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.
Richard Brockhurst
Guest
Well said Westy.... Phil Coorey's comments on how bad League is going is just sour grapes. NSW lost a lot of ball while in possession because guys like Wille Tonga played real good tough defence.... Hoy ....Soward is on fire this year and he's a good guy too.
Richard Brockhurst
Guest
Barrett gets 2 weeks!!! IT should be at least 6 and he shouldn't have been on the field.
Hoy
Guest
Soward is on fire this year, and hasn't even been mentioned once as a possibility.
adrien66
Guest
why dont they pick jamie soward and mitchel pearce in the halves, and big willie mason forward ? Hayne was the best on the field,but how bad were wallace and williams... Honnestly, nsw have good level players but a very bad coordination! Andrew johns has to make his come back at halfback ;)
westy
Guest
Phil Coorey I have my preferences but I love sport. I try to remain objective. The first origin game before a crowd of 51000 was an excellent exhibition of rugbyleague. Although i agree the second origin game did not reach the heights of the first it would be churlish and inaccurate to say that it was not a gripping and powerful sporting contest. QLd should have been down and out with players injured on the sidelines or in the case of Johnson playing whilst being on a drip for the previous 24 hours and harrison with broken ribs, it may not have been pretty but i will always appreciate courage. A crowd of over 80000 is not half bad either. I appreciate difference of opinion but not denials of reality. Whether you like it or not NRL crowds are up marginally. I have watched the Friday night NRL games regularly and they have been very good. this may also explain the increase in TV ratings fof NRL . It is OK not to like the game but the denial of the obvious display of other people's preferences is to peddle misinformation.
JimC
Guest
NSW are just guessing with their selections. Kimmorley is in great form and has performed well in the past. As for writing the SOO obituary, - exactly what has been done before by the usual suspects with an agenda. The Queensland team of 1989 destroyed NSW in similar fashion, but NSW bounced back the next year. Get a decent coach, a couple of respected onfield leaders (ie not Gallen) and they can take it from there.
Searly
Guest
You're right Phil. There are way too many question marks over NSW at the moment. Like, why did Brent Kite only play 20 minutes? Many people might say "Because he's no good", which is a fair enough opinion, but then why did they pick him? Combine that with the fact that Josh Morris, good player that he is, was never going to be able to have any meaningful impact as a reserve and you're basically playing the match with 15 men. If Farah was injured, then it's effectively even fewer. There just seems to be a complete disconnect between the players that are picked and what the coach wants to do with them. Seriously, you'd be better off just picking a whole NRL club team (minus the Qlders and Kiwis) along with their coach and letting them play. They would have put together a more cohesive effort at least.......
Phil Coorey
Guest
Shocking - just shocking game. League is having a season to forget with decisions bewildering, games below par (especially the so called pinnacle) and all the scandals. Seriously - how could NSW be so bad in the first half?? They were lucky it was not 24 -0 at the break... Farah was shocking and probably hurt - why was he allowed to play? Too many more questions - yet I don't have the time
Worlds Biggest
Guest
I agree with Spiro, I would do everything possible to get Bennet to Coach NSW and have full control of selections. The current selection committee have now presided over 4 straight series losses so it's time for them to go. Tom you make a good point about Bennett's allegiances however we all thought he would never coach against the Broncos too. Add to the fact Origin needs NSW to win a series in the next year or two and Bennett is the man to get it done. As for the game itself, NSW were always behind the 8 ball with there disrupted preparation but then Qld had there issues also. Bellamy was right when he said the first 3 tries were the softest in Origin history. Qld didn't play that well but were gifted 18 points. Blues did well to come back again but the defecit was again too much. The culture of the NSW team needs to change also. You look at the Qld squad and there must be about 20 former Origin players involved in the Coaching / Management team.
Searly
Guest
It's time for NSW to actually put some combinations on the park. Gidley and Mullen in the halves (not a big fan of Mullen, but they might as well pick the team they would like to go into Origin with next year). Cooper, Creagh and Morris on the left. Watmough, G Stewart and Wolfman hunting together. At the moment, they're just 17 individuals running around hoping someone else will create the play. I'd pick Josh Perry up front too. The NSW props have been rubbish.
Tom Alexander.
Guest
I know it sounds a bit strange but Bennet won't coach NSW because his loyalty to QLD is so strong he wouldn't want to dishonour it. He willingly coached the Kiwis because the international game desperatly needed the help even though it cost Australia the World Cup it was a relatively small price to pay but to coach the Blues against the Maroons would be in his book and most other Queenslanders a bridge too far now work that one out.
Stan Morris
Guest
It was a pretty cowardly act by Barrett but what do you expect? he plays for Cronulla. Those sorts of cheap shots were not in his game until he joined the Sharks. I suppose Inglis should be thankful it wasn't Gallen throwing the punch otherwise he would have had his nuts squeezed as well.
Jason
Guest
Sounds like Inglis has a broken Jaw and will be out of Origin 3. Cheap shot by the coward that is trent Barrett has denied QLD fans of seeing the best player in the world. We'll still thrash the rabble from NSW.
Hoy
Guest
Realistically, QLD didn't creat a single try except the one that was disallowed. They all came off the back of NSW mistakes. NSW, without Haynes, really weren't threatening the scoreboard all that much either. Fair go to Barret and Wolfman.
Jason
Guest
To be honest I think the NRL instructed the refs to try and keep NSW in the game. Every 50/50 decision went to NSW and some obvious cheating (how was Harrisons try not a try). Still the QLD are simply far superior to what is possibly the worst NSW team ever. Game 3 at Lang Park will be a slaughter.
The Link
Guest
2 things are now apparent after last night; - Greg Inglis is a superstar, the best Rugby Footballer going around in the World - NSW need a root and branch review and cleanout of selectors, coaching staff and players
Jameswm
Guest
The worst part was how NSW just gifted the game to Qld. Qld were up 18-0 without having actually done anything. My wife, who never watches league, said it looked like it was Hayne against Qld. Wallace was useless, as was Monahan. If these are the best players NSW have, they're in a lot of trouble. I don't follow the game enough to know who should be in there, but Kimmorley is a tried and tested controller of the game. You need someone who will get you round the park and control the game. Can Mitchell Pearce do this? Can Orford?
Hoy
Guest
Also great from Locky with his defence. According to stats, he didn't miss one tackle. Wallace is not the great saviour at the moment. He plays well enough at club, but at best is a solid player. Possibly why he works so well with Locky at the broncs is because he is solid enough to take pressure off Locky, but he doesn't seem to create too many oppurtunitys really.
SouthernWaratah
Guest
I’ve been living away from League Hartland for 18 years and in Melbourne for the last 7 so it’s fair to say I’m not up on current players/events in the NRL. I watch 4 games of league a year. SOO + GF and that Origin game was the worst I’ve seen and the series in general. If that’s all Rugby League has to offer as its pinnacle then the game is in trouble!
Brett McKay
Guest
ooh dear, that spelling of Farah was as muddled and messed up as his game last night. I left his defence out of the equation though, otherwise it would have been Fa rah....