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Queensland produces huge fightback to beat NSW in State of Origin Game 1

Queensland has pulled off an unforgettable State of Origin moment in a record fightback that hasn’t been seen for more than five years.

9 min read
June 6, 2019 - 2:43AM
Latrell Mitchell had a night to forget.
Latrell Mitchell had a night to forget.

State of Origin Game 1 live

Queensland has won State of Origin Game 1

11pm

Queensland makes history with stunning win

Queensland has pulled off a famous State of Origin fightback to take a 1-0 lead in the 2019 series.

The Maroons trailed 8-0 at half-time, but turned the game on its head on the back of 18 straight points in the second half, becoming the first team since NSW in Game 2, 2014, to win after being kept scoreless in the first half.

In a game that went right down to the wire, Queensland hung tough when it mattered to take a series lead for the first time since 2017 on the back of an 18-14 thriller in front of 52,191 fans in Brisbane.

In a first half of high drama, Queensland was twice denied tries by the video referee with Dylan Napa and Corey Oates both bombing golden opportunities.

Blues fullback James Tedesco dominated the opening 40 minutes, but it was a determined Queensland side that lifted behind captain Daly Cherry-Evans, mercurial winger Dane Gagai and star fullback Kalyn Ponga to pull off one of the great Origin comebacks.

Gagai was officially named man of the match.

“Well deserved,” Cherry-Evans told Nine after the game of Gagai’s award.

“He’s a fantastic teammate. For a winger, you want them to be able to do all the tough stuff. Don’t get me wrong, he scored great tries. His carries were fantastic. He lights the game up like that.”

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Man of the match.
Man of the match.

The key moment of the contest came in the second half when Blues superstar Latrell Mitchell was sent to the sin bin for a desperate professional foul on Maroons forward Matt Gillett as they competed for a loose ball on the Queensland tryline.

In the blink of an eye, Queensland had the spark it needed to pull off an Origin heist.

Despite Mitchell’s sorry night at the office, the Roosters weapon almost won the game for the Blues with two minutes to play when he made a damaging run down the left touchline — only for Ponga to launch himself into the path of the NSW freight train in a tackle that saved the Maroons’ bacon.

It came right down to the final play of the game, but the Blues were unable to find the match-winning try when they were given the ball back with 32 seconds on the clock and 70m between them and the tryline.

The nailbiting contest was an Origin classic.

“That’s one of the greatest Origin games,” Maroons great Paul Vautin told Channel 9.

“Queensland’s comeback (was) sensational. NSW still had a chance to win it with a couple of minutes to go. All 34 players deserve a big round of applause. I enjoyed that. One of the great Origin games.”

The winner of Game 1 has gone on to win 27 of the past 37 series including eight of the past 10.

NSW 14 (Cleary PG 12m, Morris 19m, Trbojevic 76m) Queensland 18 (Oates 56m, Ponga PG 59m, Gagai 68m, 71m)

Read on below to see how the drama unfolded.

10.10pm

NSW set up grand stand finish

Cody Walker found a hole in some tired Queensland forwards to put NSW back in the game with four minutes to play.

His inside ball allowed Cameron Murray to pass to an unmarked Trbojevic, who was able to dive over under the posts.

It left the game on a knife’s edge at 18-14 in the 76th minute.

10pm

Gagai puts Queensland ahead with epic double

Dane Gagai has swooped to score another State of Origin double that has put Queensland on the brink of a famous victory.

He scored one try either side of Latrell Mitchell’s sin-binning, carving up the struggling NSW left edge of Mitchell, Cody Walker and Josh Addo-Carr.

Gagai was first able to clutch a sloppy pass from Blues debutant Jack Wighton 10m out from the Blues’ try line.

Gagai was then able to sprint 90m untouched, despite a desperate chase from Josh Addo-Carr.

It left Queensland ahead 12-8 in the 68th minute.

He was then the lucky recipient of a beautiful wide pass from Kalyn Ponga that cut out two Queensland players and left Gagai unmarked onm the wing.

