State of Origin 2016: Queensland grind out 6-4 win over New South Wales

QUEENSLAND have taken out Origin I courtesy of a dour 6-4 victory over New South Wales and Blues coach Laurie Daley has launched an attack on the referees.

Matthew Gillett of the Maroons celebrates after Dane Gagai, (right), scored a try during State of Origin Game I between the NSW Blues and Queensland Maroons, at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on Wednesday, June 1, 2016. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

USUALLY reserved and affable, NSW coach Laurie Daley went on the attack, calling for both referees from last night’s State of Origin opener in Sydney to be immediately sacked.

Daley was angry at the performances of referees Gerard Sutton and Ben Cummins during Queensland’s gritty and uncompromising 6-4 win at ANZ Stadium.

Josh Jackson toiled hard in his starting debut.

The Blues were so close, so tough, so committed, so unlucky.

Each team scored just one try each, the Blues did enough to win the game but just couldn’t ice the series-opener. Defeat will place enormous pressure on NSW to level the series in hostile Brisbane.

A number of key decisions went against NSW, prompting Daley to demand both refs be axed for the return game on June 22.

And Daley had every right to be irate. Both refs fell apart under pressure while the bunker interfered again where it wasn’t wanted or welcomed. It seemed as though every tight and crucial call went against NSW.

NRL ref’s boss Tony Archer will have no choice but to punt Sutton and Cummins for Suncorp Stadium.

“There were plenty of big calls that happened,” Daley said.

Asked did NSW get the ‘rub of the green’, Daley said: “Put it this way, I’ll be asking for those two referees not to be officiating in game two.

“There’s your story.”

Asked what he based his comments on, Daley said: “Based on history and based on that game.”

The bunker decided to overturn a key moment in the second half when Queensland appeared to have knocked on for a NSW scrum feed ten metres from the Maroons tryline. Bumbling video ref Bernard Sutton then interfered again and reversed the decision, Queensland winning the scrum feed. It was a crucial decision. And a wrong one.

NSW skipper Paul Gallen preferred not to bag the refs, only saying: “I’ll leave you guys (media) and ‘Loz’ to talk about the refs. We’re a young side and we will get better as the series goes on. The mentality changes to a must-win game in game two.”

Sutton and Cummins did NSW no favours early, awarding Queensland a succession of early penalties and failing to drag the Maroons back the required ten metres. At one point early, the penalty count was 4-1 to Queensland. Obviously Maroons skipper Cam Smith was refereeing the game again.

The Blues were clunky in attack.

There were six penalties in the opening 19 minutes. Please, bring back Bill Harrigan.

The loss was still a triumph for NSW in many ways with three debutants — Adam Reynolds, Josh Mansour and Matt Moylan — performing strongly under intense pressure.

Daley was criticised, bagged and questioned for his squad he chose but they did NSW proud. There wasn’t a single point scored in the second half last night. Queensland looked shot at times but their professionalism and commitment kept them in the moment.

The 80,251 crowd poured in last night — thousands in blue wigs — as the rain stayed away. There were times when NSW was dominant and most thought the matchwinning try was coming. But the Maroons somehow held on, as they so often do.

The opening game of each series is traditionally tight and low-scoring, this one was no different. There was plenty of feeling in the game, the match flaring up at times although no-one threw a blow. Origin is still engulfed with hated.

NSW's Boyd Cornder scores a try. Picture: Brett Costello

“It’s disappointing — we would have loved to have won,” Daley said. “It wasn’t to be. The effort was great — we just have to get better in certain areas of our games. Our attack was certainly improve, the effort was sensational in a dour game.”

NSW looked to have crossed with 14 minutes remaining through Josh Morris but the try was denied by the bunker. It was more frustration for the Blues.

“It hurts, mate,” said Blues five-eighth James Maloney. “There wasn’t a whole lot in it. It’s always hard to get points. We went away from finding our spots to play off. It was a big effort by the boys, it just hurts. We’ve now got a job ahead of us. We go up north and we know it will be tenfold up there. It’s do-or-die if we want to win the series.”

Blatchey’s Blues get involved in the match. Picture: Adam Taylor

Manly’s Dylan Walker finally came into the action in the 72nd minute.

NSW ripped in during the first half, defensively and when in possession. The Blues ran hard and were totally committed to everything in what was a splendid opening 40 minutes. The stats were almost identical from both sides at the break.

Matt Moylan taps it dead ahead of Queensland's Cooper Cronk. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Maroons skipper Cam Smith, playing his record-breaking 37th Origin game, said: “Origin, it’s not about the best players or how much talent you’ve got. It’s about how tough you are when the going gets tough.”

Originally published as State of Origin 2016: Queensland grind out 6-4 win over New South Wales