Adelaide: Queensland enforcer Jai Arrow has revealed what he said to his South Sydney skipper and Blues rival Cameron Murray after Queensland’s match clinching try in the Origin opener.
Arrow couldn’t resist a push on Murray after his last gasp defence failed to stop a Maroons try to Cameron Munster.
“I didn’t know anyone saw that,” Arrow told foxsports.com.au.
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“I think it was more the excitement that we sealed the game, but I didn’t really push him that hard.
“I did say something, but I told him I loved him after the game because I do.
“He is a great competitor and I play with him week in and week out.
“But it is all in the game. That is Origin and he will be one of my best mates when I go back to Souths this weekend.”
Arrow revealed he gave Murray a four-letter word with his friendly shove in the excitement of the victory, but has nothing but respect for his Souths captain.
“I probably can’t share what I said, but it was along the lines of F you,” Arrow said.
“Look I was pretty excited. All in good fun. Obviously it is mate against mate and State against State and I was just a bit passionate.”
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Arrow celebrated the Maroons’ victory in what has become his trademark cane toad hat, which he was seen wearing the morning after a Queensland victory last year.
“It is a new one,” Arrow said.
“The other one was lost so I had to find another one and take it home.
“I just really enjoy these moments. They are so hard to win Origin games and I am so glad I was a part of it with the boys.
“We really dug deep with 12 men on the field with six minutes to go and we scored two quick tries.
“It is a pretty special win tonight and big ups to our skipper Daly. He played his 20th Origin now.
“He has been such a great leader throughout my time in the Origin team and young Reece Walsh was outstanding tonight as well.”
Arrow was called upon to play big minutes on the edge after Tom Gilbert’s injury and finished with 89 run metres and 16 tackles without a miss in an exceptional performance off the bench.
“I guess I did because I have played a bit of edge and I didn’t really know what my role was going to be tonight, but I knew I had to be ready for anything,” Arrow replied when asked if he took it upon himself to fill the void left by Gilbert.
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“Whether that was playing on the edge or in the middle I just wanted to my job for this team.
“It is such a special team and a lot of good people and a lot of good players and the coaching staff really speaks for itself.
“My role tonight was just to not let this State down and not let this team down and hopefully I did that.”
Queensland found a way to win with two late tries in the last six minutes adding another chapter to their proud history of comeback victories.
“That’s a good question and I have got no idea,” Arrow replied when asked why Queensland are so good at coming from behind late in games.
“It is just a never say die attitude and you can’t write us off.
“Another credit to Munster. I thought he grabbed the game right at the end there and put Hammer away and Hammer did the rest.
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“Munster kept moving on that Lindsay Collins catch and offload, which was bloody unbelievable and probably the best front row catch and try assist I have ever seen in my career.
“Credit to those boys and credit to our team for just continuing to turn up and playing footy.
“It is pretty weird a front-rower jumping over his teammate who is a fullback.
“It is good for us anyway. It was unbelievable. I am so happy I was on the right side of things.”
The Maroons’ victory was made possible by classy doubles from Selwyn Cobbo and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Arrow admitted he is jealous of the two speedsters.
“It helps that’s for sure,” Arrow said when asked about having the speed of the duo in the team.
“I reckon I would give a lot of things to have those bloke’s speed.
“They were tremendous tonight. Cobbo pulled up pretty sore with an injury and Hammer really took off and sealed it for us.
“A massive credit to the whole team and I am just so excited and happy to be a part of this.”
