Winning when the chips are down

Seriously, how good is rugby league?

The New South Wales Blues defeated the Queensland Maroons 18-14 at ANZ Stadium to clinch just their second State of Origin series win in 13 years on Sunday night.

Led by courageous captain Boyd Cordner, the Blues overcame a ten-point deficit to defeat the Maroons in front of 82,223 vocal fans.

After a grinding win in Game 1, the Blues entered Game 2 as firm favourites. Blues coach Brad Fittler had one change to his 17 from Game 1: he’d stuck with a side full of youth, exuberance and attacking flair. The chance to win a rare State of Origin series, the pinnacle of the game, was at their fingertips. In the way, however, was the Maroon juggernaut called Queensland.

There was no denying that the juggernaut had suffered some hefty losses in the cattle department this year. No Cameron Smith, no Cooper Cronk, no Johnathan Thurston. They welcomed back the best fullback in the game, Billy Slater, for their must-win clash with widely opened arms.

From the outset it was clear for all to see that this Queensland side was here to play. Moving the ball from one side of the field to the other with ultimate ease, they carved the Blues defence up on the edges, Slater’s speed and direct running causing havoc.

Queensland looked to have opened the scoring when Dane Gagai reached out to plant the ball down inside in the touchline, but a trip upstairs to the video referee showed his right leg had brushed the chalk mere millimetres before the ball made contact with the ground. It was the first of a few 50-50 calls which went the Blues way.

It was to matter little, though, as some slack Blues defending allowed Maroons winger Valentine Holmes a clear run down the left-hand touchline to make it 4-0.

(AAP Image/Dan Peled)

The young Blues side resembled a baby giraffe learning to walk, stumbling along desperately hoping they could find their feet, as they had in Game 1. Another fast attacking raid and slick ball movement through the Queensland backline allowed Gagai another bite at the cherry, and after palming off would-be tackler Josh Addo-Carr, he dived over in the left corner. Holmes slotted the sideline conversion to make it 10-0.

In years gone by a ten-point lead to Queensland seemed more like 110. At 10-0, the chips were down. The Blues needed inspiration quick smart, and it came from one of their most experienced leaders, five-eighth James Maloney.

Responsible for the cut-out pass in Game 1 that landed in the hands of an awaiting Valentine Holmes which got Queensland back into the contest, the playmaker had the courage to roll the dice, and he delivered a pinpoint bullet pass to Addo-Carr, who stepped and jinked off his left duke to barge his way over and get the Blues onto the board.

This pass-step combination was a turning point in the context of the match. It showed this New South Wales side were willing to take the necessary risks, regardless of previous occasions.

Maloney continued to display his coolness under pressure, nailing the sideline conversion to make it 10-6 and with the flick of a switch, the home side looked refreshed.

Just minutes later they found themselves 15 metres from the Queensland try line when James Maloney placed a grubber kick through for Cordner. Queensland halfback Ben Hunt stepped out of his way to impede the runner, resulting in a penalty try, the first in a State of Origin match since 1981.

It was a brave call but the right call. The bunker has copped flack like it’s going out of fashion since its inception, but there’s no denying they got this one right.

(Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

With the scoreboard reading 12-10 as the two sides ran out after the break, it really was anyone’s game. No Blues fan could confidently say that they’d get this done. They’d been in this position too many times before only for Queensland to flex their muscle and bully their way to victory.

After a forced error by Jack De Belin, barnstorming Blues left centre Latrell Mitchell steamrolled over the top of his experienced counterpart Will Chambers and let the veteran know about it too. Maloney’s conversion made it 18-10 and the Blues seemed to be on their way to a historic win.

Rugby league is a funny game, though, and Queensland were the best in the business. You don’t fluke 12 Origin series wins in 13 years.

Mitchell showed that although confidence can be key, overconfidence can be a coach-killer. Attempting a quick 20-metre restart with a seven-tackle set up their sleeve, the centre looked to offload speedster Addo-Carr into the awaiting open space only for his pass to be deflected and knocked on.

In the 61st minute, Chambers crashed over in the right corner to reduce it to a four-point deficit. He was more than happy returning the vocal serve to the young man who had given him his thoughts just minutes earlier. Holmes, not a renowned goalkicker, tugged his conversion left of the upright and the margin remained at four points. They say goalkickers don’t lose you games, they win you games.

(Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

With the nerves well and truly back into the contest, the Bunker was called into action yet again in the 68th minute. In a similar fashion to the first-half grubber kick which resulted in a NSW penalty try, Queensland were begging the referee to make the same decision when James Roberts interfered with the run of Gavin Cooper. The tension, the drama, the buzz – it’s all happening.

Tom Trbojevic’s lurking presence meant that there was no definitive proof that Cooper would have scored the try, but Roberts was sent for ten minutes on the pine for a professional foul. The Blues would have to defend the majority of the remainder of this match with 12 men when they were struggling to do so with 13.

This was backs-to-the-wall rugby league. Legs aching, heart pumping, lungs screaming rugby league. Already a man down, the Blues would have to play the remaining six minutes without their skipper Cordner, who was taken from the field for head injury assessment following his hit on Roosters teammate Dylan Napa. Pleading with the NSW trainer, the devastation on his face when told he had to be taken from the field was hard to watch. Digging in the trenches with his troops for 74 minutes, the skipper had no choice but to go.

With just three minutes remaining Valentine Holmes broke the line 20 metres out from the Blues try line and had the blinkers on for the corner. The 20-year-old Blues halfback Nathan Cleary swept the defensive line and with the last ounce of his energy thrust himself at the flyer and clung on for dear life, dragging Holmes toward the touchline and forcing a turnover with what will go down as one of the great Origin tackles.

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It was Queensland’s last roll of the dice and snake eyes had turned up at last.

Now with 13 men on the field, the Blues marched their way up the other end of the field and miraculously hung on for just their second Origin series win in 13 long years.

The Maroons had their chances but simply couldn’t capitalise. The changing of the guard has finally arrived and gone are the foundations their legacy was built upon.

For the baby Blues this was a performance for the ages – a performance that required grit, courage and a truckload of heartache. This side contained all of the above.

How good is rugby league, you ask? Bloody good.