The moment: How the class of Tom Dearden turned a NSW team into a pack of individuals

Maroons half Tom Dearden pulled off a State of Origin victory for the ages by doing the same thing he does week in and week out for the Cowboys. How did no one in NSW see it coming?

You see it every weekend, but maybe NSW’s left edge missed those video sessions.

Or maybe Jarome Luai and Latrell Mitchell didn’t trust the other was paying attention. Because if they saw Tom Dearden coming in Wednesday night’s State of Origin decider they didn’t show any signs of it.

The little Queensland halfback has built his NRL career on try-saving tackles and throwing dummies, but even the best NSW has to offer couldn’t recognise his bread and butter play before it happened.

It had a devastating effect.

Thurston's famous 'show-and-go'.

Tom Dearden double-pumps to bamboozle the NSW defence

WHAT HAPPENED

NSW five-eighth Luai fell for it first.

Just 15 minutes into the game Dearden attempted a move straight from the tip sheet, double pumping to Reuben Cotter and Luai bought it.

A close call.

Three minutes later, the ball was on the other edge and Xavier Coates went over easily after Zac Lomax failed to put his body into a hit on debutant Gehamat Shibasaki.

Down 8-0, it got worse from there out on the left.

As Robert Toia was dragged over the sideline nine minutes later, the rookie centre kept the ball in play but Blues stars Angus Crichton and Luai had given up on the play and were caught flat-footed.

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow didn’t need an invitation, and there was Dearden, on the spot, again.

Queensland hooker Harry Grant burrowing over from dummy half was salt in the wound, a move he has also perfected over a long and successful NRL career.

And all of a sudden it was 20-0 at halftime and the Blues had gone from a champion State of Origin team to a group of 13 individuals.

BLUE CRUMBLE

As Queensland piled on the pressure the Blues went their separate ways instead of drawing together.

There was one moment that typified NSW’s lack of energy.

It was late in the second half, and fresh from the bench and full of running, Connor Watson was the lone chaser at the end of a set, leaving Xavier Coates plenty of room to get out of goal.

As he turned, Watson looked back to see where his teammates were in support. Stephen Crichton was the only one in sight.

They were gassed, and by then it was every man for himself.

Tom Dearden scores one of his two tries in the Maroons’ series-clinching triumph. Picture: Getty Images

Tom Dearden seals it for Queensland

BILLY’S CALL

At the very least, Billy slater backed himself to make a big call for a big game, and just as it did so many times across his playing career, it paid off.

It landed Dearden a Wally Lewis Medal, two tries and a winning decider in NSW. It doesn’t get better than that.

Harry Grant and Tom Dearden celebrate with the State of Origin Shield. Picture: Getty Images

His call to drop Queensland skipper Daly Cherry-Evans after game one came with a stack of criticism bordering on derision.

But Dearden’s performances to snatch victory across the final two games show what a masterstroke Slater’s brave call was.

The Blues will have a few calls of their own to make for 2026 now.

Do they stick with coach Laurie Daley? Will Isaiya Katoa be Origin ready? Do they take a punt on Terrell May? Can they get three games out of Mitch Moses?

They’ve got 11 months to figure it out, now.

Originally published as The moment: How the class of Tom Dearden turned a NSW team into a pack of individuals