It gave Queensland 18 straight points in the second half.

9.40pm

‘This is massive’: Blue sent off for professional foul

Latrell Mitchell has been sent to the sin bin for a professional foul on Matt Gillett as the Maroons forward tried to dive on a loose ball on the try line.

The video referee ruled Mitchell’s decision to tackle Gillett before he could snatch the Steeden constituted a professional foul.

It came after Daly Cherr-Evans rolled a clever kick into the in-goal where Gillet and Mitchell were the first to arrive.

James Tedesco also made heavy contact with Gillett.

Queensland opted to kick a penalty goal to tie the game at 8-8 with 20 minutes to play.

“This is massive,” Maroons great Paul Vautin said.

9.35pm

Oates finally gets Maroons on the board

Kalyn Ponga has put Corey Oates over the try line with a sweet cut out ball to get Queensland back in the game.

Wrapping around Felise Kaufusi, Ponga’s long ball put Oates on the outside of Nick Cotric and allowed him to juggle his way down the touchline to score in the corner.

9pm

Queensland denied again in controversy

Dylan Napa has let another try go begging after botching another potential Queensland try.

The NRL video referee ruled Napa had knocked on as he dived on a loose kick from Joe Ofahengaue that dribbled into the in-goal.

Napa got up celebrating after diving on the loose ball and Queensland players went back to their own side of half way in preparation for a re-start.

However, replays showed Napa’s forearms slid wide of the ball before he was able to ground it.

The video referee decision supported the

The video referee decision divided rugby league legends Andrew Johns and Phil Gould.

“They should be looking at it, he’s knocked it on,” Gould said.

“It hit his wrists, he’s got no control over it.”

Johns said: “The game’s not played in slowmotion.

“Play that in real time it’s a try every day of the week.”

Triple M’s commentary team were also divided.

“There’s no control in that,” Blues legend Peter Sterling said.

Mark Geyer couldn’t believe Napa’s blunder: “How’d you miss that Dylan Napa, my goodness”.

The Maroons failed to score for the entire first half.

It’s the first time since 2005 that Queensland has failed to score in the first half of an Origin game at Suncorp Stadium.

8.45pm

Tedeeco sets up first try

James Tedesco has set up the first try of the 2019 series with some fancy footwork.

Tedesco set up Josh Morris for the first try after he skipped to the outside of Cameron Munster to create an overlap for Morris.

It put NSW ahead 8-0 after 21 minutes.

“Ordinary miss,” Maroons legend Paul Vautin said of Munster’s failed tackle attempt.

8.35pm

Queensland ‘bomb’ a try

Queensland were denied a try when Corey Oates made the unforgivable blunder of standing on the touchline as he received a pass on the wing with an open try line inside of him.

In the 16th minute, the video referee was able to deny the Maroons a try when Oates’ left foot stepped on the chalk as he danced down the touch line.

It came after Will Chambers two tackles earlier almost scored in the right corner, but his inside pass was not able to find Daly Cherry-Evans.

“They bombed it,” Maroons great Paul Vautin said in commentary for Channel 9.

7.15pm

NSW, Queensland announce no late shake-ups

NSW coach Brad Fittler has gone against swirling rumours of a late line-up change and has selected an unchanged 17.

It means NSW debutant Cameron Murray will remain on the bench despite his connection with fellow Origin debutant Cody Walker at South Sydney.

According to swirling rumours, Murray was being considered for a late promotion to the starting side at the expense of lock Jake Trbojevic — however Fittler appears to have allowed the gossip to play into his hands by keeping Queensland guessing all week whether Trbojevic or Murray would get the nod.

The Blues reportedly confirmed their line-up after arriving at Suncorp Stadium.

Queensland also played their own mind games with swirling rumours about the selection of Ben Hunt.

Reports throughout the week claimed the Maroons were considering using Hunt from the bench after 20 minutes in order to protect him from the opening frenzy.

However, the Maroons confirmed Hunt will start at No. 9 and Josh McGuire will not be shifted to the hooking position when they announced their side.

