Thaiday wants to win it for 'Pricey'

Rocked by the injury-forced retirement of Maroons team-mate Steve Price, in-form
forward Sam Thaiday has vowed to play Wednesday night's State of Origin game like
it's his last.
A tearful Price, who played 28 Origins, announced his retirement this week when it
became obvious a foot injury would keep him off the field for good.
"In camp two, Pricey came in and had a chat to the boys and said he didn't realise
game three last year was going to be his last Origin.
"That kinda sank in with a lot of players that you never know if it's your last game
or not.
"It could be anyone's last game, who knows.
"It really sank in for me and I'm going to play every Origin like it's my last game."
Price's memory of his last Origin will be getting knocked out by NSW forward Brett
White in the dying minutes of a fiery clash the Queenslanders used as motivation to
claim a record fifth series this year.
Thaiday, who's in career best form, said a win in Sydney to complete a clean sweep
following last year's third game debacle at Suncorp Stadium would mark the current
side's greatness.
"We want to create a legacy and be known as the legendary side that we've become
over the last five years," he said.
"If we can clean sweep the series it's going to put the full stop on the end of it."
Under coach Mal Meninga, Queensland's players have formed a special bond that goes
beyond just being team-mates.
"We're a band of brothers who've been together for pretty much five years a lot of
us," said Thaiday whose antics have made him the team jester, much like Alfie Langer
was in the 1980s when Queensland also enjoyed a lot of success.
"You form a mateship, a trust in one another which is what you have to do. You know
your mate's got your back."
NSW, with the crowd in their corner in Sydney, appear to have picked a better
balanced side with a punishing backrow led by the Bash Brothers - Paul Gallen and
Greg Bird - and some more sting off the bench from Anthony Watmough.
They've got hooker Michael Ennis to provide the niggle and spice and two
enthusiastic rookie props, Jason King and Kade Snowden, who Queensland are expecting
will rip in into them early.
They've also got some much needed strike out wide in blisteringly quick Penrith
centre Michael Jennings, a genuine dangerman.
While Queensland aren't expecting NSW to go quite as far with the aggression as they
did in game two in Brisbane, they believe the inclusion of Bird, Snowden and another
young rookie Tim Mannah will ensure they play with plenty of pride and passion and
try to get on top early, like they did in Brisbane last year.
"Last year we were in a bit of a holiday mode, we had our feet kicked up, our
mindset was we'd already won the series and they kicked our butts all over the
field," said Thaiday.
"It's something we've talked about in all three camps this year and we'd rather be
beaten by a better football side than beat ourselves.
"We got aggressive at the end of the game (last year) when we should have been
aggressive at the start.
"We have to be right on our game or it's going to be a bit of deja vu."



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