State of Origin 2017: Valentine Holmes says Origin triumph better than a premiership

VALENTINE Holmes has labelled Wednesday night’s memorable Origin series victory even better than Cronulla’s historic maiden NRL premiership last year.

Valentine Holmes of the Maroons with the ball during State of Origin Game 3 between the Queensland Maroons and NSW Blues, at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, on Wednesday, July 12, 2017. (AAP Image/Glenn Hunt) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

VALENTINE Holmes has labelled Wednesday night’s memorable Origin series victory even better than Cronulla’s historic maiden NRL premiership last year.

Holmes scored three tries as the Maroons gave injured star Johnathan Thurston the ultimate farewell in front of the biggest Suncorp Stadium crowd in history.

“That win is a career highlight, up there with the grand final, if not above it,’’ Holmes said.

“To win on an arena like that, and to play with the players I played with.

“NSW won the first one, it was a real challenge, we drew level, and then to win it at home, and for Johnno, it was awesome.’’

Holmes was one of the Generation Next who stood up for the Maroons and continued the embarrassing demolition of the Blues.

Holmes scored the opening try in both his Origin matches.

Declaring himself a certain starter for Cronulla on Saturday night against the Titans, he did his best to relive the three tries that broke NSW hearts and kickstarted a wild party in the Sunshine State.

There was the inside ball from Michael Morgan, the lovely pinpoint kick from Cooper Cronk, then the juggling act to score and kill off any hopes of a NSW fightback with 20 minutes to go.

“I definitely grounded the ball with that first try, and I felt the pressure of the ground while I was still holding the ball,’’ Holmes said.

“Mick is so quick and I knew he could beat (Josh Dugan) on the outside.

“We spoke beforehand about how he was going to try and do that, and I’d drop under him.

“Luckily Fergo (Blake Ferguson) stayed on him. The inside man wasn’t there, and it opened the gap for myself.

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“The second try we had practised during the second camp, but we didn’t do it in the second game.

“Coops was looking to put it in behind, but he saw Fergo coming in, so he ran it a bit more and then put it straight across.

“I thought it was going to Mick, but he called my name to catch it, so I was on it straight away. I just had to time my run.

“(The third try) I was waiting for (Cameron Munster) to grubber, I was pointing to grubber, but he wasn’t too comfortable doing that and thought it might go dead. That’s what he told me afterwards.

“He decided to throw it, and luckily enough my arms were long enough and I got there. I thought I had overrun it by then.’’

Holmes has scored four tries in two Origin matches.

Holmes was not prepared to celebrate any more than needed in front of Cronulla’s beaten Blues brigade, including James Maloney, Jack Bird, Wade Graham and Andrew Fifita, who had ridiculed Holmes and Cronulla’s other Queenslanders after game one.

The Sharks are circling Cronk if he plays on next year but Holmes has no idea about his Maroons teammate’s intentions.

“I know he’s a very organised person, and I’m pretty sure he knows what he’s doing next year. He won’t rush it,” Holmes said.

The immediate goal was ensuring the Sharks finished in the top four, which would give them every chance to win back-to-back titles.

Playing with Munster, Cronk, Cameron Smith and Billy Slater for Queensland only reminded Holmes why Melbourne deserve to be premiership favourites.