Big night for Queensland as they pull off an historic win. Thanks for joining us, enjoy the rest of your week and we'll see you for a HUGE Origin II.
State of Origin 2020: Queensland stuns NSW in historic Adelaide victory
Queensland has scored one of its greatest victories in 40 years, stunning the shortest priced favourites in Origin history to claim victory in Adelaide. RE-LIVE THE ACTION HERE.
In Wayne we trust.
Courageous Queensland produced the greatest boilover in 25 years as coach Wayne Bennett's Babes stunned NSW 18-14 to conjure an Origin miracle in the City of Churches.
Before 25,218 fans in Origin's first game at Adelaide Oval, the injury-ravaged Maroons overcame game-day drama, a dismal first-half and a 10-0 deficit to draw first blood in the series opener.
Reeling at halftime, the underdog Maroons sensationally hit back after the break, with three tries in 16 minutes to AJ Brimson, Xavier Coates and Cameron Munster sealing an epic Blues upset.
"I'm not sure what category you put that in but it's pretty special," Bennett said.
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"They put that Queensland jumper on and know the expectation that comes with it.
"I didn't think self-belief would let them down."
This was meant to be a Blues bloodbath. The Maroons were so depleted they were forced to blood eight debutants as coach Bennett turned to a ban
d of youngbloods to uphold Queensland's Origin legacy.
But just as he did in 2001, when Bennett debuted 10 players in Queensland's famous series win, the super coach dusted off a two-decades old playbook riven with Maroon spirit, belief and courage.
The Maroons were awful in the first half as the Blues bolted to a 10-0 lead, but Bennett's Babes - version 2.0 - showed nerves of steel to clinch another famous Queensland fightback.
If the Maroons can beat the Blues in Game Two in Sydney next Wednesday night to deny NSW a third straight series win, it will re-affirm Bennett as the super coach.
YOUNG TALENT TIME
Queensland's first-timers Brimson, Coates, Kurt Capewell, Phillip Sami, Jake Friend, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Lindsay Collins and Jaydn Su'A were superb in the Origin cauldron.
Not one debutant failed to handle the heat. Makeshift centre Capewell was outstanding, producing a superb bust and chip kick for Brimson's 50th-minute try to ignite Queensland's second-half fightback. Battling a groin injury, Capewell was on one leg for the final 25 minutes.
Collins charged with his usual gusto, Sami ran for 115 metres from the wing, Brimson was busy, Big Tino was all heart and 19-year-old winger Coates was magnificent.
"The rookies were outstanding," Bennett said. "Capewell hurt his groin, he could hardly move at the end."
MORE ORIGIN NEWS
How the ‘hopeless’ Maroons created Origin history
Player ratings: Premiership star an Origin flop
How Bennett conjured a miracle in Adelaide
SPEED KILLS
The Maroons were blown off the park by NSW's up-tempo style in the first half. The Blues were as quick and slick as a Ferrari. Queensland were as cumbersome as a Sherman tank.
Both of NSW's tries were a by-product of the Maroons' inability to handle Cook's sizzling incursions and the quick shifts ignited by Nathan Cleary, Luke Keary, James Tedesco and Clint Gutherson.
"I wasn't happy at 10-0," Bennett said. "But we won the game in the first half, we didn't concede any soft tries and that was important."
BRENKO'S HEARTBREAK
Queensland's injury-plagued build-up suffered another blow on game day when a shattered Brenko Lee was forced to withdraw in the warm-up.
Having strained his calf at training 24 hours earlier, Lee was given the green light to play by Maroons medicos, only for his right leg to tighten up again following the flight to Adelaide.
Lee was sensationally ordered to do a fitness test just hours before kick-off. He could barely take off. Game over. With Lee's dream debut in tatters, the Maroons issued an SOS for fellow rookie Sami.
DYNAMIC DUO
Dane Gagai and Jake Friend were inspirational. Gagai amassed 118 metres, three tackle busts, a try assist and defended superbly at right centre, while Friend was heroic. The veteran hooker made 52 tackles, more than double the next Maroons teammate.
Friend's Origin debut was 12 years in the making. His courage personified the never-say-die spirit of Bennett's Maroons.
"Letting people down isn't in Jake's DNA," Bennett said. "He was outstanding, he was right in the thick of it all."
Updates
NIGHT ALL
AXE CALL
And the Blues big wigs are already calling for heads after the boilover, with Andrew Johns calling for a big name to cut for Origin II.
NOFOALUMA TWEET
Do you reckon David Nofoaluma reckons he should have been playing tonight?
And do you reckon he ever will with a tweet like that?
😶
— David Nofoaluma (@DNofoaluma) November 4, 2020
NOFOALUMA TWEET
Do you reckon David Nofoaluma reckons he should have been playing tonight?
And do you reckon he ever will with a tweet like that?
😶
— David Nofoaluma (@DNofoaluma) November 4, 2020
XAVIER'S AWESOME INTERVIEW
How good is this from young Xavier Coates?
There's a bloke who knows what Origin is all about. Go well young man!
Every single rugby league fan needs to see this.
— NRL on Nine (@NRLonNine) November 4, 2020
What a happy young man, well done mate. Soak it in. 😃#Origin LIVE and exclusive on @Channel9. #9WWOS pic.twitter.com/aQGuQgI0lJ
THIS ONE'S FOR ARTIE
– Robert Craddock
Somewhere up there Arthur Beetson would be cracking open the coldest of coldies.
That’s because all those things that he stood for in the first State of Origin match 40 years ago – the underdog spirit, the belief that no cause is lost, the relentless passion – vividly came back to life before a disbelieving Adelaide Oval crowd last night.
Happy anniversary, Artie.
PLAYER RATINGS
Some big name flops for the Blues in the player ratings. Do you agree with the analysis?
How the ‘hopeless’ Maroons created Origin history
– Travis Meyn
Queensland was supposed to be hopeless, terrible, the worst team in State of Origin’s 40-year history.
Instead, the Maroons conjured one of Queensland’s greatest ever victories in a 18-14, comeback win to bring life to the unique 2020 series.
For 40 minutes at the Adelaide Oval last night it looked like the pre-game predictions may have been on the money.
BLUES THROW IT AWAY
– Dean Ritchie
It was played in the City of Churches – and Queensland produced a holy miracle.
The Maroons never lost faith – this was a modern day miracle.
Queensland shocked NSW with an upset 18-14 at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday night, the Blues now having to win State of Origin II at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium next Wednesday night to keep the series alive.
It was a horror second half with NSW capitulating after leading 10-0 at halftime.
THE ACTUAL EXPERT
We listed a bunch of experts earlier and their tips, and it was a Bluewash, with every journo tipping NSW.
Travis Meyn has just sent a strongly worded message that I left him out.
So this was Trav's tip in the paper. He is now the ultimate expert.
