'Off goes their head': Gus warns of QLD's impulse

Phil Gould believes Queensland are looking for an excuse to be "outraged" ahead of Origin II as Michael Maguire's explosive sledge rattles the Maroons camp.

The frustrated NSW coach hit back at suggestions that NSW deliberately targeted Maroons fullback Reece Walsh in the series opener, declaring his interstate rivals need "to make sure (they) don't live in glass houses."

Walsh has yet to return to the field since he was knocked out by a sickening hit from NSW debutant Joseph Suaalii in the eighth minute, with both players ruled out of the rest of the game.

Maguire's comments have flooded headlines ahead of Origin II, drawing focus away from new developments and tactical adjustments within the Blues line.

Gould believes Maguire's goal was to do exactly that, however, warns that the comment has the potential to backfire on NSW.

"Queenslanders will find anything to be outraged about," Gould said on Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles with Gus.

"They create their own motivation. Even with ex-players and all the talk that Reece Walsh was targeted and it was illegal, they were always going to do that to him.

"They wanted to be outraged about something. They've got to be outraged about something. If they can't be underdogs, they've got to be outraged. That's just what Queenslanders do. That's what motivates them.

The Maroons celebrating a try.

"That's what annoyed Michael Maguire, so he came back with something. Whether that's the right thing to do or not time will tell.

"Because they've won 38-10, they are the hot favourites to win the series and now they've got to find something to be outraged about.

"It's no good talking to them. It's no good reasoning with them or trying to debate it with them because for these six weeks of the year off goes their head and on goes a pumpkin.

"You can't deal with them. You can't reason with them nor should you even try to because all you're doing is playing into their hands."

After a painful loss in game one, Maguire made a host of changes to his squad in a bid to save the series.

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However, Gould noted all the attention has been focused on Suaalii and Maguire.

"It's kept Latrell (Mitchell) out of the papers," he said.

"At the moment, no one is talking about the football and the correctional changes.

"(There's no talk of) Dylan Edwards being back, Latrell Mitchell coming in, what will Mitchell do for the team? No one is talking about that, all they are doing is talking about is (Maguire) taking on one of Queensland's greatest and telling him he's a grubby player.

"I don't think that's going to help anyone. They're going to be outraged anyway, why outrage them even more."