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Trent Hodkinson was the unexpected hero in this year’s State of Origin.
With the game on the line, and New South Wales needing a player to stand up and take victory, who would have thought Hodkinson would pull off the play to end Queensland’s dynasty?
Hodkinson’s performance in Game 2 typifies his career. Whatever he conjured in attack, Queensland were able to handle it in defence. But he’s persistent.
With only minutes left on the clock, he finally got it right.
In the dying stages of the game, Queensland led 4-nil. Hodkinson received the ball on the left from Robbie Farah, threw a dummy to Ryan Hoffman, fooling Daly Cherry-Evans. Hodkinson ran through the gap to score the most important try of his career, and the most important New South Wales try of the past eight years.
That play will be shown for decades as one of the most special moments in Origin history.
It’s ironic he beat his opposing number 7. Back when Hodkinson was the Manly halfback, Cherry-Evans had to bide his time in reserve grade. Once Hodkinson left for the Bulldogs, Cherry-Evans was able to make his first-grade debut.
The two players went in different directions. Hodkinson got a few injuries at the Bulldogs and lost his first-grade spot to Kris Keating, costing him a grand final appearance in 2012. Cherry-Evans became the Manly halfback, won a premiership in 2011, and has gone on to represent Queensland and Australia.
Man of the moment Trent Hodkinson is not the most talented player to ever lace a boot, but that series-winning moment has made him part of Origin folklore. That individual play ended eight years of heartache to finally give New South Wales a series win, and made Trent Hodkinson a State of Origin legend.
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