The New South Wales Blues have secured the 2021 State of Origin series with a comprehensive 26-0 win over the Queensland Maroons in Origin 2 at Suncorp Stadium.
More Origin 2
» TALKING POINTS: Where do Queensland go from here?
» Origin 2, as it happened: Play-by-play commentary
» VIDEO: Latrell’s amazing intercept try
» VIDEO: Trbojevic’s sensational try-saver on Coates
While it wasn’t as scintillating as their 50-6 romp in the previous game, New South Wales’ incredibly desperate defending – particularly in the second half – carried them to victory and consigned the Maroons to their first scoreless outing in an Origin game in Brisbane.
Queensland, in fairness, were vastly improved after their appalling effort in the series opener. They had several genuine scoring chances and arguably had the better of the second half, but simply couldn’t find a way through the Blues’ defense.
The tone was set in a fiery first ten minutes where Queensland looked ready for the fight, but the Blues were still able to head to the sheds with an 18-0 lead.
A one-on-one strip by Latrell Mitchell deep in Queensland territory set Josh Addo-Carr up for what was a worryingly easy first try.
The Maroons responded over the next 15 minutes and, following an uncharacteristic James Tedesco knock-on and a set restart, looked destined to strike back and level the score.
But Mitchell was able to turn the half on its head, intercepting an ambitious pass to the sideline from Valentine Holmes and scoring a length-of-the-field stunner.
Tom Trbojevic threatened down the right-hand side minutes later, but Cameron Murray wasn’t expecting the pass back inside and put it to ground. The third try did come soon, however, with a clean break down the sideline from Addo-Carr and Trbojevic putting the Manly fullback-turned-centre over for his fourth try of the series.
Queensland were able to reach the end of the half without further damage, but the Blues were all over them early in the second half.
Addo-Carr and Trbojevic looked to have linked up for a stunning fourth try early in the piece, but Cameron Murray was penalised for getting involved despite starting the play ahead of the play-the-ball.
That didn’t deter New South Wales, however. They got down their end of the field in a hurry and added two more points to their lead after Daly Cherry-Evans was penalised – and lucky to avoid the sin bin – for taking Tariq Sims out while he chased a grubber in-goal.
Queensland got exceptionally close to their first try a few minutes later, but Trbojevic was able to make a try-saving play on Xavier Coates in the corner – coming from nowhere to dive, swipe at the winger’s arm as he dived and force the knock-on.
The Maroons continued to threaten, but the Blues simply wouldn’t let them over the line. They looked to have finally broken through just past the hour mark, with Cherry-Evans grounding his own high kick after two of his teammates were judged by the bunker to have knocked it backwards in goal, but Dane Gagai’s attempting grounding with his elbow on the dead ball line brought it unstuck.
Andrew McCullough looked to have broken the drought five minutes later, but he was held up, before Holmes’ grubber over the dead ball line released the pressure valve.
The wind left Queensland’s sails after that, with Kyle Feldt’s attempted short line dropout going out of bounds at his own corner post, setting up an easy Blues attacking opportunity that saw Addo-Carr cross for his game-sealing second.
Even with the match well and truly sewn up, New South Wales’ defensive desperation shone through. Feldt looked certain to score a consolation try after collecting a kick on the try line, but Brian To’o’ desperate dive and strip before he could ground it ensured the score remained 26-0 – a play that summed up the night succinctly.
Queensland Maroons – 0
NSW Blues – 26
Tries
Maroons:
Blues: Josh Addo-Carr 12′, 70′, Latrell Mitchell 26′, Tom Trbojevic 33′
Goals
Maroons:
Blues: Nathan Cleary 14′, 28′, 34′, 50′, 71′
blue4ever
Roar Rookie
I’m indigenous. “We need to stop having tribal wars” and “get our kids well educated, (not just focuss solely on good school attendance.”) In order to acquire the proper skillset to qualify for positions of great responsibility those two factors must be combined. Most indigenous folks can’t even leave their home town, or their community to enrol in higher education ‘because we are too busy focussing on having a good time with our mob all the time.” And most of us have been taught that getting an education is the most important thing, but most of us don’t make it past year 10. There is a big difference between just turning up to be educated, and turning up to train the mind to reach its fullest potential. The rates of absenteeism in Australia’s Indengeous population is staggering! No good leadership for us Mob comes from that fact alone. My advice to all indigenous parents and their cimmunities is exactly this, “to get your kids to school ‘with the goal of teaching your kids to train to use their brain for the greatest gain!’ ” That’s one major factor is where good leadership is born from.
blue4ever
Roar Rookie
Gould said QLDNRL have failed their State because they got rid lower tier football. He means QLDNRL have ceased investing in their pool talent. At scoreline overall 76 NSW, 6 QLD, (all on QLD's hallowed grounds, & "O at Suncorp," I'd say that Gould has accessed correctly. It was coming, in our eight serious in a row straight losses the scoreline was still very close. But a pattern, (not a dynasty just to be clear,) is slowly developing now NSW have some swagger, is that the scoreline tells QLD there needs to be a huge injection in investing in their State. Gould hit the nail right on the head I believe.
