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With NSW leading Queensland 16-6 at ANZ Stadium last night and in total control, the Origin series was game set and match.
But for some inexplicable reason only coach Laurie Daley and/or captain Boyd Cordner would be able to answer, NSW put their cue in the rack and started to protect their well-earned lead.
Had Queensland been in that position, they would have gone for the jugular by adding points, never sitting on them.
Having won Origin 1 by 28-4 doing just that, playing for 80 minutes, NSW had effectively been in control for 133 minutes through the series.
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Last night they were down 6-0 thanks to the most frequently penalised footballer in the NRL James Maloney taking out Queensland fullback Billy Slater without the ball. The penalty led to Queensland’s first try, a spectacular dive for the corner by debutant Valentine Holmes.
How he managed to keep inside the touchline by a blade of grass was a feat in itself.
Needless to say Johnathan Thurston landed the conversion from touch.
But NSW weren’t at all put off, and in a 13-minute burst from the 14th to the 27th NSW scored three cracking tries to Jarryd Hayne, Brett Morris and Mitchell Pearce.
It was Hayne’s 11th Origin try to equal the NSW career record set by fleet-footed Michael O’Connor.
Surprisingly, both Hayne and Morris scored with the ball under their wrong arm – and got away with it.
Maloney converted two of them and the miss ended up being the difference at full time.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
There should have been a fourth four-pointer but Hayne hung on with Morris unmarked outside him – an important miss as it turned out.
James Tedesco, Maloney and benchman Jake Trbojevic were responsible for manufacturing the tries, with Josh Jackson setting up his man-of-the-match award with a powerhouse first half in attack and defence.
That 16-6 lead was the result of NSW being faster and fitter compared to Queensland being flat-footed.
The only standout for Queensland was winger Dane Gagai who proved to be fitter, faster and more dangerous than his teammates.
It was no surprise when Gagai scored the two tries that put Queensland back in business, taking his Origin four pointers count to seven from just six appearances.
The second try in the 76th minute levelled the scores at 16 apiece, with the kick to come from the incredible Thurston, again wide out on his wrong side.
With the vast majority of the chockers 82,279 crowd creating a deafening din, Thurston curled his attempt right between the posts.
(AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
As Queensland captain Cameron Smith said post match, “The noise was so loud I couldn’t even think, yet he landed the goal,” was the skipper’s salute in admiration.
So NSW led 16-6 for 53 minutes before Queensland scored 12 unanswered points in the last 27.
With all due respects to Josh Jackson, Dane Gagai was my man of the match for his two tries under enormous pressure, and topping two stats that proved my point.
He made 21 runs with Cordner second on 17, and ran 174 metres, just ahead of Tedesco’s 170.
So the scene is set for a blockbuster of a decider in three weeks at Suncorp which will double as the Origin retirement game for Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk.
NSW couldn’t get their act together in a home crowd of 82,279, but it will be a fair bit harder dealing with a parochial Suncorp crowd of 52,000-plus wanting two of their heroes to go out winners.
Buckle up Roarers, this will be one for the ages.