Game 1: The moment that swung Origin in Blues' favour

ORIGIN matches often swing on 50-50 decisions, and the Maroons were shattered that a crucial call went against them when the match was in the balance in their 22-12 loss to NSW.

Dane Gagai tackled by Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr. Picture: Michael Klein

IT should have been one blow of a referee’s whistle. Instead, the silence was a dagger through Queensland’s heart.

Origin matches so often swing on 50-50 decisions and Queensland were shattered that a crucial call went against them when the match was in the balance in last night’s 22-12 loss to NSW in the MCG opener.

Leading 12-8 in the 47th minute, Queensland were on the attack when winger Dane Gagai had the ball stripped from his grasp by Angus Crichton coming out of the Maroons’ red zone.

Referee Ashley Klein motioned to signal a penalty but changed his mind on the advice of fellow whistleblower Gerard Sutton.

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Latrell Mitchell scored moments after Dane Gagai was stripped of the ball early in the second half. Picture: Michael Klein

Within seconds, NSW centre Latrell Mitchell crashed over to level scores at 12-all before Tom Trbojevic leapt high for a bomb two minutes to leave the Maroons teetering at 18-12.

In the space of 120 seconds, the Maroons were gone. Queensland’s momentum was crushed and they simply never recovered, with a questionable pass from James Maloney to Josh Addo-Carr for NSW’s final try pouring salt onto deep wounds.

Queensland coach Kevin Walters lamented the one-two NSW tryscoring punch which left the Maroons on the ropes.

“Those little calls don’t always go your way,” he said.

“It could have gone our way, but we weren’t good enough to overcome it.

“That little period was quite damaging for us, we conceded two tries and it’s hard in Origin when you are chasing (a deficit).”

Gavin Cooper and the Queensland forward pack struggled against the Blues. Picture: Adam Head

Asked about the Maloney pass and the fact Queensland received just one penalty in 80 minutes, Walters refused to condemn the match officials.

“I thought they were good actually,” he said. “We have no dramas with the referees, we just have to be better for game two.”

NSW coach Brad Fittler scoffed at suggestions the Blues should have been penalised for stripping Gagai.

“He dropped the ball, he should have been better,” Fittler said.

“People will talk about the James Maloney pass but I was happy with the referees … there weren’t too many questionable decisions.”

While the Maroons didn’t always get the rub of the green, the fact is their forwards didn’t aim up under pressure.

Front-row enforcer Dylan Napa and Jarrod Wallace were comprehensively outmuscled by NSW’s front six and Walters also rued the game management of his new halves Cameron Munster and Ben Hunt.

“I thought our props were pretty good,” he said. “It was tough going early, could they be better? Of course they can, that’s what we have to get right for Game Two.

“Our spine could have been better. We had a mixed preparation with Ben and Cameron not playing a lot together, they are still a new combination, but I’m sure they will be better in Origin II.”