He's a veteran coach of 272 NRL games and Matthew Elliott is back on NRL.com for season 2016 to dissect all the plays that matter in The Breakdown.
This week Elliott highlights how Queensland will target New South Wales' halves and hooker Robbie Farah and expose the middle of the field. The names on their back might change, but it won't affect the Maroons' strategy as they continually force the Blues' little men into repeat efforts and back-to-back tackles. Elliott shows how this will create quick play-the-balls, suck in defenders and leave massive holes for Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston and Greg Inglis to exploit.
For NSW, it is all about their big men charging up through the middle of the field, drawing in three defenders and leaving players on the ground. This will leave Queensland short defensively and give NSW the opportunity to create second-phase play through offloads and create space for exciting outside backs like Michael Jennings.