State of Origin Game 1: Staggering detail shows Queensland’s win is ‘one of the greatest’
Queensland has produced one of the most courageous wins in Origin history and new details have revealed it was even crazier than realised.
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Queensland have done it again.
Backs to the wall, down a man and down on the scoreboard, the Maroons have pulled off an enormous boilover which leaves the side a win away from wrapping up another series win.
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The Maroons were down 18-16 with 12 minutes to go when prop Tom Flegler was sin binned for a high shot on Blues centre Tom Trbojevic.
Blues great Andrew Johns said he didn’t think it was even a penalty.
When it was revealed to be a sin bin, he was incredulous: “Surely not.”
For most sides, it would spell the death knell — but not Queensland.
Two tries while down to 12 men has seen the Maroons claim the 26-18 win in game one in Adelaide.
That doesn’t tell the whole tale of the courageous fight back.
They did it with the forward pack having been out on their feet for most of the second half after Tom Gilbert dislocated his shoulder early in the match.
David Fifita was also taken from the field for a HIA. In the frenetic final minutes with the Queensland side making repairs on the run, Fifita and Ben Hunt both spent time defending at left centre.
They still found a way.
Tries to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, who made the most of Blues skipper James Tedesco sliding on the greasy surface, and Cameron Munster, who supported prop Lindsay Collins after he outjumped his club teammate Tedesco, sealed a famous win.
While the Maroons in the commentary box, four words from Johns said it all.
“I can’t believe this,” he lamented after the Tabuai-Fidow try.
When the match was wrapped up however, the Queensland legends were ready to celebrate the Queensland spirit once again.
Darren Lockyer commented: “Origin is won on courage and the Maroons in the last 10 minutes have shown what it’s all about. Down to 12 men, Taulagi goes down, Ben Hunt on the right. They don’t care. They just keep fighting. That’s what Queensland is all about. So well done to those guys. They deserve it.”
Queensland great Paul Vautin described it as one of the greatest wins in Origin history.
“This Origin game gets better every year,” he said on Nine.
“That’s one of the greatest wins I’ve ever seen from the Queensland team. They lost a player after 20 minutes in Tom Gilbert, they had one of the worst sin bins I’ve ever seen in my life. They lost another play for 10 minutes and in that 10 minutes, they scored two tries. It’s an outstanding effort. They won on the defence and defence wins Origins.”
Cameron Smith added: “What an incredible game. It was … a stop and start first half but this second 40 minutes has brought out the best in both football sides. A huge play there by front rower. Who is Danny? What front rower gets down there with a play like that?”
It came after the first half which saw some excellent attack, superhuman defence and bone-rattling hits to take a 10-6 lead into the halftime break.
The Maroons have not lost after leading an Origin match at halftime since 2014, and the streak continues.
While NSW went into the clash looking to impose its will physically, the Maroons got to playing football, scoring twice in the opening 12 minutes.
The tries seemed to awaken the Blues but the resolute Maroons turned up once again.
NSW dominated the rest of the half, with 55 per cent of possession and seemingly all the territory, but could only crack the Maroons once in the 31st minute through Liam Martin.
His fellow Blues second rower Tyson Frizell was denied a controversial try as Maroons winger Murray Taulagi came to the rescue with a remarkable save.
Even Andrew Johns had to give it to the Maroons for their effort.
“The stats very much favour NSW,” he said. “It’s just the courage of Queensland, they repelled four, five genuine opportunities.”
Vautin said the Blues should be leading.
“New South Wales, with the amount of possession they had, they should be in front,” Vautin said. “Queensland, just out of nowhere, scored two tries in about three minutes.”
Legendary Blues coach Phil Gould said NSW started slow and if they had the same amount of ball as the Blues had “they would have scored six or seven tries”.
The Maroons suffered a brutal blow earlier in the match when Tom Gilbert left the match with a dislocated shoulder.
To take the series to a decider, the Blues will need a win at Suncorp Stadium in three weeks time.
9.55pm — Maroons do it again
The Maroons have done it again.
Queensland are the masters of the backs against the wall and have hit the lead with just seven minutes left.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scored what turned out to be one of the easiest tries of the match as the Maroons went wide and he simply ran around the defence.
Coming up against NSW captain James Tedesco, the fullback slipped over, leaving Tabuai-Fidow an unencumbered run to the line.
