Jamie Dwyer, Cameron Munster: Rockhampton greats inspire the Maroons in Origin triumph

An Olympic gold medal won two decades ago shapes as the unlikely source of inspiration for Cameron Munster and the Maroons, as fellow Rockhampton product Jamie Dwyer paved a path to glory.

Inspiration can come from strange places – like an Olympic medal won 21 years ago.

Perth-based Olympic hockey great Jamie Dwyer, who scored the goal which won Australia’s only men’s Olympic hockey goal in Athens in 2004, arranged a game of golf for the Maroons on one of Perth’s best courses during their week in Perth then joined them for dinner.

He was then invited up to speak and told his remarkable story about coming from Rockhampton – Cameron Munster country – and heading across the country and dealing with all sorts of challenges in a part-amateur sport to become the greatest hockey player Australia has ever produced.

“He was so humble and dedicated and it really left a mark on the group,’’ said one observer.

Athens Olympic hockey hero Jamie Dwyer played a small, but crucial, role in skipper Cameron Munster and Queensland’s triumph in Origin II in perth.

If the first Origin match was curiously insipid and subdued this one was magnificently madhouse, a gloriously imperfect scrapathon.

It was a game which proved – yet again – that just when you think Queensland are no chance they become a chance.

Cam Munster said his team were inspired by Fatty Vautin’s Neville Nobody’s who pulled off a stunning 3-0 win in 1995 and that was the way they played … far from perfect but as desperate as a group of beggars scrambling over a stray dollar.

It’s hard to imagine a coach needing a win more than Billy Slater in this match and – against all expectations – he has hit the Bullseye.

His regrettable pregame reference to former Maroons Paul Green, who committed suicide, prompted him to take the extraordinary step of apologising on match morning to Green’s family.

The natives were restless. A group of former Queensland players were known to have displayed anger and abject bewilderment to each other in chat groups and phone calls.

The pressure on Slater was white hot and even in victory he looked more relieved than thrilled as he packed up his notes after the game.

But a shock victory heals most wounds. Judging by Munster’s passionate support of Slater after the game it looked as if the incident stirred up the players and made them even more passionate.

Cameron Munster scrambles over for the Maroons. Picture: Getty Images

Aaron Woods’ decision to call Slater “a grub’’ has backfired.

It’s not the first time Queensland players have been roused by their coach’s discomfort. Arthur Beetson once learnt he was snubbed as Australian coach just before he got on the team bus on match day. He didn’t have to say a thing to his players who were “filthy’’ on his behalf and duly stormed to victory.

Queensland were not perfect. Munster’s kicking game was not in the same league as Daly Cherry-Evans. Yet he won. It doesn’t matter.

Victory justified all dice rolls. Kurt Capewell was tireless and occasionally brutal in defence. Tom Dearden ran as hard as everyone expected him to. Pat Carrigan made an impact off the bench. Reuben Cotter had a much better game.

After having the first nine penalties of the match and leading by 20 at halftime, Queensland would have been inconsolable to lose this one.

They will start rank underdogs again in Sydney … just where they like to be.

Originally published as Jamie Dwyer, Cameron Munster: Rockhampton greats inspire the Maroons in Origin triumph