Crash Craddock: How NSW flipped the script on Queensland to claim State of Origin 2024

NSW’s series win left Queensland facing the reality that this Maroons team will never play together again and will have significant surgery before next year’s series. Here’s how the script was flipped on Queensland, writes Robert Craddock.

It was the night when NSW did a Queensland on Queensland.

The heart. The spirit. The class. The final sensational surge.

Normally that’s Queensland’s narrative but the sheet music was brutally snatched from them by a brilliant NSW side who outclassed Queensland at Suncorp Stadium.

The 14-4 scoreline flattered Queensland who not only didn’t score a try but didn’t look like scoring one. That’s incredible. If you had tipped it to happen people would have thought you were mad.

NSW’s 2-1 series win, featuring their first Suncorp decider win in 19 years, left Queensland facing the reality that this Maroon team will never play together again and will have significant surgery before next year’s series.

Fine warriors though they have been, the likes of Dane Gagai, who missed a try-conceding tackle on Bradman Best, Kurt Capewell, and Felise Kaufusi are done. And skipper Daly Cherry-Evans also faces an uncertain future but that call may be his and not the selectors.

Dejected Maroons following their loss. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The likes of Tom Dearden, a kamikaze kid in defence, and Harry Grant, also outrageously brave, will lead the road forward with Pat Carrigan, whose 138 running metres and 45 tackles stamped him as an ace with or without the ball

Queensland were brave, but, as happens when stress levels soar beyond Planet Pluto, made many small errors which were the result of being constantly under pressure from a side which looked bigger and stronger.

This was a crazy 1980s style Origin game between two teams who are developing a captivating distaste for each other.

The first half blue which spilt on to the sideline was madhouse fare with Cam Murray coming off the bench to join in and NSW 19th man Haumole Olakau’atu ordered to the dressing room after he raced in to join the fray in his suit.

Kalyn Ponga looks on after being left on the bench for the majority of the game. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Some series losses are more painful than others and this one hurts badly for the Maroons, who were at unbackable odds to win after climbing Mt Improbable to trounce the Blues in the first game in Sydney.

Billy Slater is still in credit as an Origin coach – he’s won two and lost one – but this was a bad result for him.

He gambled and lost by omitting David Fifita who’s crunch and conjure would have helped Queensland last night.

By cancelling the Maroons media day before this game he gave NSW the chance to call themselves The People’s Team and stand on the moral high ground. Hopefully this never happens again on his watch.

Then there were three late changes to the starting side which Channel 9’s Phil Gould said was a sign of panic.

Billy Slater experienced the feeling of his first loss as an Origin coach. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

There was also the issue that Blues coach Michael Maguire seemed to rattle his cage with a surprise offensive move before the second game with a “glass houses’’ taunt that spotlighted Slater’s modest disciplinary record as a player.

Both teams should be proud of themselves for providing such an epic contest. NSW had many heroes with fullback Dylan Edwards running 238m, five-eighth Jarome Luai a constant menace and Angus Crichton running like man possessed.

Not only was there not a try before the 64th minute but neither side really came close. It was weird. A game like no other in recent times, an arm wrestle with two arms locked so tightly veins were starting to burst in their foreheads.

Selwyn Cobbo looks on as the Blues celebrate. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

NSW were dreadful in the first game, sensational in the second and outstanding in a different way in the third. Queensland were sensational, then hopeless, then good but not great.

The first half was one of the most ferocious ever seen in Origin football with Queensland taking a 2-0 lead on the halftime buzzer.

You expect to see the mortar shells flying in the opening 10 minutes in Origin but the bombs just kept blasting.

Bodies flew everywhere. Grant and Dearden were superb, throwing their bodies on the line as if someone told them this would be the last game they ever played. Pat Carrigan, with 30 tackles and 68 running metres by halftime. His staying power is incredible.

Wave after wave of Blues attackers pushed Queensland so far back in their own quarter. For considerable portions of the game NSW looked bigger and stronger. Queensland, in a very Queensland way, clawed and scratched and scrambled.

The game was preceded by a tribute to the late, great broadcaster David Morrow who died of cancer but, strangely, there was no mention of the late great rugby league columnist and author columnist Mike Colman who died last Friday.

Originally published as Crash Craddock: How NSW flipped the script on Queensland to claim State of Origin 2024