded that it "hasn't served them overly well" in the past.
In light of this, the team will now complete their warm-up in the Accor Stadium sheds and enter the field through the standard tunnel, similar to their usual NRL game approach.
"It can be a really good thing but then previous years it probably hasn't served us overly well in terms of that emotion," Yeo noted.
He emphasized the need to create a more normalized atmosphere for such a significant game, explaining that "any sort of big game you play at Accor normally you're in the actual Accor sheds," which influenced the decision to simplify the routine.
Yeo also referred to the chaotic send-off of Joseph Suaalii at the beginning of Game 1 last year as an example of how managing emotions could lead to better performance.
The shift signals a strategic pivot for the Blues as they aim for victory against Queensland.