Blue wash: Freddy’s brave new breed clinch Origin series in a nailbiter

NSW has set the platform for a fresh era of State of Origin dominance with an enthralling 18-14 win over Queensland.

Angus Crichton rises above his Blues teammates at ANZ Stadium in Sydney last night to celebrate a historic win over Queensland and clinch the Origin series for the first time since 2014. Picture. Phil Hillyard

NSW has set the platform for a fresh era of State of Origin dominance with an enthralling 18-14 win over Queensland, giving the Blues just their second series win in 13 years.

The Blues rode home on a wave of deafening support from the sellout crowd of 82,223 at ANZ Stad­ium in Sydney last night, denying a spirited finish from Queensland to secure a famous win and laying to rest one of the most remarkable dynasties in Australian sport.

Talk will inevitably now shift to whether this inexperienced Blues side can create a dynasty of its own, given their youth. But last night, the future was on hold. It was party time for the Blues, and their long-suffering fans.

NSW looked to have the game in their grasp with 20 minutes to go, holding a 18-10 lead and ­appearing to be finishing the stronger. And then Queensland did what Queensland do. A try against the run of play to centre Will Chambers brought it back to 18-14, leaving the home fans to ­endure a white-knuckle ride to full-time.

And when NSW centre James Roberts was sent to the sin bin with 12 minutes to go, the sense of foreboding among NSW supporters was evident. With six minutes to go, Queensland’s young gun Kalyn Ponga made a line break and looked certain to steal the game. But a heroic tackle from NSW fullback James Tedesco and winger Josh Addo-Carr cut the 20-year-old down.

Greg Inglis feels the pain. Picture: Getty Images

Queensland had the better of the game’s opening exchanges. Maroons winger Valentine Holmes crossed for the first try after 13 minutes, and six minutes later fellow Queensland winger Dane Gagai crashed over to make it 10-0.

But the Blues hit back quickly with a clever sidestepping effort by Addo-Carr, and moments later skipper Boyd Cordner was controversially awarded a penalty try when Queensland halfback Ben Hunt felled him without the ball as he looked set to score.

It was just the second penalty try in Origin history, and gave NSW a 12-10 halftime lead.

The contentious decision was the focus of post-match discussions, with Queensland coach Kevin Walters critical of the referee’s call, although he refused to be drawn on whether it cost his side the match.

“I don’t want that to be what this is all about,” Walters said. “NSW won and we’ve got to take our hats off to NSW but it was a tough call.”

One of the biggest cheers of the night was reserved for NSW coach Brad Fittler, who was paraded before the crowd at full-time. His coaching methods have been unorthodox, and he took a gamble by introducing so many Origin rookies into his squad, but it has paid dividends.

For Queensland, fullback Billy Slater was inspirational in his return from injury, but the absence of the Maroons’ big three — Johnathan Thurston, Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk, who all retired from representative football ahead of this year’s series — left a gap that was too big to fill.

“It was there, it was ours for the taking. We had them on the ropes,” Queensland captain Greg Inglis said.

“It hurts but we have to learn from it. It’s a new generation of Maroons coming through now.”

One of NSW’s best was the old man of the side, 32-year-old James Maloney, who has played 11 Origin matches but never before tasted a series win.

“It was never going to go to plan, it never does,” he said after the match.

“We said things will go against us and it is how we react. We reacted the right way, we turned up for each other.”

Blues captain Boyd Cordner was named man-of-the-match.