Queensland pulled off a remarkable comeback win over New South Wales, winning 26-24 in state of origin game 1 at Optus Stadium, Perth. This victory created the ideal lead up for a bruising State of Origin encounter. The Maroons showed extraordinary determination in this dramatic final to hold off the Lightning. They got the job done in preventing a late run from the Blues, leaving the scene set for an awesome final decider in three weeks time!
Cameron Munster, the new captain of Queensland, denied that belief with immense conviction and talent. That exceptional performance by Johnson led to him being awarded man of the match. Munster’s leadership would prove to be the difference, as he orchestrated the Maroons to an impressive 26-6 lead midway through the first half. His performance was further supported by Tom Dearden, who replaced the dumped Daly Cherry-Evans. Dearden’s influence was particularly notable in the first half, as he helped Queensland capitalize on New South Wales’ defensive errors.
Billy Slater’s decision to cut Cherry-Evans was the one that shocked most people. His gamble paid off as expected, with Queensland racing out to an early lead. The Maroons took full advantage of an 8-0 penalty count in favour of New South Wales during the first half. That advantage allowed them to establish a comfortable lead.
Although they floundered early on, New South Wales had a shot at restoring order as they came roaring back in the second stanza. Nathan Cleary watched a brilliant individual effort turn into nothing when it was ruled no try for obstruction. This controversial call would have given the game to the Blues. On top of all that, Kurt Capewell’s hospital pass tackle on Payne Haas resulted in a vital dropped ball, doing New South Wales few favours.
The Blues had another layer of physicality in the second half. Jarome Luai and Zac Lomax both ended up on report for their aggressive and reckless acts during the game. Luai definitely deserved headlines this week for an eye gouge on Reuben Cotter. This event served to stoke their already at-boil rivalry.
With New South Wales fighting to get back into the game, Queensland’s defense began to crack under the pressure. Munster acknowledged this challenge post-match, stating, “We need to be a lot better,” emphasizing the need for improvement ahead of the decider. Dearden agreed, looking back on the up-and-down nature of the back-and-forth contest.
“It was a crazy game. NSW gave us a few penalties in the first half and we took advantage. Second half the momentum completely swung, we were pretty lucky to hold on there.” – Tom Dearden
As the clock wound down, Queensland fought to maintain their lead despite New South Wales dominating possession in the final 20 minutes. Dearden remarked on this pressure: “We just had to hold on, they had all the possession and the running in that last 20 minutes. We just couldn’t get it into the decider, but that’s exactly what we said we wanted to do and that’s what we wanted to do this evening.”
With their victory assured, Queensland now head into the final, winner-take-all match of the series. New South Wales is hell-bent on proving their championship and leaving the shield on their home soil. This now shapes up to be an electrifying finale to the State of Origin series.
