BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 13: Kurt Capewell of the Maroons celebrates with team mates after scoring a try during game three of the State of Origin Series between the Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues at Suncorp Stadium on July 13, 2022, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Queensland has done it again.
The State of Origin shield is returning north of the border after the Maroons prevailed in one of the greatest rugby league matches ever seen in the series decider at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.
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The 22-12 scoreline would never have been close enough to reflect how tight the game actually was.
Incredibly, the Maroons sealed the victory despite being without superstar Cameron Munster when hooker Ben Hunt plucked a Nathan Cleary chip kick out of the air in the 79th minute and ran away to score the match sealing try.
“What a moment in Origin history,” Nine commentator Mat Thompson said.
“Ben Hunt has raced away. And he might have raced away with the shield as well."
Maroons assistant coach and Queensland legend Cameron Smith screamed: “What an effort it has been by this Queensland Maroons outfit. And listen to the crowd at Suncorp Stadium.
“They have done it the hard way. They have lost players. But this is one of the most famous Maroons victories you'll ever see.”
Ben Hunt celebrates winning the series. Photo: Getty Images
After the game, Hunt said when he caught the ball, he was “pretty happy there was only a forward chasing me”.
“As soon as I caught it you could just hear them (the crowd) roar,” Hunt said.
“As a rugby league player there is nothing better, honestly. As a true Queenslander, I bloody love our fans and they turn up every year for us.”
It was far from the only moment of brilliance, as Valentine Holmes almost saved the game late in the match when he somehow kept the ball from going over the sideline from a short Blues dropout - which would have handed the ball to NSW - going airborne over the sideline.
"I'm not sure we have ever seen anything like it," Thompson said of the moment in commentary.
From the opening minute to the 80th, it was an utterly remarkable match which had the sold out Suncorp Stadium crowd on their feet.
Nine commentator Mat Thompson said: “This is a game from another planet, tonight.”
Daly Cherry-Evans lifts the shield. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
AAP’s Fraser Barton tweeted: “This is the greatest game of all time”.
NSW cricketer Trent Copeland wrote: “Has to be one of the greatest Origin decider’s ever.
“Hurts that it’s Queensland with the W, but my goodness Val keeping the short dropout in, Ponga’s game in general & Ben Hunt’s 40/20 & try to seal it. Just. Immense. Well played both sides!”
CODE Sports’ Lachlan McKirdy said: “Hurts as a Blue, but that was one of the best matches of rugby league I’ve ever seen. Incredible footy.”
Well that was one heck of a game of footy! Well done Queenslanders, well done. #Origin
In a brilliant debut series, Pat Carrigan won the Wally Lewis Medal for player of the series, making 45 tackles, and 20 runs for 130m as well as three offloads in the decider.
It goes alongside 34 tackles and 19 runs for 183m in game one and 43 tackles and 12 runs for 103m in game two in Perth.
The first half got off to a wild start when the Blues' Cameron Murray was left dazed by a head clash just a minute into the game, but was quickly followed by Selwyn Cobbo and Lindsay Collins - the three stars played no further part in the game.
The early carnage had the Channel 9 commentary team stunned with Andrew Johns declaring the match has been a "throwback to the eighties". Maroons legend Cameron Smith said it was "all-out warfare" after Lindsay Collins became the third player to be flattened from a head knock. The most scary moment came when Queensland's Selwyn Cobbo was smashed onto his back and was then seen lying motionless as players stomped around him.
But after a wild and brutal first half, the Blues lead the match 12-10 at the break.
Dane Gagai punches Matt Burton. Photo: Channel 9.
The second half kicked off with a bang, boiling over when Dane Gagai and Matt Burton were both sent to the sin bin.
Burton was seen taking out Maroons superstar Kalyn Ponga behind play before Gagai ran in and started throwing punches, prompting a heated brawl.
Queensland took control of the match in the second half and finally took the lead through a stunning piece of footwork by Kalyn Ponga, who ran for 299m in his greatest Origin performance.
Queensland have won the 2022 Origin shield in one of the more remarkable matches you'll ever see.
The 22-12 scoreline was probably not reflective of how close the match was as the Maroons only sealed it with a 78th minute try.
Incredibly, the Maroons sealed the victory despite being without superstar Cameron Munster when hooker Ben Hunt plucked a Nathan Cleary chip kick out of the air and ran away to score the match sealing try.
“What a moment in Origin history,” Nine commentator Mat Thompson said.
“They have done it the hard way. They have lost players. But this is one of the most famous Maroons victories you'll ever see.”
After the game, Hunt said when he caught the ball, he was “pretty happy there was only a forward chasing me”.
“As soon as I caught it you could just hear them (the crowd) roar,” Hunt said.
QLD's Harry Grant looked to have just sealed an Origin series win, barging his way across the line – only for Nathan Cleary to hold the ball up.
Referee Ashley Klein had awarded the try but the footage showed the ball never reached the ground.
It was a massive effort but the Blues have been defending almost all second half and it will depend if they have enough in the tank to launch an attacking set.
The Maroons are in the lead after Kalyn Ponga finally broke the deadlock, stepping though two Blues defenders and and wrongfooting James Tedesco to score.
