Full-time: New South Wales 18-14 Queensland
How bout that. Take a breath if you can, as the cameras pan past a dejected Corey Parker. He goes out a series winner, but not a match winner.
A frankly curious installment of the ongoing saga that is State of Origin. It wasn’t a classic high-quality event for the purists, but it certainly was entertaining.
How did the Blues not contrive to put Queensland to the sword during the back end of that first half? Racking up nine penalties to one, and with Cronk in the bin, the Blues were stymied by every ounce of Queensland grit, determination and no small measure of ‘professionalism’.
For their part, deep into the second half Queensland appeared set to grind out one of their quintessential wins – aided in no small part by Fifita’s wild indiscipline and then Mansour’s catastrophic defensive slip.
As the Maroons nosed in front with only minutes to go, it looked a near certain thing that warhorse Paul Gallen would go out, as he was so often, on the wrong side of the equation.
But great final moments for the Blues. Some pride restored, some hope instilled, and the platform set nicely for 2017.
Roll on, you wonderful, never-ending journey. State of Origin.
And here’s your match report:
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Apologies for not including some more emails - we got some lovely correspondence - shout out to Liam Stack in Ethiopia who was enjoying the coverage.
And in a game of ‘who could seemingly contrive to lose this’ - the Blues gave it there absolute best shot; flirted with the ridiculous; but then ultimately came good at the death.
Well how bout that! It wasn’t always the most dramatic of matches, but that last ten minutes was really explosive.
There was a massive melee after that final try too - the Blues players all went screaming in to celebrate, and Corey Parker’s found himself surrounded in enemy territory.
I’d warrant someone’s given him a sendoff, for his final game - and who else but Klemmer’s there to push and shove, as everyone throngs in.
Conversion! New South Wales 18-14 Queensland
The extra two points added, right on the buzzer. It didn’t matter too much, but guess who steps up to strike it!
A bit ugly off the boot; it wobbles, it straightens - and Paul Gallen has his first, and last, State of Origin conversion.
A nice little moment, and you’d be Ebenezer Scrooge to try and take that away from the big man. #DoItForGal #JeSuisGal #MeandMyGal!!!
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Try! New South Wales 16-14 Queensland (Jennings)
78 min: An impressive bust from Ferguson and he’s put Tedesco into a massive hole.
He scampers 40+m and is caught literally millimetres short of the line. The Queenslanders scramble, and it’s put wide to Jennings.
With bodies everywhere the lightning-footed one darts and weaves and barges!
We take it all back Michael! You may have lost NSW the series last game, but you’ve gone some way here to redressing that here.
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77 min: Queensland with it – about 30m out. Matt Scott with another good carry. They get to the last and JT tries a cute chip for his winger. It just evades the hands of a teammate, and it’s New South Wales with a scrum feed about 10m from their own in-goal.
Big six this for the Blues.
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75 min: Wow, the drama’s coming now! JT with a not incredibly tough conversion, but he’s scuffed that, and remarkably - it’s hit all three parts of the posts!
Left upright, down onto crossbar, up into right upright, but not over!
Has JT seen a black cat under a ladder spilling salt or what??
Try! New South Wales 12-14 Queensland (Boyd)
74 min: Oh sweet mercy, no! The Blues winger has slipped, and the ball’s sailed straight past him! He scrambles to regather, but it’s Darius Boyd who sneaks past the stricken Panther and grounds comfortably.
What a disaster for the Blues – it’s Queensland in the lead.
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72 min: It’s still just a two-point game. Inglis brings from around 20m out. Solid metres from O’Neill and then Parker.
Cronk puts a run of the mill kick towards Mansour. Nothing to see here, surely..
70 min: Maloney with the double-pump, and he finds a charging Jennings, good metres. The Blues then go to the right side but there’s a wild pass, and they’ve bombed that.
Queensland back with it, and with good field position comparative to their recent sets.
You talk a lot about one-per-centers at the elite level, but gee. The Blues really don’t even get that close sometimes, do they?
Smith, Inglis, JT – these guys keep finding just the right kick, the right stalling tackle, the right slow play the ball to sneak back momentum. And then NSW make easy errors.
Still, plenty to play from here.
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68 min: A no-frills six from Queensland, and it’s the Blues having to carry from 20m out from their own line.
Maloney with a massive kick, he finds Gagai just a few metres outside his line with an eager pack hunting. Matt Scott barges to the 30m line, before Smith hits a booming kick.
Tedesco forced to turn and chase, great placement from the captain.
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65 min: Fifita’s back and keen to make his mark. It’s a solid hit-up, but Inglis has his measure. A strong impact and it’s the Queensland centre who emerges with the ball. Key intervention from the man from the NSW north coast!
63 min: Maloney probes and finds a half-gap, before Woods tries to offload and the ball goes to ground, courtesy a Queensland hand. It’s a Blues feed about 35m out.
Moylan breaks the line, lovely move that – he’s about 10m out and tries to offload to Farah who’s pulled down without the ball!
Blues are livid, it’s another penalty and you really do wonder, how cynical that was.
Six to come. 20m out. Can the Blues do it!
