NEW SOUTH WALES 12 QUEENSLAND 24
TOM SMITH, Accor Stadium, Homebush, Wednesday
QUEENSLAND halves Tom Dearden and Cameron Munster silenced Sydney’s Olympic Stadium, as the Maroons manufactured a signature underdog victory in the State of Origin decider.
Heading to enemy territory as rank outsiders, the Queenslanders hardly put a foot wrong in the first half to establish a 20-0 half-time lead.
The Maroons defended their lead before Dearden wrapped up the series with his second try.
Post-game, Munster and coach Billy Slater shared a tearful embrace, reflecting the fact that the Queensland skipper’s father Steven had passed away on Sunday.
They completed 22 of 22 sets in the first half, and it took until the 69th minute for Robert Toia to register their first handling error.
It was a near flawless display by the outsiders, who add yet another backs-against-the-wall series victory to their storied interstate history.
Only the most ardent Queenslander could have believed their state would reclaim the shield after New South Wales pummelled them on their own turf in Game One.
But Slater’s decision to hand Daly Cherry-Evans’ number seven jumper to Dearden and his captaincy to Munster proved a masterstroke once his side triumphed in Perth and Sydney.
Recalling prop Josh Papalii out of Origin retirement also provided a fairytale touch.
In the opposite camp, Laurie Daley’s first series back in charge of the Blues ends in crushing disappointment. Daley has now won just one of his six interstate campaigns in the coaches box.
NSW made inroads down the edges early, but a Valentine Holmes penalty goal following a Stephen Crichton infringement put the Maroons on the board first.
Fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow – replacing the injured Kalyn Ponga – spilled a Reuben Cotter pass in dangerous areas.
But they didn’t have to wait long for Xavier Coates to find the left corner, due to Zac Lomax’s missed tackle on debutant Gehamat Shibasaki.
Dearden then scored his first four-pointer, after an under-pressure Toia squeezed an offload to Tabuai-Fidow, whose pace gave the halfback the chance to race away under the sticks.
Then, with two minutes remaining before the half-time siren, hooker Harry Grant beat several Blues defenders around the play-the-ball, after they had only just repelled Toia and Dearden in repeat sets.
Holmes’ fourth successful shot at goal sent the Queenslanders to the sheds up 20-0 – the same margin they led by in Game Two, before the Blues mounted an almighty comeback.
The hosts came out breathing fire here, too, although Tabuai-Fidow’s tackles desperately denied Reece Robson from dummy-half then Angus Crichton on the charge.
Latrell Mitchell’s flick pass to Brian To’o appeared to send the nuggety winger into the left corner, only for Dearden to crash the Penrith flanker into touch.
NSW finally found their way to the stripe on 56 minutes, when Stephen Crichton found the right corner.
And Lomax put his Game Two goal-kicking horrors behind him by nailing the shot from the sideline, and giving the home fans some hope of a miracle.
The Blues continued to huff and puff, until the Maroons’ stoic defence was rewarded up the other end, when Dearden collected his second try.
To’o touched down a Jarome Luai kick in the 80th minute but that was scant consolation for the badly beaten favourites.
GAMESTAR: On top of his two tries, Dearden’s desperate defence – and masterful game management alongside halves partner Cameron Munster – guided the Maroons home and he was rewarded with the Wally Lewis Medal as the player of the series.
GAMEBREAKER: Tom Dearden’s second try in the 74th minute put an exclamation mark on Queensland’s series-deciding victory.
MATCHFACTS
BLUES
1 Dylan Edwards (Penrith Panthers)
2 Brian To’o (Penrith Panthers)
3 Stephen Crichton (Canterbury Bulldogs)
4 Latrell Mitchell (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
5 Zac Lomax (Parramatta Eels)
6 Jarome Luai (Wests Tigers)
7 Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)
8 Max King (Canterbury Bulldogs)
9 Reece Robson (North Queensland Cowboys)
10 Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)
11 Liam Martin (Penrith Panthers)
12 Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters)
13 Isaah Yeo (Penrith Panthers)
Subs (all used)
14 Connor Watson (Sydney Roosters)
15 Spencer Leniu (Sydney Roosters)
16 Hudson Young (Canberra Raiders)
17 Stefano Utoikamanu (Melbourne Storm)
Tries: S Crichton (56), To’o (80)
Goals: Lomax 2/2
MAROONS
1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins)
2 Xavier Coates (Melbourne Storm)
3 Robert Toia (Sydney Roosters)
4 Gehamat Shibasaki (Brisbane Broncos)
5 Valentine Holmes (St George Illawarra Dragons)
6 Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
7 Tom Dearden (North Queensland Cowboys)
8 Josh Papalii (Canberra Raiders)
9 Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)
10 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Gold Coast Titans)
11 Reuben Cotter (North Queensland Cowboys)
12 Kurt Capewell (New Zealand Warriors Warriors)
13 Trent Loiero (Melbourne Storm)
Subs (all used)
14 Kurt Mann (Canterbury Bulldogs)
15 Lindsay Collins (Sydney Roosters)
16 Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane Broncos)
17 Jeremiah Nanai (North Queensland Cowboys)
Tries: Coates (18), Dearden (27, 74), Grant (39)
Goals: Holmes 4/5
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-2, 0-8, 0-14, 0-20; 6-20, 6-24, 12-24
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Blues: Latrell Mitchell; Maroons: Tom Dearden
Penalty count: 7-3
Half-time: 20-0
Referee: Ashley Klein
Attendance: 80,256