Origin has just exploded inside the first two minutes of the second half with both Matt Burton and Dane Gagai sent to the sin bin after throwing punches.
The Maroons looked to have nearly scored a try when Daly Cherry-Evans appeared to have won a race to the ball kicked over the top but the play was brought back after Gagai had pushed Burton to the ground.
The Blues star didn't take too kindly and the punches started to be thrown.
"Both have got to go off. Just can't send one off," Andrew Johns said in commentary. "They're both throwing haymakers."
Absolutely wild. Photo: Channel 9
Mat Thompson added: "You said, Andrew, the start of the game was a throw back to the '80s. We're right back in the '80s now."
The sold out crowd were on their feet but referee Ashley Klein had no choice but to send both men to the sin bin and make it 12 on 12.
Although Cherry-Evans complained: "They're taking us out off the ball, all series", Klein was not taking any of it.
"Not going to argue. That is not acceptable. Speak to the guys there," he said.
Blues skipper James Tedesco said it was 2-on-1 as Tino Fa'asuamaleaui helped out his teammate but it also fell on deaf ears.
Matt Burton was made to go and was bleeding from the chin. Photo: Channel 9
Thompson said "Suncorp has erupted", while Cameron Smith said "This is going to boil over here".
THANK YOU: Dane Gagai and Tino ganging up on Matt Burton just made sure the hatred of Queensland well and truly lives on
Queensland cowards. Tino holds Burton while Gagai punches his head and we lose one each? Tino gotta go for ten and Gagai shouldn't be coming back #StateofOrigin
So a fight breaks out between Gagai and Burton, and Fa'asuamaleaui tries to pull Burton’s head off. But Fa'asuamaleaui (who should have been sent off in the first half) stays on the field. Cool! #origin
A blunder from Blues winger Daniel Tupou has opened the door for the Maroons to make it a two point game at halftime – and Queensland have walked straight through the door.
The Roosters back was never in the right position for a Daly Cherry-Evans bomb, barely touching it as it rolled into touch deep in the Maroons end.
"Mark that moment down. Is that a turning point in this game and in this series?" Nine commentator Mat Thompson said.
It gave Queensland 90 seconds to score and a Harry Grant grubber for Kurt Capewell made it 12-10.
The only good sign for the Blues was Valentine Holmes missed the conversion.
It ended a brutal first half which Thompson called "one of the most breathtaking 40 minutes of Origin football we have seen in 43 years".
Surely among the most dramatic first halves Origin has ever seen. #FullMoon#Origin
Any doubts Knights forward Jacob Saifiti could deal with Origin have been answered by his barnstorming start to his Origin career, giving the Blues the lead.
Saifiti scored in the 31st minute, barging over from close range.
Blues coach Brad Fittler paid immediate tribute to his debutant.
"He's been outstanding. His hooker Api (Koroisau), I reckon he would have seen his first four or five runs and thought, 'If I get this bloke into any one-on-one situation, then he's a good opportunity.'
"It was, yeah, nice work by both of them."
Saifiti's first runs were massive, running 7 times for 85m in the first 10 minutes he was on the field.
Jarome Luai has hit straight back for the Blues, locking the game back up at 6-all after a quarter of the match.
In a rare foray into their own end, Nathan Cleary kicked for his Panthers teammate, who looked to have dived early, only for the ball to land right in front of him.
Blues second rower Cameron Murray's night may already be over after a head clash with a charging Corey Oates.
Murray was left dazed on the ground and referee Ashley Klein stopped the game immediately with concern for the Rabbitohs star.
"That is a cruel blow," Nine commentator Mat Thompson said.
Murray was deemed a Category 1 on the concussion protocols, meaning he won't be back tonight.
Category 1 means a player can't return to the game and indicates a loss of consciousness, lack of protective action when falling to the ground, confusion or disorientation, or motor incoordination.
Cameron Murray is out of the match. Photo: Getty Images
Not even a minute later, Selwyn Cobbo appeared to be knocked out as well after catching the hip of Maroons teammate Patrick Carrigan.
There was immediate concern as the Queensland staff called for a stretcher.
Cameron Smith called the opening two minutes "all out warfare", while Mat Thompson was stunned by the impacts.
"The intensity is remarkable," he said. "Selwyn Cobbo, some obvious concern as is the case when there's any issues with the head or there's any issues with the head or the neck region. All the Queensland medical staff having a look and they are asking for the stretcher."
In good signs, Cobbo was helped to his feet but driven from the field in a neck brace.
Tom Gilbert came on for Cobbo.
Selwyn Cobbo was taken off in a neck brace. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images
Queensland's Lindsay Collins was the next to need to go for a HIA, just over three and a half minutes into the game when he was left stunned as Gilbert hit Blues winger Daniel Tupou.
Andrew Johns said he hadn't seen a start to a game like this, "Not for a long time".
"This is a throwback to the '80s," he said.
Both Cobbo and Collins were ruled out with Category 1 head injuries as well.
If the Maroons lose one more player to concussion protocols, 18th man Thomas Flegler will be activated.