TEAMS

NSW: James Tedesco, Nick Cotric, Latrell Mitchell, Josh Morris, Josh Addo-Carr, Cody Walker, Nathan Cleary, David Klemmer, Damien Cook, Paul Vaughan, Boyd Cordner, Tyson Frizell, Jake Trbojevic. Interchange: Jack Wighton, Payne Haas, Cameron Murray, Angus Crichton.

Queensland: Kalyn Ponga, Corey Oates, Will Chambers, Michael Morgan, Dane Gagai, Cameron Munster, Daly Cherry-Evans, Jai Arrow, Ben Hunt, Josh Papalii, Felise Kaufusi, Matt Gillett, Josh McGuire. Interchange: Moses Mbye, Dylan Napa, Joe Ofahengaue, David Fifita.

6.40pm

Queensland make their way to Suncorp Stadium

Queensland have arrived at Suncorp ahead of kick off at 8.10pm (AEST).

All 17 players were spotted walking onto the team bus following the Maroons camp’s declaration on Wednesday morning that they have no injury issues.

Rumours continue to swirl around Suncorp Stadium that Queensland could make a late selection shake-up by dropping Ben Hunt to the bench and shifting Josh McGuire to the No. 9 position. The Maroons have repeatedly denied this throughout the week.

6pm

Fittler ‘filthy’ over Origin blunder

NSW coach Brad Fittler.
NSW coach Brad Fittler.

NSW coach Brad Fittler will be more pleased than anyone over the NRL’s announcement this week that the State of Origin player of the series award voting system has ben overhauled.

It comes on the back of the hugely contentious voting system 12 months ago which saw Queensland star Billy Slater awarded the Wally Lewis medal as the best player across the three-match series, despite the fact the Maroons fullback only played in two matches and was also on the team that had already lost the series after the first two games.

It’s been revealed this week that Fittler was filthy over the votes, which were awarded by rugby league legends, including Andrew Johns, Darren Lockyer and Mal Meninga.

The Sydney Morning Herald’s Andrew Webster told Macquarie Sports Radio this week, Fittler was seething at the decision to award Slater the top individual honour.

“I just know after seeing Freddy in the rooms after last year, he was filthy,” Webster said.

“He was absolutely filthy that Billy Slater got it.”

Damien Cook, Boyd Cordner and James Tedesco were all thought to have been the clear favourites for the award, but the voting anomaly allowed Slater to sneak past the Blues stars.

The new system introduced for tonight’s game sees a 3-2-1 voting system carried out by Meninga, Lockyer and Daley, who are all senior officials in the Kangaroos’ representative system.

Fittler told Fairfax Media last year the voting system was “ridiculous”.

“The silver lining would be if the Wally Lewis Medal was hanging around someone’s neck in here,” Fittler said in the NSW dressing room after Game 3.

“Terrible. Terrible … Who chooses it? Seriously. Seriously. Seriously. Seriously … Why does Billy need that? He’s got everything [from the game] already. Ridiculous.”

5.50pm

Blues players make presentation to teammates over anthem boycott

Indigenous NSW players have made a presentation to their teammates on game day ahead of their national anthem boycott on Wednesday night.

Blues assistant coach Danny Buderus revealed on Wednesday morning the players, including Cody Walker, Josh Addo-Carr and Latrell Mitchell, had spoken with the support of coach Brad Fittler in a bid to ensure it will not be a distraction when the anthem is played just minutes before kick off.

It comes as NSW star Jake Trbojevic declared he will sing the anthem loud and proud.

“When you talk about distractions one thing last year is we didn’t want any distractions and we didn’t have any at all,” Buderus said, according to Fox Sports.

“There were a few headlines during the week, but the players handled it really well and stood up and spoke about their reasons why and we are all moving forward as a team.

“We understood where they are coming from and we are all one group and we are all about winning a game of footy tonight.”

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/state-of-origin-i-queensland-maroons-v-new-south-wales-blues/news-story/3c2c9bb608b061ba707927b2e6caf1f7