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Queensland's Cameron Smith celebrates with Nate Myles after scoring their final try to win their fourth record breaking win over New South Wales in game two of the State of Origin rugby league series in Sydney on Wednesday, June 24, 2009. Queensland defeated New South Wales 24-14. AAP Image/Dean Lewins
Queensland claimed the greatest winning streak in State of Origin history with one of the bravest performances in the game’s history.
With five players struck down by a stomach virus in the past 24 hours and four players injured throughout the match, including a fractured jaw to star Greg Inglis, the Maroons fought on to claim a 24-14 win over NSW at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night to secure a record fourth straight series title.
And for the fourth year in a row, the never-say-die Maroons secured the trophy in foreign territory.
“I have never played in a Queensland team with more character than this one,” said skipper Darren Lockyer.
“We have to celebrate this. We have got the series and we made history so we’ve got to make the most of it.”
The Maroons led 18-0 after 23 minutes thanks to embarrassing NSW mistakes, then held tight as the Blues regained composure to fight their way back into the contest.
The Blues reduced the deficit to 18-14 with a David Williams try in the 62nd minute, but NSW couldn’t deliver a killer punch.
Smith eventually sealed the win and series with 109 seconds left on the clock by collecting Luke O’Donnell’s tryline fumble to score beneath the posts.
“Tonight is a night we will never forget,” said hooker Cameron Smith.
The victory gives the Maroons an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series and the longest series winning streak in the 30-year history of Origin football.
Lock Dallas Johnson played despite being on a drip all day for a violent stomach bug while Nate Myles, Lockyer, Michael Crocker and Billy Slater were also ill.
The Maroons lost star centre Greg Inglis to a swinging arm from Trent Barrett in the 22nd minute while Ashley Harrison (ribs), Ben Hannant (knee) and Sam Thaiday (knee) battled bravely despite collecting injuries.
Hannant came up with the tackle on O’Donnell that jolted the ball free for Smith to score despite playing with a grade two medial ligament tear and ignoring doctor’s advice to return to the field.
“Courageous win and a win again from a magnificent bunch of men who back each other and keep coming up with the right decisions,” said proud coach Mal Meninga.
“We had nobody on the bench at one stage but that didn’t matter, they just kept hanging in there.
“Those blokes will do anything to win a footy game.
“That is why we got four in a row.”
Queensland led 6-0 after as many minutes when Origin I hero Inglis barged over from a Johnathan Thurston pass.
Folau made fools of Robbie Farah and Justin Poore, busting through their feeble defence after a Williams mistake to score beneath the posts in the 17th minute for a 12-0 lead.
Farah compounded his error six minutes later when his pass from dummy half only found grass 5m out from his own tryline as Lockyer pounced to score the simplest of tries.
It was a comedy of errors by a young NSW side, their poor handling, terrible defence and sheer nerves costing them dearly for the second time in a row.
NSW conceded three tries in 10 minutes to lose Origin I 28-18 in Melbourne, and repeated that effort on Wednesday night.
“Those first three tries were the softest tries I have ever seen in Origin … that is hugely disappointing,” said NSW coach Craig Bellamy.
“We probably handed it to them even more tonight (than Origin I).
“I’m a lot more disappointed than I was the last game and I don’t know why but I am.”
Bellamy paused for several seconds when asked if NSW had the players capable of ever beating Queensland.
He said the only positives for the Blues were standout games by Anthony Watmough and Jarryd Hayne, whose two sensational solo tries kept NSW in the game by reducing the half-time deficit to 18-10.
Hayne scored a 92m intercept and twisted over from dummy half in the 39th minute.
A second half try to Williams was all the Blues had to show for their fightback and they now go down in history as being on the end of Origin’s longest series winning streak.
“I don’t know what to say … I’m shattered,” said NSW captain Kurt Gidley.
THEY SAID IT: MEMORABLE QUOTES FROM STATE OF ORIGIN II
“I have never played in a Queensland team with more character than this one.” – Queensland skipper Darren Lockyer.“Tonight is a night we will never forget.” – Queensland hooker Cameron Smith.
“We had nobody on the bench at one stage but that didn’t matter, they just kept hanging in there.Those blokes will do anything to win a footy game. That is why we got four in a row.” – Queensland coach Mal Meninga.
“Quite possibly.” – Meninga when asked whether NSW pivot Trent Barrett should have been sent off for a 22nd minute high-shot that left Maroons centre Greg Inglis with a suspected broken jaw.
“That’s probably the greatest win I’ve seen by a Queensland team.” – Former Queensland coach Paul Vautin.
“Those first three tries were the softest tries I have ever seen in Origin … that is hugely disappointing.” – NSW coach Craig Bellamy.
“Some parts of our game you think we’ve got a great nucleus there. “Then with some of the errors that we made, the options we took at the end of the game when we were in the game .. I’m very confused at the moment.” – Bellamy again.
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