Maroons expecting an earful from Ennis
Queensland hooker Cameron Smith may have joked about wearing ear plugs to block out rival Michael Ennis's sledging but he knows his latest Origin opponent will bring a lot more to the game than just his mouth.
Smith, 25, who made his Origin debut in identical circumstances to Ennis in a dead game of the 2003 series and has played 18 straight games since, is more concerned by his latest challenger's ability to create opportunities than he is about having his ear chewed off.
"Mick's a great competitor. He does anything he can to win a footy match and we won't be expecting anything less than what he produced for the Dogs," said Smith.
"Sometimes too much is made of his sledging and not of his football.
"But he might enjoy the tag of being the best sledger in the game, I'm not sure.
"I'd put my bottom dollar on him having a very pesty game on Wednesday night."
Lockyer, who witnessed Ennis's tactics first hand before the rake joined the Bulldogs this season, said he wasn't expecting anything to change.
"If anything, the occasion will probably draw more of it out of him," said Lockyer.
"He likes to have a bit of chat but that's part of the game.
"It's not something illegal and it's not something you take to heart."
Ennis was recently branded the NRL's No.1 sledger in a secret players' poll published in a rugby league magazine which also identified him as the game's biggest "sook".
He's already vowed to be at his "pestiest best" in his Origin debut after being named ahead of Robbie Farah at hooker.
Karmichael Hunt, another of Ennis's former Bronco teammates had the last word, at least until next Wednesday night.
"He'll be barking away, I guess he was made for Origin football, he loves the physical side of the game," he said.
Post a comment about this article
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Becoming a member is free and easy, sign up here.