PGNEWC
Roar Rookie
Yeah that indigenous game that was a version of the way Rugby was played in the 1850s and had nothing to do with Aborigines till the 1960s when the VFL started to get a couple of players -'course the ARL Australian Kangaroos had an Aboriginal captain just a little later.
Sing The Blues
Guest
The best possible NSW side? That’s always debatable. It’s the side that the selectors picked . So you’re saying that NSW couldn’t be better than that in future? What about the likes of Suaalii & Burton, who are just youngsters. Plus many other backs. The halves are only youngsters themselves. No improvement left in them?
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
At some stage the Storm are going to come back to the field. It's been predicted before but they've always had Cameron Smith to steady the ship.
Sing The Blues
Guest
One thing is for sure. The Penrith halves got over the top of DCE & Munster. So they will be less intimidated by Munster, when he plays for Melbourne. If they have been before?
Sing The Blues
Guest
You’re still forgetting the other NSW opportunities? What about Murray dropping a sitter . Certain try. No good defence was stopping him . Good defence stopped two Queensland chances at least. Good defence still wins games!
matth
Roar Guru
Yep I agree and I'm really looking forward to what Coates might become in Bellamy's system.
The Barry
Roar Guru
To me that shows a fundamental gap in coaching It’s going back a long time but when I was young you were taught to switch hands so you could fend and defenders weren’t targeting the ball We’ve got an level elite winger capable of dramatic high flying put downs who’s only ever been coached to do it with his right hand because he’s a right winger… I think that sort of stuff is crazy…
Tony
Roar Guru
It's all about the marketing
Tony
Roar Guru
Lawn bowls mate
matth
Roar Guru
And Coates was on his wrong wing so he dove with the ball in his near hand. He's normally on the other side and is too young to have learnt to adapt.
matth
Roar Guru
I'm confident that two years playing Bellamy-ball and he's either be a first class Origin weapon or out.
matth
Roar Guru
Opacic or Hammer? Move Coates to centre? No great options, but I'd like to see us try one of them.
T.R.W
Roar Rookie
That's fair, I agree with that. I would have him coming off the bench as a nut and bolts 2nd rower or lock. I just feel he cops a bit as a result of the unfortunate circumstances of no-depth. I'm not completely sure he would have been comfortable himself last year or this year being called into centre. But he didn't whinge or complain, and he had a go. I wonder what would have been different if they had of tried a specialist. Some roarers were saying Chambers because of size and experience, but it's clear that he is past it and has lost a step or two, and the blues outside backs would probably have run rings around him too. Besides that, I don't really know who else could have gone in. Tom Opacic?
Wayne Corbett
Guest
There should not be one team on the planet capable of defeating the Blues, they are just that good.
Cam
Roar Rookie
Absolutely agree Fifita was hugely underwhelming and also agree Capewell has the minerals to play Origin, but he doesn't have the skillset or physical attributes to fill the role Green has given him on the right edge. The past 2 matches Trbojevic and Addo-Carr have been running around him for fun and it doesn't make a lick of sense to hand him that role again. To be fair to his stats, his hitups and run metres were largely due to his inability to pass the ball to his winger. The only time Qld looked dangerous (besides bombing To'o) was when Munster cut Capewell out and hit Coates. Love what he did in 2020, but there is a reason he is a 40 minutes bench edge forward at the Panthers.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
it will be interesting to see how the Storm and Pennies play for the rest of the season after these results. It could be a factor in the Pennies getting even more confident and the Storm going slightly wobbly.
vonManstein
Roar Rookie
Nsw get origin... what took them so long??
T.R.W
Roar Rookie
I think thats a tad harsh on Capewell. Yes I admit he was woeful defensively on Turbo (who isn't when they are matched up against Turbo - he's a freak) but he is playing out of position. He made the most runs, the most meters and the most post contact metres for QLD, and Gagai, Munster and Welch all missed more tackles. If he were used as a 2nd rower or off the bench I would be happy. He's got more balls than someone like Fifita.