Tom Dearden highlights Queensland spirit as Maroons legend grows despite State of Origin heartbreak

Queensland’s six-game winning run in Suncorp Stadium deciders is over but this was far from a State of Origin embarrassment for the Maroons, writes TRAVIS MEYN.

Tom Dearden on the charge for the Maroons runs the ball during game three of the 2024 Men's State of Origin series between Queensland Maroons and New South Wales Blues at Suncorp Stadium on July 17, 2024 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Billy Slater summoned every ounce of the famous Queensland spirit but it wasn’t enough to sink the brilliant Blues as the Maroons lost their first State of Origin decider on home soil in 20 years.

New South Wales’ 14-4 victory before 52,457 at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night ended a six-game losing streak in Brisbane deciders for the Blues and prevented a three-peat of Maroons series wins.

But the Maroons didn’t make it easy for their southern rivals in one of the great Origin contests.

This was as brutal as rugby league comes. The hits were bone-jarring and neither team gave an inch.

This Queensland side had no right to be in the contest on the back of the MCG massacre when they were blown away 34-0 in a dominant first half by the Blues.

Queensland’s win streak in Brisbane deciders is over. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The Maroons missed selection certainties Cameron Munster, Tom Flegler, Tom Gilbert and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui for the entire series, Kalyn Ponga sat out the first two games and Murray Taulagi and Xavier Coates were unavailable for the decider.

Yet somehow Queensland just finds a way. It’s been happening throughout Origin’s 44-year history and the Maroons refused to go down without a fight.

The Blues should have been leading by 20 judging by the halftime statistics. Instead, they were behind 2-0 on the scoreboard.

They were clearly the better team, enjoying 58 per cent of possession and a staggering 72 per cent of territory.

The visitors had 26 tackles inside Queensland’s red-zone compared to just three at the other end of the field.

But the Maroons hung on, scrapping and fighting on every play and no one personified the Maroons spirit more than Tom Dearden who seemed to be everywhere when it mattered.

Tom Dearden highlighted Queensland’s incredible spirit in the State of Origin decider. Picture: NRL Photos

Despite being dominated in every statistical category, the Maroons took a slender lead into the break.

For 65 minutes the Maroons refused to die and it took a moment of brilliance from Blues five-eighth Jarome Luai to put Bradman Best away for the first try of the game.

The Maroons could hold on no longer and Mitchell Moses buried them with his finest Origin moment four minutes later.

Queensland was spent. There was nothing left in the tank and the Blue wall refused to break as their dominant first half caught up with the Maroons.

This was far from an Origin embarrassment for Queensland. If anything, the Maroons legend grew even stronger with this incredibly brave performance.

Not one Queensland player could be accused of having a bad game.

The fact is the Maroons simply didn’t have the cattle to go toe-to-toe with this brilliant Blues team.

Apart from Titans wrecking ball David Fifita, a controversial omission, there were no other Queensland-eligible players demanding selection.

After three years in charge of the Maroons, Slater has experienced his first series loss but Queensland will move into 2025 with the fire burning.

This was a performance to be proud of and with some more players to choose from next year it will be game on.

Originally published as Tom Dearden highlights Queensland spirit as Maroons legend grows despite State of Origin heartbreak