“It’s been a long time” an exhausted Jarryd Hayne said in the post match interview.
We will all remember the try, Trent Hodkinson slipping through the gap and slamming the ball down under left of the uprights leading to the first time that #Blueswinorigin has ever been tweeted.
NSW hit the lead. Lets go NSW massive final eight minutes coming up!!! #uptheblues pic.twitter.com/yT4eOwTNtw
— NSWRL (@NSWRL) June 18, 2014
Following multiple sets of six Queensland, were simply unable to hold out any longer and the defences were breached – but that wasn’t the game-changing play.
That honour is owned again by Hayne.
After a close first half Queensland came out firing, a probing kick pushed NSW to the breaking point and only a one in a million tackle from Hayne stopped Thaiday from crashing over – knocking the ball out of the Maroons veteran’s hands. If someone was going to have a game-changing impact on a game in this series it was going to be that man.
No Try. #Origin pic.twitter.com/AtMbiRaqV1
— NRL (@NRL) June 18, 2014
Jarred Hayne’s performance in Game One will go down in Origin history as one of the best by any player in a Blue jersey, and while this wasn’t his best in a NSW jersey he did deliver in the one moment when it mattered.
While everything is 20-20 with hindsight it did appear that this pushed Queensland too far.
After this, another subtle moment changed momentum. A good run by Dugan around the 50th minute, and a great run form Tupou – arguably the second best of the game – turned the tide of a rampant QLD offense.
After, on the 69 mins, a poor set of six was saved by NSW after a great tackle Hodges forced another set of six and the pressure built – eventually leading to a try that will go down in history.
The last turning point came from a Queensland restart that went out on the full but was touched by Wood, the refs would miss it and the result saw another set of six deep in Maroons territory. There will be a lot of discourse about this controversial call but that is for the ages.
It wasn’t a pretty game, but it doesn’t matter for NSW players and fans. The fireworks have been lit in Circular Quay and #NSWwinorigin is flying around the internet.
[roar_cat_gal]
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