New South Wales have secured one of their greatest State of Origin victories, defeating Queensland 14-4 inside their Suncorp Stadium fortress in the series decider to take home the 2024 shield. It was just the third time in 45 years of State of Origin the Blues have won a deciding match in Brisbane.
In a titanic encounter, the 52,457 in the ground and millions watching from home had to wait more than an hour for the game’s first try. Yet the contest delivered the physical confrontation the series is famous for. The first half was rattled by collision after collision, with both sets of players putting their bodies on the line, and sharing an all-in brawl that saw two players sin binned. But New South Wales slowly overcame the valiant Queenslanders, finally breaking the game open in the final 15 minutes.
New South Wales coach Michael Maguire, after winning the shield in his first Origin series, said it was an “incredible” and “very special” moment sharing the victory with his players. “I think it’s probably up there, or if not, one of the best defensive performances to have Queensland not score.”
The breakthrough came from centre Bradman Best, who crossed for the first try from a Jarome Luai linebreak, after holding off Dane Gagai and carrying Kalyn Ponga over the line. The Blues player – in just his second Origin game and a late call-up for Latrell Mitchell – bounced up after scoring screaming triumphantly with his mouth agape, blood spewing from a cut on the mouth.
Despite the nature of the match, which featured sustained New South Wales pressure without reward, Best said he was never concerned. “We knew what we had to do, we just needed to build pressure. And, we did that, and we went away with the win.”
The victory upends years of domination by the Maroons in deciders, and was just the Blues’ sixth victory in 23. Their record at Lang Park had been even more dismal, and Wednesday’s victory was their first victory in a decider at the ground since 2005.
Yet it was unfair one side had to end the game a loser. If the Blues put on what was almost the perfect first half of Origin football in the second match, both teams delivered in the decider.
Queensland coach Billy Slater said he couldn’t be disappointed after the effort his players put in. “I feel like the team was defeated, but it certainly doesn’t feel like a loss.”
A Val Holmes penalty on the whistle was the only score in a gladiatorial first 40 minutes, marked with explosive collisions, desperation defence and even an all-in brawl that saw Jeremiah Nanai and Cam Murray sin-binned, the latter from his place on the bench. Reserve Blues player Haumole Olakau’atu, charging into the thick of it wearing a blue dinner jacket and trousers, was ejected from the field.
The stoush was triggered when Luai and Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans stood toe-to-toe after a scrap. Afterwards Cherry-Evans said he was “really proud of the way that no one hesitated to get in there” and he felt the love and support from his teammates. But he also argued Murray should have been sent off, and not just sin binned. “I feel pretty clear hat’s pretty unacceptable at any level of footy,” the halfback said.
Maroons’ five-eighth Tom Dearden featured heavily in the first half. He tackled Liam Martin low while defending on his line dislodge the ball, and not long later held off Zac Lomax when the Blues winger looked certain to score. Midway through the half he made the stanza’s cleanest break with a dummy, but was without support.
Alongside Dearden, sliding to defend a dangerous ball in the in-goal late in the half was the unlikely figure of prop Lindsay Collins. His effort was typical of a heroic performance from Maroons’ in the first half, and in particular the forwards. The Blues enjoyed 57% of possession, and dominated field position, yet still the home side held the invaders at bay.
New South Wales continued where they left off in the second half, and quickly set up camp in Maroons territory. An unusual decision to take a shot at goal from a penalty on the touchline – which Lomax subsequently knocked over – underlined the narrow margins in the compelling encounter.
With the score 2-2, again the seesaw continued. Ponga finally appeared with half an hour to go, bringing the Suncorp faithful to their feet. But they were initially denied seeing Ponga and fullback Reece Walsh combine. First Ben Hunt then Grant went the other way in the attacking zone, then New South Wales regathered a dropout. Finally, just as the Maroons looked like they would unleash the pair in a set play, Reece Robson gave away a penalty that made the score 4-2.
But then out of nothing the Blues broke through with the game’s first try, and Lomax swept in another from the sideline to make it 8-4. With 14 minutes to go, the summit of rugby league – the Blues winning an Origin decider at Lang Park – was within their grasp.
Mitchell Moses – who left the match later with what appeared to be a serious bicep injury – secured the result with a solo try not long after. Receiving the ball from Connor Watson, he stepped inside Grant and swerved past Walsh to cross, the team rushing in to celebrate in front of the one blue bay in the otherwise maroon cauldron. Queensland looked dangerous moving the ball in desperation late, but the Blues held firm to secure one of Origin’s most famous victories.
Blues backrower Angus Crichton was awarded the Wally Lewis medal for player of the series. It marked a memorable return to form for the player who has been managing a recent bipolar diagnosis and was in reserve grade at the start of the year. “I guess it just goes to show in life that you can face a bit of adversity,” Maguire said. “But he’s a great example of a player that went back and rebuilt where he was at, and it’s a real credit to him.”