‘Hope AFL is watching’: 19-year State of Origin first blows Australia away

NSW has achieved the near impossible in a brutal State of Origin decider that even had an AFL legend losing his mind over the clash.

Wayne Carey has called out the AFL over the Origin madness. Photo: Getty Images

NSW has done the “almost impossible”, winning the State of Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium for the third time in the history of the match up.

Michael Maguire’s team will join Phil Gould’s 1994 Blues and Ricky Stuart’s 2005 side as the only sides to go down 1-0 before coming back to win the series in a decider in the heart of Queensland.

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The 19-year first shows just how hard a time it’s been for NSW and it was almost seen as mission impossible for the Blues to come from behind against Billy Slater’s Maroons.

And Queensland didn’t let them have it easy, with the states having a 64-minute staredown until the Blues scored the first try through Bradman Best, before Mitchell Moses crossed three minutes later.

The 14-4 victory will go down as one of the most gutsy in Blues history, winning the war of attrition at a ground that is usually a graveyard for NSW.

But while the disappointment was palpable for the Maroons as the fans flooded out of the stadium, it was far from an embarrassment as the side played out one of the modern classic matches — and for once, Queensland blinked first.

What a win for NSW! Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

And the reaction was swift with even AFL legend Wayne Carey calling out his sport over the tremendous spectacle that was the decider.

Yesterday, Carey blasted the AFL after a series of controversial bans saw Brisbane’s Charlie Cameron and GWS’ Toby Bedford banned for three matches.

Carey labelled the Cameron verdict and “absolute joke and said Bedford should get off or the “game is stuffed”.

When both got three game bans, he tweeted: “Bring on State of Origin. It hasn’t lost its DNA.”

While the NRL has been heavily criticised over its spectacle at times as the contact sport world grapples with concussions and the impact of head injuries, Carey was blown away by the product.

“Wow hope AFL is watching,” he tweeted.

Carey wasn’t alone as Australia couldn’t quite believe what they had witnessed.

It was quite the performance from NSW. Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Former NSW great Andrew Johns was blown away by the result after full-time.

“Michael Maguire, take a bow,” Johns said on Channel 9.

“But these players, not only NSW players, the Queensland players, have done everything for their state.

“This has been an absolute classic. It doesn’t get any better.

Channel 9 commentator Mat Thompson added: “Almost unthinkable, after Joseph Suaalii was sent from the field at Accor Stadium in Game 1, that Michael Maguire could lead this NSW team back to victory in a deciding game at Suncorp Stadium.”

Fans were equally blown away by the stunning scenes.

Broadcaster Adam Hawse commented: “This series surely silences once and for all the myth that Queensland owns Origin spirit.

“For Blues to fight back from 1-nil down to win a decider at Suncorp is as good as it gets.

“Knocking over Queenslanders from the 1st to the 80th minute.”

The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio wrote: “This is the greatest form of entertainment in Australian sport.”

Former NRL star Keith Galloway posted: “Surely none of these origin players are backing up for there clubs this weekend! Never seen a more physical and intense half in my life!”

Ex-NRL star Ashton Sims wrote: “Now THIS is Origin!! Break neck speed. Big hits. Old Skool!!”

Bradman Best finally scored for the Blues in the 64th minute. Picture: NRL Photos

Rugby union star Brad Webet tweeted: “Has to be the best try-less half of League I’ve ever seen. State of Origin aye, just incredible.”

One fan suggested: “Barely a point scored and that’s the best half of footy I’ve seen the last 10 years, easy – when Rugby League is like this, it’s the greatest thing in the world.”

Another fan raved: “I can’t f**king believe we might actually be winning origin this year???!!! The Blues brilliantly showing up in sea of Maroon!!!!”

It’s a stunning result for NSW to win their first Origin series since 2021 in a perfect start to Michael Maguire’s stint as head coach.

Billy Slater was going for a perfect hat-trick of series wins, but not even a late change to mix up his forward pack could get the job done.

Queensland took a 4-2 lead in the second half before Jarome Luai shimmied his way through the Maroons defence and made a break, before setting up Bradman Best who muscled his way over for a superb try in the corner.

Blues halfback Mitchell Moses waltzed through a tired Queensland defence just three minutes later to put the result beyond doubt with 10 minutes to go.

Originally published as ‘Hope AFL is watching’: 19-year State of Origin first blows Australia away