Queensland has beaten a dogged New South Wales 20-14 in a thrilling decider at a packed Lang Park to reclaim the State of Origin shield for the first time in three years.
First half tries to Valentine Holmes and Edrick Lee, either side of an opportunistic score from James Tedesco, gave the Maroons their first half time lead over the Blues in the Brad Fittler era.
New South Wales’ chances were dealt a severe blow when captain Tedesco was forced from the field mid-way through the first half with a head knock.
Cameron Munster, by contrast, underlined his importance to the Maroons with a magnificent performance in the key playmaking role, winning the Wally Lewis medal for player of the series.
The Maroons dominated the second half but only had a Holmes penalty to show for it until debutant Harry Grant stretched over to give the hosts a 14-point lead.
Daniel Tupou hit back for the Blues down the left as the visitors finally put together an effective set in the Queensland half.
Cleary then hit a penalty to make it a one-score game with seven minutes remaining as the tension ramped up in a dramatic conclusion.
Corey Allen capped an indifferent performance at full back by being sent to the bin for a professional foul on Josh Addo-Carr, but the Blues could not breach the Maroons line in the dying stages as the Maroons hung on for a stunning victory.
More to come.
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QUEENSLAND WINS THE SERIES!!!
The Maroons have won the series for the first time since 2017 and done it in remarkable fashion, holding off this star-studded Blues side to win the decider 20-14.
I cannot believe what I’ve seen here. A legendary effort by this ravaged Queensland side.
NSW deserves plaudits for their defence in this game, but the Maroons somehow held on with 12 men when the Blues seemed to be able to get around or through them at will.
“First series win without the big boys,” Cameron Munster says, and he’s absolutely right.
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STATE OF ORIGIN III: Queensland vs NSW at Lang Park
By Jon Healy
Any news on Cody Walker?
-Concerned
Good news on that front. Both Cody Walker and James Tedesco were out on the park during the celebrations and commiserations.
Don’t get me wrong, Cody didn’t look great and he’ll definitely need to be monitored over the coming days, but it’s good to see him on the move.
By Jon Healy
Cameron Munster is named player of the series!
A remarkable effort considering he was sidelined for the entirety of Game II, but yeah, the opener and the decider belonged to him.
And while thanking the Blues, he’s singled out Nathan Cleary for praise.
“I just want to give a shout-out to Nathan Cleary. Big fan, and the way you played this year is outstanding.”
Meanwhile, Daly Cherry-Evans also gives a nice and gracious speech, before ending it with a few choice words for the media personalities that were less than nice about this side.
“On behalf of the worst ever Queensland team, thank you very much!”
By Jon Healy
Explaining the end
So, the 12-man Maroons were scrambling as the Blues tried to go through the middle. Junior Paulo was brought to ground, and then as he hit the ground he tried to offload.
It was ruled a knock on and Queensland started partying as Jake Friend ran the ball dead, but NSW challenged the call.
The replay showed the offload hit Friend’s knee and, as he gathered the ball he allegedly knocked on into Paulo’s head. Despite the knock-on, that ended the game.
What a mess.
By Jon Healy
Some highlights from the celebrations
- Cameron Munster singling out debutant Edrick Lee for praise
- Munster saying Harry Grant is “staying at the Storm, bad luck Tigers”
- Munster saying he’s heading to Byron
- Grant and Munster telling whatever Storm teammates are left from the grand final celebrations that they’ll see them there
By Jon Healy
80th minute: Edrick Lee scrambles to shut down Tupou.
The middles scramble to shut down Cleary.
The final whistle has been blown!! But NSW is challenging a knock-on from Paulo that ended the game.
DRAMA! Queensland is celebrating, but NSW is challenging.
It looks like Paulo tried to offload. Did so into the knee of Friend, who scooped it up and knocked on. Ending the series. That’s confusing, but QUEENSLAND WINS!!
By Jon Healy
79th minute: The Blues force a dropout! I thought they should have run it, with the Maroons struggling, but Cleary grubbered in and Gagai got tackled in the in-goal.
By Jon Healy
78th minute: The Blues were getting outside Queensland when it was 13 on 13. I can’t see the Maroons hanging on now.
FELISE KAUFUSI AVOIDS A SIN BIN. HE SHOULD HAVE GONE THERE. HANGING ON TO CLEARY’S LEG LIKE A FOOL.
By Jon Healy
77th minute: WE’RE OFF TO THE BUNKER! Josh Addo-Carr was chasing Yeo’s kick and got a toe to the ball. Corey Allan arrives late and takes him out after the fact.
The ref says not a penalty try. But the video ref might disagree.
Corey Allan is sin binned, but it’s not a penalty try because the infringement was too far from the line. I honestly have no idea how Allan was so far out of position for that.
By Jon Healy
76th minute: Football-wise, the Maroons play the ball on the 1st tackle on their own 40m line.
Munster wants touch with his grubber, but he finds Addo-Carr.
The Blues are playing the ball so rapidly and threatening to break down the left again. Brenko Lee is off btw.
By Jon Healy
76th minute: OH NO! Cody Walker has been knocked out. This looks horrid.
Daly Cherry-Evans made a charge and Walker was wrapped around his waist. Angus Crichton rushed up to lay a shot on and I think he hit Walker.
They aren’t showing a replay, which suggests to me that someone in the production van has seen it and doesn’t love the look of it, so we’re not seeing it.
They’re taking a lot of care with him. He is on the medicab and heading back to the sheds.
He rightly gets clapped off the field. Poor bloke.
By Jon Healy
75th minute: Munster had to kick from about his own 40m line. And the Blues get back there again on the 4th thanks to Isaah Yeo beating Kurt Capewell like a dusty rug.
NATHAN CLEARY KNOCKS ON!! NSW had them beaten out to the left and Cleary couldn’t find them as the defence rushed up and Friend and Welch knocked the ball out.
By Jon Healy
74th minute: The Blues fall apart on the last again and the kick isn’t from an ideal position, but still Cody Walker got the ball in behind Corey Allan, so the Maroons have 90 metres to go.
By Jon Healy
73rd minute: The Maroons’ defence needs to aim up and keep the Blues pinned in their own half here.
Tyson Frizell has pulled out of a tackle lame.
By Jon Healy
72nd minute: The Maroons kept swiping at the ball and gave them two more sets of six. Eventually Grant gave away a penalty right in front of the sticks and Nathan Cleary will kick for a 6-point deficit.
Cleary slots it! It’s 20-14 with 8 minutes left.
By Jon Healy
71st minute: The Blues get to the 20m line on the last.
By Jon Healy
70th minute: Cleary tries the chip and chase on the last from the wrong side of halfway. Munster gets back to mop up though, and Queensland is back on the attack.
COREY ALLAN AND VAL HOLMES BOMB AN OPEN TRY!!
By Jon Healy
69th minute: Munster’s bomb is a bit shorter than he planned, and Addo-Carr took it easily.
Payne Haas is monstered by a pack of Maroons. Capewell chief among them.
By Jon Healy
68th minute: The Blues just had a superb set, but ended it with their worst kick of the night, somehow giving Trbojevic the job.
