NEW SOUTH WALES 22 QUEENSLAND 20
TOM SMITH, Accor Stadium, Sydney, Wednesday
JAMES TEDESCO’S miracle 79th-minute try sealed New South Wales’ stunning comeback over Queensland after Kalyn Ponga’s controversial dismissal in a dramatic Origin opener.
The Maroons sprinted to a 20-0 lead as Sam Walker enjoyed a dream debut, and had the finish line in sight before referee Ashley Klein sent off Ponga for a shoulder charge on Tolutau Koula which looked more like a head clash – a decision that enraged those north of the Tweed River.
With the one-man advantage for the final 23 minutes, Cleary and first-gamer Ethan Strange took the game by the scruff of the neck, culminating in Cleary’s towering bomb which Tedesco snatched from fill-in fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to clinch victory.
Tedesco’s selection over Penrith incumbent Dylan Edwards was a major talking point in the build-up, as was Cleary’s patchy interstate record. But this dazzling fightback silenced the doubters.
Heading in, injury badly disrupted both coaches’ selection plans.
Without Payne Haas (knee), Liam Martin (knee), Latrell Mitchell (back), Bradman Best (calf) and late pull-out Mitchell Moses (hamstring), NSW coach Laurie Daley handed debuts to Strange, Koula, Addin Fonua-Blake, Victor Radley, Blayke Brailey and Casey McLean – all of whom made huge impact.
Queensland counterpart Billy Slater called up Walker, Jojo Fifita, Max Plath and Briton Nikora for Origin debuts with Tom Dearden (ankle), Jeremiah Nanai (shoulder) and Xavier Coates (Achilles) sidelined.
Queensland made the perfect start after Stephen Crichton coughed up the ball in the ruck, as Walker laid on a deft grubber for Roosters team-mate Robert Toia.
Then on the end of a Selwyn Cobbo bust, Harry Grant popped an offload to Walker for another assist – this one to Thomas Flegler, recalled to the Queensland side after a three-year absence due to chronic shoulder issues.
The Maroons’ sizzling start continued when Cameron Munster’s boot gift-wrapped Tabuai-Fidow’s twelfth try in eleventh Origin starts.
Walker nailed all those conversions plus a 21st-minute penalty-goal resulting from an offside infringement, giving the northerners a healthy 20-0 buffer.
Strange halted Queensland’s momentum with a bone-rattler on Munster, and Cleary’s no-look kick for Hudson Young pulled one try back for the Blues.
The Bunker denied Cameron Murray’s try claim off a Reece Robson grubber for interfering with defender Kurt Capewell, leaving it 20-6 at the break.
Koula pulled off a try-saver on Toia, then beat the same opponent to a probing Walker bomb, to keep NSW in the hunt.
And Ponga’s send-off turned the match on its head.
Strange appeared to strike immediately, although the officials spotted a Haumole Olakau’atu obstruction in the build-up.
But they couldn’t deny the rookie stand-off after backing up a Crichton bust.
McLean nearly finished a Cleary kick then Olakau’atu bombed a certain try. A Cleary 40/20 added to the mountain of pressure, and the Penrith maestro eventually burst the dam wall.
Now trailing by just four, with less than two minutes on the clock, Cleary tested Tabuai-Fidow with a high ball and Tedesco took to the skies to become the hero.
Cleary made no mistake with the simple conversion to seal the narrow win.
The Blues now have a chance to wrap up the shield at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday, June 17, before the series concludes at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane three weeks later.
GAMESTAR: Supported by debutant Ethan Strange, Nathan Cleary drove the Blues home, scoring a crucial try then delivering the decisive kick to Tedesco.
GAMEBREAKER: With 90 seconds remaining, James Tedesco scored a match-deciding try that instantly enters Origin folklore, soaring over Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to collect a Nathan Cleary bomb.
MATCHFACTS
BLUES
1 James Tedesco (Sydney Roosters)
2 Brian To’o (Penrith Panthers)
3 Stephen Crichton (Canterbury Bulldogs)
4 Kotoni Staggs (Brisbane Broncos)
5 Tolutau Koula (Manly Sea Eagles)
18 Ethan Strange (Canberra Raiders)
7 Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)
8 Addin Fonua-Blake (Cronulla Sharks)
9 Reece Robson (Sydney Roosters)
10 Mitch Barnett (New Zealand Warriors)
11 Hudson Young (Canberra Raiders)
12 Haumole Olakau’atu (Manly Sea Eagles)
13 Isaah Yeo (Penrith Panthers)
Subs
14 Cameron Murray (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
15 Victor Radley (Sydney Roosters)
16 Jacob Saifiti (Newcastle Knights) (not used)
17 Blayke Brailey (Cronulla Sharks)
19 Casey McLean (Penrith Panthers)
21 Matt Burton (Canterbury Bulldogs)
Tries: Young (27), Strange (63), Cleary (72), Tedesco (79)
Goals: Cleary 3/4
MAROONS
1 Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle Knights)
2 Selwyn Cobbo (Dolphins)
3 Robert Toia (Sydney Roosters)
4 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins)
5 Jojo Fifita (Gold Coast Titans)
6 Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
7 Sam Walker (Sydney Roosters)
8 Thomas Flegler (Dolphins)
9 Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)
10 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Gold Coast Titans)
11 Reuben Cotter (North Queensland Cowboys)
12 Kurt Capewell (New Zealand Warriors)
13 Max Plath (Dolphins)
Subs
14 Briton Nikora (Cronulla Sharks)
15 Lindsay Collins (Sydney Roosters)
16 Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane Broncos)
17 Trent Loiero (Melbourne Storm)
18 Ezra Mam (Brisbane Broncos) (not used)
19 Gehamat Shibasaki (Brisbane Broncos) (not used)
Tries: Toia (10), Flegler (14), Tabuai-Fidow (17)
Goals: Walker 4/4
Dismissal: Ponga (58) – shoulder charge
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-20, 6-20; 10-20, 16-20, 22-20
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Blues: Nathan Cleary; Maroons: Sam Walker
Penalty count: 4-6
Half-time: 6-20
Referee: Ashley Klein
Attendance: 79,816