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61 min: Queensland with a straightforward set of six. They’ve not punished the Blues, they’re probably paying the price for their early exertions.
Meanwhile Sebastien Chabal Aaron Woods comes back into the game. Can he drive the Blues forward?
The forwards are doing well for NSW, but this guy's still my standout in the Blues pack. #StateOfOrigin #NewCaptain pic.twitter.com/Y4iihqMJh0
— Richard Parkin (@rrjparkin) July 13, 2016
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58 min: And just for something different, New South Wales spread it wide, and run, literally, straight out of pitch. Jackson the offender, but honestly. A really costly decision, especially with the opportunity to eat valuable seconds whilst down a man.
There must have been a directive from the coaching staff to probe the margins, because the New South Wales backs have really chanced it at times.
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56 min: Well, we saw Queensland survive their 10 minute patch with 12, can New South Wales do likewise? Surely this becomes the defining phase of this match.
Smith and Cronk combine, they look to get Boyd involved.
JT looks to jab a kick in-field on tackle five but it’s over-weighted and Cronk is no chance to regather. A breather for New South Wales, and they restart 20m out.
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55 min: There you go. Cameras pick up that having mown straight over Moylan, Cooper than threw the ball in the young fullback/five-eighth’s face. Eagle-eyed Fifita saw it and sought recompense, but he’s only earned a 10 minute holiday.
Now we’ve got a game back on!
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Conversion! New South Wales 12-10 Queensland
There’s a massive fracas immediately follow that try - Fifita has raced 30m to pull Cooper backward from the head, while he’s in the middle of a throng of teammates celebrating! Not really sure what that was all about, but it sparks a melee, and Fifita has seen himself marched for ten in the bin!
An old fashion brain explosion? What, honestly did he think he saw to prompt that!
Incidentally, JT then slots it from the very sideline.
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Try! New South Wales 12-8 Queensland (Cooper)
51 min: Well, that’s one way to mark your debut! The North Queensland combination of JT and Cooper clicks, and the 30-year-old Origin virgin lines up Moylan, and rolls over him. Try time!
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49 min: Jack Bird comes on as Dugan leaves the field.
The Blues go to the skies, but the final tackle kick is too deep. Oates marks comfortably and returns for a 20m tap.
Queensland handed a second penalty; O’Neill greeted perhaps a touch too vigorously in that tackle.
They haven’t had much to work with – could this be an opportunity for the Maroons?
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46 min: Tamou’s in to the fray and he lumbers out from his own line. Metres are hard to come by as the Maroons attempt to pin the Blues down.
Dugan is hit late, and he’s not got back up. You hope it’s not that busted elbow – he got absolutely clattered by Inglis.
What are the odds that was going to happen tonight?
Inglis pinned for a shoulder charge, but the commentary team are almost unanimous in there opinion that that one was ‘soft’.
Left with little wriggle room one of the juniors up the back of the commentary has pipped up with ‘the softest of the soft’.
Pipe down, junior.
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44 min: So that momentum the Blues had just before half-time continues, despite Queensland resuming their full complement of players.
Jackson with another good run, he’s had some moments has the Canterbury second rower.
The Blues again throw it to the flanks, but for seemingly the fifteenth time tonight, Ferguson finds himself in a precarious dance with the sideline. Are any of these boys running straight?
Conversion! New South Wales 12-4 Queensland
Maloney adds the extras from right in front. Game on!
Some of the sideline pundits reckon the Blues got the ‘rub of the green’ on that one. Question marks over offside, but it’s hard to see how Jennings infringed during that play. No?
Try! New South Wales 10-4 Queensland (Fifita)
42 min: There’s some discussion over whether Jennings was active in the play - ooh he’d be a popular man if he rubbed out another otherwise legal NSW try (WE HAVEN’T FORGOTTEN GAME TWO).
But the videomen are happy, and Fifita gets his try!
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Kick-off! New South Wales 6-4 Queensland
40 min: Aand, we’re back! New South Wales bring it out from their own line, as Cronk warms and prepares to rejoin the fray.
It’s a straightforward six, but off a seemingly non-descript kick Mansour regathers ahead of Gagai, Graham puts on the toe, and Fifita reckons he might have grounded this!
We go upstairs, and the Bunkermen give it a right proper going over.
A few queries from you the people coming in:
@rrjparkin what's with the dodgy sound effects when the tackles are made?
— thechuckchinaski (@ChuckChinaski) July 13, 2016
Well, Chuck I don’t know about you but I have a nasty feeling that’s just 200+ kgs of hulking man-meat banging into each other at leg-propelled light speed.
That, or they’ve all got secret cushions in, for the dead rubber.
After all the flak Messieurs Sutton & Cummins have copped from the NSW coaching staff, this 9-1 penalty count feels a little bit #DoItForGal.
Have Queensland really earned all of them? There were certainly a few professional fouls flying round there, and four in about the space of two minutes suggests some of the aging warhorses weren’t right up to the pace of that end-half of that half; but still.
Is that how you’ve seen it, from your respective vantage point?
