State of Origin: as NSW Blues triumphs go, this was a steal

How do you steal an Origin match? If you are a golden-haired footballing prodigy named Tom Trbojevic, one try at a time.

How do you steal an Origin match? If you are a golden-haired footballing prodigy named Tom Trbojevic, one try at a time.

When a high kick landed into the outstretched arms of Valentine Holmes, the Queensland winger thought he had it covered. He had played with dash and skill. He had scored a dramatic, length-of-the-field try. More to the point, he had the ball in his hands. Only Trbojevic had other ideas.

They say the Sydney Swans recruiters had a close look at this kid when he was growing up on Sydney’s northern beaches. As he climbed high into the Melbourne night, in what would normally be a forward pocket of the MCG, you understood why. In a case of mid-air larceny, he prised the ball from Holmes and brought it safely to earth, his momentum carrying him past the try line and into the hearts of anyone who is longing to see NSW end the Maroons’ domination of Origin. There were plenty of them among a heaving crowd of 87,112 in Melbourne.

James Maloney’s conversion took the score to 18-12 and there it stayed until James Tedesco produced the play of the night and Josh Addo-Carr put the final flourish on an emphatic, 22-12 win. NSW coach Brad Fittler was thrilled with his baby Blues — 11 were playing in their first Origin match. “They are the future of our game and they nailed their first big opportunity.”

If this was to be the season of the Blues’ rebirth, it began according to the script. Having survived the initial onslaught, NSW began, quite literally, to find their feet.

They danced, they skipped, they walked a tightrope through desperate Maroons tackles. Nathan Cleary, James Roberts, Latrell Mitchell, Addo-Carr and Tom Trbojevic, these were the backline debutants coming out at a spectacular, mid-week ball. Queensland defended grimly. Too grimly at times, as prop Dylan Napa stayed a smidge too long in a tackle and coughed up the first points from easy range. Then, a decisive move from Damien Cook, to Maloney and Tedesco, who was over the line in a blur.

This time, there would be no grand finish from the Maroons, no heroics to hold back the Blues tide.

It’s a new Origin this year, folks. And next stop is Sydney, where the Blues will aim to wrap up this year’s title.