Queensland’s Patrick Carrigan claimed the Wally Lewis medal for Player of the Series after the Maroons won the series 2-1 including a thrilling 22-12 win at home in the decider.
Carrigan looked stunned when his name was announced, as did a clearly delighted Cameron Smith who ushered the youngster towards the stage.
“I don’t know what to say. I missed all that,” said Carrigan. “I just want to say a big thanks to the Queenslanders who came out tonight.
“As well you Blues fans this game wouldn’t be what it is without you fans. The Blues boys it was a tough series and the first five minutes really showed what it was about. I think the two fullbacks of both sides [Kalyn Ponga and James Tedesco] probably one of them should be wearing this.”
“I think Bill said to us at the start of the camp you never have a mortgage on a Maroons jersey. Just the time that him and Slats and Nate Myles and Johnathan Thurston has had to learn and teach it. They are some of the greats of the game. It is unreal.”
Kalyn Ponga was voted as man of the match for the decider.
Ponga had 4 offloads, 3 line breaks, 18 tackle breaks, ran for 299 metres in 26 runs and scored a try in a stunning statement to his critics.
“I am super proud and the coaches and support staff. Proud of myself to be honest as well. This is my first series win. It is a pretty surreal feeling. I kind of felt it throughout the series,” Ponga said.
“I felt like we were building even into this game. We had a bump in the road Game 2.”
“We had full faith in the boys who stepped in and Tom Dearden was awesome tonight. Once we dealt with it we moved on.”
“Running out of the tunnel and seeing Maroons it was pretty awesome. These are the games you want to be a part of. These are the games that you dream to be part of as a kid.”
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.
Queensland often has the right mix of generational talent, playmaking brilliance and these nuts-and-bolts players that bind them together like glue.
Spudd hitting Kenty right between the eyes!
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…
Hilton Cartwright and Joel Paris have powered Western Australia to a five-wicket win over NSW in the one-day cup final, securing a historic third…
