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The 2017 State of Origin series will be decided at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on July 12 after Queensland scored a thrilling 18-16 win in the second game at ANZ Stadium last night.
After copping a record loss in Brisbane three weeks ago, Maroons selectors retaliated by making seven changes, just one of them forced, as they attempted to save the series behind enemy lines.
Veterans Sam Thaiday, Aidan Guerra and Jacob Lillyman were among those to pay the price for a poor showing in Game I on May 31, while Anthony Milford was omitted due to a shoulder injury.
In came four debutants: Jarrod Wallace, Coen Hess, Valentine Holmes and Tim Glasby, while experienced pair Billy Slater and Johnathan Thurston were also called back. Gavin Cooper was the other inclusion, coming in for his second Origin match.
More State of Origin 2
» Queensland’s champions refuse to lose
» Match report: Maroons steal Game 2 win to force a decider
» Watch all the Origin 2 highlights
» Why the State of Origin man of the match process is broken
» WATCH: Andrew Johns blasts the Blues’ woeful second half
The Blues, meanwhile, entered the match unchanged for the first time in 21 years as they sought to wrap up the series in front of their home fans for the third time in fifteen years.
However, it was Kevin Walters’ men who struck first, when debutant Holmes scored within the opening ten minutes, the successful conversion from Thurston taking the score out to 6-0.
The Blues would hit back almost immediately, with Jarryd Hayne touching down five minutes later. Subsequent tries to Brett Morris and Mitchell Pearce then saw the hosts take a 16-6 lead into half-time.
At that point, the State of Origin shield they have only been able to hold once since 2005 was in reach once again.
Or was it?
Given the never-say-die attitude displayed by the Maroons throughout the past decade-and-a-bit when they have been down in the series, it was impossible to write them off.
Of the four times they’ve lost the first game since the reign started in 2006, on three of them they have managed to level the series with a win in the second game.
On none of these occasions, however, did they have to win Game II in Sydney to keep the series alive. In addition, they hadn’t won the middle game in the Harbour City after dropping the first game at home since 1987.
But that was about to change in the second half.
(AAP Image/Dan Peled)
South Sydney-bound winger Dane Gagai would score 13 minutes after the resumption to take the score to 16-12, where it would remain for over 20 minutes.
Eventually, the Blues succumbed to the pressure applied by the Maroons, as well as their own mistakes (including two knock-ons in the final ten minutes, the latter while deep in defence), and were made to pay the price when Gagai scored again with four minutes remaining.
Johnathan Thurston, who copped a hit to his shoulder in the first half which many feared could end his season, then landed the conversion to give his side an 18-16 lead, which they would hold to the full-time siren.
This leaves the 2017 State of Origin series at 1-all, the Blues having of course won Game I in Brisbane by 28-4.
It means we will be heading to a decider at Suncorp Stadium on July 12, where the Maroons will start favourites in what will be the Origin swansongs for Thurston and Cooper Cronk.
Both are to retire from representative football at the end of the year, and will want to emulate Darren Lockyer and Petero Civoniceva in having their Origin finales end in the best possible way, a victory in a decider at Suncorp Stadium, as they did in 2011 and 2012 respectively.
A victory for the Maroons would see them claim their eleventh State of Origin series in the past twelve years, and again extinguish fears that their dynasty might be about to come to an end.
As for the Blues, they may have just about blown their biggest chance yet to claim just their second series win since 2005, and recent history will be against them as they attempt to claim the series in Brisbane in three weeks.
Laurie Daley’s men have not won a Game III in the sunshine capital since 2009, and haven’t won a deciding game there since 2005, when retiring halfback Andrew Johns inspired the side to a 32-10 win.
The last time they also contested a decider anywhere, they lost by a record margin of 52-6 at Suncorp Stadium just two years ago.
It was clear that the Blues were attempting to defend their lead in the second half, rather than build on it, and eventually they were made to pay the price for taking a light approach to the second half.
A loss in Brisbane would see them join the class of 1987 in losing a series after winning the opening game in the sunshine capital.
It would also be the fourth time since 2005 that they’ve lost the series after winning the opening game, having suffered that fate in 2006, 2008 and as recently as 2013.
It will now remain to be seen how the Blues, whose fans have been starved of success over the past eleven years with the notable exception of 2014, will pick themselves up for the daunting challenge of attempting to wrest the Origin shield away from the Maroons at Suncorp Stadium in three weeks.
Before all that, though, Round 16 of the NRL kicks off tomorrow night with the Warriors hosting the Bulldogs in Auckland, and the Tigers welcoming the Titans to Campbelltown Stadium in the second match.
(AAP Image/Dan Peled)
Should Johnathan Thurston be passed fit, the North Queenslander will bring up his 300th NRL game when the Cowboys host the Panthers in a rare daytime match in Townsville, while the Roosters will take a home game to the Adelaide Oval when they take on the Melbourne Storm
Both matches are on either side of the Raiders facing the Broncos in the nation’s capital.
The Dragons will be without suspended forward Jack de Belin for their clash against the Knights at Kogarah Oval, while down the road the Sharks host the Sea Eagles in the Channel Nine match.
The Eels and Rabbitohs both have the bye.
But for now, bring on the 2017 State of Origin series decider at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday, July 12.
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