MAROONS 18, BLUES 14
Queensland skipper Ali Brigginshaw has vowed to play on and her NSW counterpart Isabelle Kelly shed tears at the post-match press conference after the Maroons’ 18-14 victory in State of Origin III on Thursday.
After NSW claimed the series with back-to-back wins in Brisbane and Sydney, they had a chance in Newcastle to become the first women’s team in history to record a 3-0 whitewash.
Queensland captain Ali Brigginshaw and Makenzie Weale embrace at full-time.Credit: Getty Images
But Queensland saved their best until last to avoid a clean sweep, and Brigginshaw vowed afterwards to return next season to try and reclaim the title.
“I do want to play keep playing on,” 35-year-old Brigginshaw said, admitting she had been “hurt” by the conjecture.
“I think people just look at your age and think that that’s enough. There were still comments out there tonight about when I’m going to retire.
“I still love my footy and if I get picked I get picked, but I’m not saying that people have to pick me, just because I’ve been here before. I want to prove that I can play in this jersey and hopefully I did that tonight. I’ll do whatever it takes for this jersey.”
Kelly, meanwhile, became emotional and shed tears when asked by the media about a try that was disallowed by the bunker because she failed to ground the ball while sliding over the line.
“I’m obviously someone that gets quite disappointed when I let my team down,” Kelly said. “It makes me a bit emotional right now.”
Isabelle Kelly in the Maroons in-goal.Credit: Getty Images
At that point, NSW coach John Strange spoke up to allow Kelly to regain her composure.
“That’s why she is who she is,” Strange said. “That’s why she’s captain of her state. I’ve worked with Izzy for a long time and she’s a great leader.
“She’s an inspiration to all the girls she plays with and all the younger girls who look up to her, and she’s an inspiration to me as well.”
Adding to the emotion of the match was NSW bench forward Sarah Togutuki, who played following the death of her sister on the weekend, and suffered a head knock that forced her from the field.
“She’s had a really tough couple of weeks, Sarah, for personal reasons, so it was just really great to get her out there, and represent her sister and her family,” Strange said.
“We’re all really proud of her for doing what she did today ... I don’t know if anyone else could have done that. I don’t know if I could have, after losing a sister on Saturday.”
Kennedy Cherrington and Sarah Togatuki lift the Origin shield.Credit: Getty Images
Kelly said Togutuki’s courage was an inspiration for her teammates.
“I feel really honoured and lucky to pull on a jersey alongside her,” Kelly said.
Strange said satisfaction after winning the series overrode any disappointment about losing game three.
“We’ve had a goal to win the series, we’ve done that, and the girls have worked really hard to achieve that, so it’s been awesome,” he said.
After leading by eight points midway through the second half, the Blues were unable to withstand a late Queensland fightback that sent a parochial crowd of 21,912 home disappointed.
It was a try from utility Jocelyn Kelleher from dummy-half that handed the Blues a confident lead, before Maroons backrower Romy Teitzel hit back with a try to make it a two-point ball game.
That was before Lenarduzzi bulldozed her way over from close range to give her team the lead.
NSW had one last chance to salvage a win, or at least take the game to golden point, when they received a penalty for a professional foul from Leanarduzzi on full-time.
The Queensland prop was subsequently sent to the bin, leaving NSW with an extra player on the field and a last-ditch effort to take the win.
But the Maroons had done enough in the end, and managed to salvage a win for veteran skipper Ali Brigginshaw who may have played her last match in Queensland colours.