As the Blues knocked on from the short kick-off, Andrew Johns lamented: “I can’t believe this.”
And immediately, the Maroons go up the other end and scored through `Cameron Munster after Queensland prop Lindsay Collins outleapt Roosters teammate Tedesco before passing for the try.
9.50pm — ‘Surely not’: Sin bin drama stuns
The question before every State of Origin series is whether the refereeing will be any different in the biggest games.
The Maroons’ Tom Flegler has learned it will be after he was sin binned for head contact on Tom Trbojevic.
It was after the Blues hit the lead 18-16 and Flegler was involved in a three man tackle.
While Andrew Johns said it was a “head clash — that’s not a penalty”, Flegler was soon sin binned, and will only return with 90 seconds left in the match.
Channel 9 commentator Matt Thompson confirmed: “They’re saying it was a shoulder. They snuck that in because no one saw it.”
Johns added: “Surely not”.
The Maroons will be down to 12 for the final stages of the match, which Trbojevic was ruled out of the match with Category 1 symptoms from the impact.
9.45pm — Blues bounce back
Fans will be forgiven for getting whiplash as the Blues hit the lead once again after NSW broke through again to take an 18-16 lead with 13 minutes left.
The Blues were peppering the Maroons’ line with forward hit ups before going aerial on the last tackle.
Knocked down from the contest, the ball came to Jarome Luai, who held the pass before hitting Stephen Crichton to score out wide.
Nathan Cleary then nailed the kick to give the Blues the lead.
9.35pm — Cobbo slides past two Blues
The Blues haven’t held the lead for long as Selwyn Cobbo gave the Maroons the lead back.
In a near carbon copy of Holmes’ offload, Blues forward Tevita Pangai Jr. went for his own low percentage offload, giving Queensland the ball back deep in their own half.
After a few tackles in the set, the Maroons shifted to the right with a pass putting Cobbo up against the sideline.
While it looked as though the Blues had it covered, Cobbo seemingly slipped straight past Jarome Luai and James Tedesco in cover defence and slid into the corner.
Valentine Holmes then kicked the goal to make it 16-12 Queensland with just over 20 minutes left.
9.21pm — ‘Out of nowhere’ Blues hit the lead
NSW have hit the lead through an opportunist try to hooker Api Koroisau.
Three Blues were tackling Maroons centre Valentine Holmes, who tried to go for an offload — right into Koroisau.
While there were question marks over whether Koroisau had knocked on, the ball ricocheted off legs and the No. 9 chased it down, picking up the ball and running untouched to score next to the posts.
It was awarded a try on-field and the Bunker saw nothing to overturn it.
Commentator Mat Thompson said it was “out of nowhere” — but it gave the Blues a 12-10 lead.
8.48pm — Blues finally crack Maroons
It’s taken 31 minutes and some relentless pressure on the Queensland line but NSW have finally joined the party.
Liam Martin got the Blues on the board, hitting a perfect line to cross untouched from a ball from Jarome Luai.
It makes it 10-6 and Channel 9 commentator Mat Thompson said: “Suddenly the scoreboard doesn’t look quite as sorry for the Blues.”
8.38pm — Blues denied by ‘incredible’ act
Tyson Frizell has been denied NSW’s first try after the bunker upheld the on field call from referee Ashley Klein.
Frizell had claimed the try by there didn’t appear to be any clear angles of the ball on the ground after Maroons winger Murray Taulagi made a heroic save.
Even Andrew Johns gave Taulagi some props for his efforts.
“That’s Origin, it’s about the tries you stop. Not necessarily about the ones you score. Young man on the wing, when he put his head on the pillow last night he dreamt of scoring tries but saving a couple there.”
Taulagi had his arm under the ball but the commentators were convinced they saw the ball on the ground.
Lol there is no way Frizell didn’t get that down 🤣 #Origin
— Kevin (@BertKA88) May 31, 2023
8.26pm — Maroons hit Blues where it hurts
While the Blues have looked to impose themselves physically, the Maroons have started playing football and opened up a 10-0 lead in the blink of an eye.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow opened the scoring in the seventh minute, latching onto a perfect grubber behind the NSW line.
The Maroons then marched straight down the field, putting it through the hands for Selwyn Cobbo to score in the corner a minute later.
8.12pm — The biff is back
The opening couple of sets of the 2023 State of Origin series appeared more tame than usual but it’s erupted in the third minute.
