Frizell playing through the pain to end NSW misery

He probably would chuckle harder, with his beaming smile, if his ribs weren’t as sore as they are.

And for a bloke who was considered not ready for the State of Origin arena, he’s now a beacon of the toughness it will take to finally bring down this Queensland empire. So concerned were Dragons staff about Frizell’s injuries, they asked the NSW camp to consider his long-term welfare. 

The Corrimal Cougars junior had been wincing against the Titans, sustaining rib cartilage damage to add to the pain he’s already been carrying for weeks. 

And then there’s the ankle issue, all alleviated by a couple of well-placed injections. 

As much as Frizell plays it all down, he’s been left out of St George Illawarra’s trip to Canberra on Friday, even as their NRL stumbles, but he’ll play through the pain when NSW need it most. 

“He is better than what we though he would be at this stage,” coach Laurie Daley said on Monday.

“I think, just for his own mind, he wanted to do a lot of teamwork and a bit of contact, just so in his own mind, he is ready to go.”

If NSW had held their composure in game two, a decade of almost unbroken Origin disappointment could have already been replaced by renewed hope for the future. 

It was a failed opportunity to finally bring the Maroons empire to its knees, with Johnathan Thurston struggling with what became a season-ending shoulder injury. 

Queensland are already missing Darius Boyd and without the services of Greg Inglis, Matt Scott and Corey Parker this campaign. 

Instead, the Blues will need another 80 minutes to prove they’re ready to take the crown. The ultimate stage is set, a sliding doors moment in rugby league.