Billy Slater’s Queensland Maroons mauled as NSW win 38-18 to set up State of Origin decider
Shattered Queensland must save face in a Suncorp decider after a Mitchell Moses-inspired New South Wales kept the 2024 series alive with a 38-18 belting of the Maroons.
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This wasn’t State of Origin. This was a Maroons massacre.
Shattered Queensland must save face in a Suncorp decider after a Mitchell Moses-inspired New South Wales kept the 2024 series alive with a 38-18 belting of the Maroons at the MCG on Wednesday night.
The MCG turned into a house of horrors once again for an insipid Maroons side which crashed to its fifth defeat in six games at the iconic venue as 90,084 fans were left stunned by a Blues blitzkrieg.
The memories of Queensland’s emphatic 38-10 romp in Origin I in Sydney were swept away by a seven-try NSW avalanche which extended the Maroons’ MCG hoodoo to 29 years.
If Queensland were dynamite in Game One, they were diabolical in the return bout.
Maroons coach Billy Slater was left to lament the worst first half in Origin’s 44-year history, statistically and literally, as shellshocked Queensland went to the sheds trailing 34-0.
The recall of Blues trio Moses, Latrell Mitchell and Cameron Murray was significant and NSW were simply sharper, faster and hungrier as they dented the Maroons in midfield then completed the hatchet job on the edges.
Now Slater’s Maroons must pick up the pieces and defend their title on July 17 at Fortress Suncorp, where Queensland have lost just two of 13 Origin deciders.
“The whole dressing room is disappointed. It felt like we were running uphill,” Slater said.
MIDFIELD MAULING
The real battlefield in Origin games starts in the middle third and the Maroons missed the jump. Their line speed was lethargic. Their energy and go-forward lacked the zest of Origin I.
Queensland gave up too many cheap metres. By the time NSW enforcer Payne Haas had racked up 110 metres as the best player on the park in the first half hour, the Maroons were scrambling to hold the midfield.
When Queensland lost 56-16 in 2000, they trailed 20-10 at half-time. When the Maroons suffered a record 50-6 loss in Townsville in 2021, they went to the break behind 20-6.
But this was a record level of defensive decay. No Queensland team in history has leaked six first-half tries in 28 minutes as the Maroons struggled to contain the kicking of Moses, the flick-pass class of Mitchell and the power of a pumped-up NSW pack.
Queensland middle forwards Lindsay Collins (61m), Reuben Cotter (93m) and Pat Carrigan (121m) established no ruck dominance and NSW turned the screws. By half-time, the flat Maroons missed 23 tackles to three. Game over.
“They were on top of us there and we couldn’t hold on,” skipper Daly Cherry-Evans said. “We have to cop this on the chin and move on.”
HAMMER BLOW
Game One hat-trick hero Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is in doubt for the decider after injuring his shoulder in the 18th minute.
The ‘Hammer’ battled on bravely for another six minutes before coming off the field, the sixth time in eight games the Maroons have lost an outside back during Slater’s tenure.
By the time he returned for the second half, finishing off a superb 59th-minute try to whittle the deficit to 34-12, the Blues were home.
“It looks like he has picked up an AC joint,” Slater said.
Skipper Daly Cherry-Evans tried hard, throwing two clever balls for second-half tries to Jeremiah Nanai (54th) and Murray Taulagi (68th), but he was outpointed by Moses.
WALSH’S WOES
Coach Slater was licking his lips at the thought of superstar fullback Reece Walsh getting 80 minutes after he was concussed just seven minutes into the series opener.
Walsh got the full game the Maroons were craving, but it was a night to forget for ‘Reece Lightning’. In statistical terms, it was the worst performance of his career.
Stifled by poor field position, Queensland’s backfield ace managed just six runs for 36 metres and kicked out on the full from a restart as NSW stayed defensively disciplined against his back-man incursions.
When he was ruthlessly rag-dolled by Mitchell 15 minutes from time, it summed up his and Queensland’s night.
“NSW got a snowball of possession,” Slater said.
“It’s a tough game to play and even tougher when you are tired.
“The second half was quite good, we went after our footy a bit more, we weren’t looking at any shortcuts, that’s a positive.”
BENCH WARFARE
Queensland need more punch from their bench to combat NSW firebrand Spencer Leniu in Origin III.
Forwards Mo Fotuaika, Felise Kaufusi and Kurt Capewell managed just 15 runs and 130 metres collectively and hooker Harry Grant was barely sighted after a head clash.
The only way is up for Queensland. Bring on the Suncorp decider.
Originally published as Billy Slater’s Queensland Maroons mauled as NSW win 38-18 to set up State of Origin decider
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