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The Queensland Maroons and New South Wales Blues have traded tries leading into the halftime break in an entertaining opening to Game 1 of State of Origin.
Queensland opened their account for the 2017 series thanks to a deep crossfield kick from Cooper Cronk that looked to have found the waiting arms of Blake Ferguson near the line if not for Queensland winger Corey Oats, who leapt through, snatching it out of his grasp in mid-air, before bringing it down and crossing the try line.
State of Origin Game 1 coverage
» State of Origin live scores and blog
» Half-time score and highlights: NSW take a lead into the break
» How to watch Game 1 online and on TV
» WATCH: James Maloney scores the first try
» WATCH: Commentators forget where the game’s being played
The Oats four-pointer was short-lived glory for the home side who let up just five minutes later right on the stroke of halftime.
Mitchell Pearce sliced through the defence in support through broken play close to the line to take a 12-4 lead at the break after Maloney converted after the siren.
The key Oats’ return serve from conceding the opener was off the back of nearly letting in a second at the other end of the park moments earlier.
A pair of brutal fends from Jarryd Hayne down the left wing opened up the Queensland fringe defence, allowing Brett Morris to latch onto the offload and break down the line.
He fell just metres short but the chance was still infield where fullback James Tedesco looked to weave his way around some tired defenders.
Just when it looked like he was taking his defender over the line, he spilt the beans reaching out over the paint, gifting the home side a spare life, one they used to travel 90 metres and bag the Oats try.
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