Ho hum, another year, another Maroons win

Once again, Queensland have proven too good for New South Wales as they close in on an unprecedented ten consecutive State of Origin series victories.

The Maroons successfully defended their shield for an eighth consecutive year by seeing off a brave and determined New South Wales side by winning the deciding match by just 12-10.

And once again, the Blues will have to ponder what could have been – this being the second consecutive decider the team has lost by two points or less, after losing last year by a Cooper Cronk field goal in the third game at Suncorp Stadium.

The Blues will now have to wait another 12 months in their quest to win back the State of Origin shield, as their northern counterparts revel in yet another successful Origin campaign.

Days before the match, the Blues seemed already defeated off the field when inspirational captain Paul Gallen was ruled out of the decider, joining Jarryd Hayne as two of the team’s biggest casualties.

But the team were determined to perform for their two most important players, who must be itching to return to the team as soon as possible in a bid to try to prevent Queensland from potentially extending their Origin dominance to a full decade.

The Blues got off to the worst possible start when the Maroons’ Johnathan Thurston, playing in his 27th consecutive Origin match from his debut in 2005, scored the first try of the match through a smart dummy play ten minutes into the match.

The Cowboys captain then converted his own try to put the Queenslanders ahead 6-0 and see him get to within five points of the all-time Origin scoring record held by coach Mal Meninga.

Moments later, a brain explosion from James Maloney saw the Maroons go further ahead 8-0.

Nerves started to get the better of the Blues but they got themselves into the game through a try to reborn winger James McManus just before the half-time break.

At half-time Queensland led 8-4. Game on.

After a dull 20 minutes, Justin Hodges appeared to have won Queensland an eighth consecutive series when he scored to put the Maroons ahead 12-4. Thurston missed the conversion, allowing the Blues to somehow get back into this game.

And get back into this game they did. Trent Merrin answered for the Blues with ten minutes to go and the Maroons’ lead was reduced to 12-10.

The final five minutes saw just about the craziest period of football that you could ever witness.

Matt Scott appeared to score with two minutes left on the clock, but, in some act of stupidity, a streaker ran onto the field, thus wiping away that try.

But it would not matter, as Queensland eventually held on to win the match 12-10, and thus confirm their status as the greatest Origin side in history.

The victory also cements Mal Meninga’s reputation as the greatest Origin coach mankind has ever witnessed – ever since taking the reins of the Maroons in 2006, a year in which the Blues had their chance to create their own piece of history, he has yet to lose a series.

As for the Blues – once again, so close, yet so far.

The loss will mean another 12 months of soul searching – and it will be three years until they get two games at home, as next year there will be two matches in Queensland and a neutral match will be played at Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium in 2015.

The absences of Paul Gallen and Jarryd Hayne, undoubtedly the two most important players in their team, definitely hurt NSW the most.

Imagine one of those two played – the result could have been a whole lot different, and perhaps the team could have been celebrating the end of a very long drought, instead of commiserating.

That long drought is now eight years and counting.

As for the Maroons, their two home games next year, as well as a neutral match in Melbourne in 2015, could see them further extend their Origin dominance to a decade.

Mal Meninga’s men are undefeated on home turf since the 2009 dead rubber match and they will further look to defend their Suncorp Stadium fortress.

But first things first. Having successfully defended the Origin shield for another year, celebrations should be set to continue for days on end, but for the entire squad it will be back to business as the NRL season starts to winds down.

The Maroons may now have their goals set on achieving an ultimate decade of Origin domination. Maybe that’s what they want. And this could stretch out for as long as they want, but eventually it will have to end.

The question for Blues supporters; when?

[roar_cat_gal]