Brisbane redemption has been a long time coming at State of Origin level for Mitchell Pearce.
For NSW teammate James Tedesco, it was just a fortnight.
Tedesco, who endured a miserable night at Suncorp Stadium earlier this month when the Wests Tigers were thrashed by Brisbane, delivered the game-breaking moment in Wednesday’s Origin opener.
A set after Pearce, who had delivered probably his best game at Origin level, had been taken off concussed following a collision with Queensland centre Will Chambers’ shoulder, Tedesco’s first try for the Blues blew the game open.
[latest_videos_strip category=”rugby-league” name=”League”]
The fullback’s clever dummy-half run included a step past Maroons’ debutant Anthony Milford, before eluding Michael Morgan and Sam Thaiday to open up a two-try lead which the Blues then used to romp away to victory.
Tedesco’s try was a fitting moment for a player who had been terrorising the Maroons with almost every carry before that moment.
The 24-year-old had racked up almost 150 metres by halftime, every run coming at a speed Queensland found terrifying and near impossible to handle.
Whisper it quietly but the Blues’ No.1 is also unbeaten in his two-game Origin career – a stat few NSW players can boast in the past decade of Maroons’ dominance.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
An NRL clause has come to light, stating that if a player is selected for a representative team and withdraws, the players agrees they…
New coach Michael Maguire is considering as many as 50 players for the State of Origin series opener with not even captain James Tedesco…
Queensland often has the right mix of generational talent, playmaking brilliance and these nuts-and-bolts players that bind them together like glue.
Despite a poor season by his own high standards, Latrell Mitchell is still a chance to force his way into the NSW team for…
Michael Maguire is saying all the right things about how he wants to guide NSW back to State of Origin supremacy but the inescapable…
Wayde Egan's rise to star hooker status at the Warriors should earn him a place in conversation to play at No.9 for NSW in…