On Channel 9, Andrew Johns said “I was expecting a little bit more like Game III where there was carnage the first 10 minutes.”
But after a bomb, the players had come together as the Blues tested Maroons debutant Reece Walsh.
As Walsh came down, he was deemed to have been taken out in the air by Tyson Frizell, who didn’t appear to have been making a tackle.
The scene erupted though as Josh Addo-Carr and a very late Tevita Pangai Jr hit Walsh on the ground.
Andrew Johns said: “That’s just a bit of gamesmanship there by Josh Addo- Carr. He missed out last year. We all know he loves the Origin arena, he loves the blue jersey.”
This could get very interesting.
8.10pm — The 2023 Origin series is underway
Here we go …
The opening match of the series is all important with the winner of the opening game going on to win three-quarters of the time.
7.30pm – Queensland makes shock team change
Queensland has moved Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Reuben Cotter into the starting side in an 11th hour change.
The move means Thomas Flegler and Lindsay Collins will start on the bench.
When asked about the team change on Channel 9 before the game, Brad Fittler said he always expected Queensland to start Fa’asuamaleaui and Cotter.
6.45pm – NSW great ‘hates’ Adelaide Origin
NSW great Michael Ennis has torched the NRL over the decision to take the series opener to Adelaide.
The debate erupted again after news emerged this week the match was struggling to sell tickets.
Asked about how important it was to win the first match of the series, Ennis said it was essential when the opening game was on the road.
“It’s proven in these neutral games, and particularly the game ones, whoever’s won those out of the four times we’ve decided to take a game away from NSW and Queensland for game one, they’ve gone on to win the series,” Ennis said. “So tonight’s game is absolutely pivotal.
“I hate it, absolutely hate it. Never have I liked it, don’t understand it. We all talk about the passion of Origin and we get one chance every 12 months to look forward to it. Now NSW and Queensland fans deserve to have it in their backyard.
“I know people say it’s our showpiece and we need to take it away to grow the game – we’re never going to have that market in Adelaide and Perth and the rivalry of this game deserves to be in the backyards of the respective states.
“The fact that a number of years, and I know Covid was the situation, that we played three games in Queensland, and it was great that Peter (V’landys) and the NRL were able to get the games in but NSW fans deserve to have two games here this year. They deserve to have game one here, and they deserve to have game three here. It’s the way it should have been.”
6pm – Darren Lockyer spots massive Queensland omen
Queensland on Tuesday reportedly made a late change to swap centres Valentine Holmes and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow around.
The change means Holmes will now mark Manly superstar Tom Trbojevic. His shift comes after he was originally given the job of marking Latrell Mitchell. But with Stephen Crichton coming into the side as Mitchell’s replacement, Tabuai-Fidow will now be the one defending the Panthers centre.
It comes after Queensland’s left edge defence of Tom Gilbert, Holmes and Selwyn Cobbo was reportedly given a spray by captain Daly Cherry-Evans after the edge conceded tries during a training session against the Ipswich Jets.
Queensland legend Darren Lockyer however, has revealed a behind the scenes moment that he believes is a good omen for the home side.
“We’ve had opposed sessions and there was a Queensland Residents side once that towelled us up and I think maybe the Queensland under 18s might’ve put a few tries on us at some point too,” he revealed on Wide World of Sports.
“This is under Mal’s era when we won most of the series so maybe it’s a good omen.”
Blues shot themselves in the foot with jersey
NSW’s decision to wear a navy blue jersey in State of Origin Game I has been labelled “outrageously stupid”.
The Blues sparked an uproar after announcing they would wear a predominantly dark blue jersey with a large red sponsor’s logo on the chest for Game I in Adelaide on Wednesday night.
This is despite the navy blue having been worn on two previous occasions without complaints of a clash.
But many rusted-on NSW supporters won’t be happy when their team runs out in a different looking jersey on Wednesday.
“It’s outrageously stupid. No one likes it,” a furious Phil Rothfield said on NRL 360.
How to watch State of Origin Game 1 live
All three games of the State of Origin series are live on Channel 9 and 9Now. You can stream it on 9Now by signing up for a free account. You can also watch a replay on Kayo Sports after the full-time whistle.
Originally published as State of Origin Game 1: Staggering detail shows Queensland’s win is ‘one of the greatest’
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