Kevvy Walters would be no doubt upset at some of those infringements, and perhaps some of the loose carries, play-the-balls, but would have to be happy his side held together. Plus, Cronk’s 10 minute rest might just offer an extra spark late in the game, when other bodies around him start to tire.
If the hallmark of a champion side is winning ugly, then if the Maroons pull this off they can demand to be ranked up there with the absolute best.
Half-time: New South Wales 6-4 Queensland
Well! You can take the positives or focus on the negative there, but how NSW failed to make anything of that last 20 minutes of footy was just borderline unfathomable.
Nine penalties to one - and chasing the extra points and not the easy two time and time again, the Blues go in a measly missed conversion ahead!
Wonderful covering tackles from JT, Smith and his men. Providing that Herculean defensive shift doesn’t drain them too much for the second half, they’ll be stoked with this scoreline.
39 min: NSW probe and pry and stretch and chance.
The Queensland scrambling defence is just spectacular to watch, but in fairness NSW are just shuttling side-to-side without too much to show for it.
NSW try the Queensland right-edge defence, but a cutout pass flies harmlessly over the sideline! How the heaving Maroon forwards would have enjoyed that.
36 min: Gavin Cooper comes on for his debut, and very quickly links up with Cowboys compadre JT.
A kick in-goal is well gathered by Tedesco, but he receives some treatment in the tackle that the home crowd don’t care for too much.
Another penalty to NSW - what’s the count, about 8-1?
They just refuse to get 10m back tonight, the Maroons. Being in the face is one thing, but not resetting your lines? A silly one to concede with the game balanced like this.
34 min: The Blues spread left, but again appear to almost force the issue! Maloney very nearly loses it, and the momentum from that whole passage is lost.
Smith leads the Maroons through a pretty dull set before finding the touchline. Smacks of just eating up time there, with their man Cronk in the bin.
Our stats man tells me a good one: Blues tackled 32 times inside the Maroons 20m.
If they go in 6-4 after all this dominance you’d imagine Laurie Daley would almost feel like his lads were behind.
32 min: Another set of six for Queensland to defend - a tight ball put through and Gagai is forced to force it dead. What can the Blues come up with from this line drop out?
30 min: Farah with the quick pick up, he feeds Klemmer who ends up 5m short.
A nice kick in-goal and Wade Graham for all money was held back there. Surely!
Queensland defenders are scrambling.. And how’s this! It’s another penalty - a professional foul, and Cooper Cronk has been sent to the bin!
The Maroons will play with 12 until half-time. Let’s see mettle of their defence now!
27 min: Well, it hasn’t taken long - our referee Gerard Sutton has called Smith over after a spot of handbags following a third-consecutive Queensland penalty!
A bit of ‘professionalism’ from the veteran Maroons there, sensing perhaps the dominance that NSW are enjoying at the moment.
Another penalty, and another set of six - but the Blues really need to ensure this possession translates into points.
24 min: Klemmer about to come on, speaking of young tyros with concrete-heads. Doesn’t take too many backwards steps either, which let’s face it, we all love.
Massive tackle from Inglis - he lines up Josh Jackson and not just nails the second-rower but also springs into action to scramble on the loose ball.
The Blues are back with it, and it’s Jackson who makes amends with a half-burst!
Tedesco pulled down just metres short, but a penalty for a ‘flop’ on Klemmer sees the Blues pick up six more. Gilt-edged opportunity here.
Conversion! New South Wales 6-4 Queensland
No mistake from Maloney from about 15m out to the right.
Frizell gets his second try for the series, he was close early on, and that’s probably just desserts for his efforts. Good on the young lad.
Try! New South Wales 4-4 Queensland (Frizell)
21 min: Good metres by Graham, he carries a couple after a nice pop pass. Maloney tries to scamper and appears to run into heavy traffic, but he gets a ball away to a charging Tyson Frizell who just reaches over!
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19 min: Cronk switches the play to JT, who tries a cheeky bomb on the last. Ferguson rises majestically, and unopposed. If I had a dollar for every time we’ve seen that. Surely, Blake’s not the weak link under that type of ball?
He’s then roughed up a bit in the tackle and Queensland are penalised. Another chance for NSW to try and test the Maroons’ defence.
16 min: The crowd gets excited as Tedesco is again at the heart of a promising NSW move. He’s stripped 1v1 by Inglis though. Good strength from the Rabbitohs star.
NSW with the feed 40m out from Queensland’s line now, after Parker errs with the play-the-ball.
They spread it left, then right. Not afraid to go to the flanks early, are the Blues, but they’re not necessarily finding much joy out wide.
A kick’s put through, but it goes dead. Some suspicion Jennings was taken out during the chase, but replays refute this.
14 min: Some good defence from Ferguson, he effects an important 1v1 tackle on Boyd as Queensland try to repeat almost the same move they did to put Inglis over.
Phil Withall joins us with an observation:
I’ve lived in Queensland for 15 years and understand the full relevance of Origin. However surely it’s time to let another state have a go ?
Very sporting of you Phil, but so far your chargers appear to have not got the memo.
11 min: Tedesco with his first chance to stretch the legs, as he regathers a stock-standard up and under from Queensland.
Some good metres here as Tedesco again joins the line. Some nice work from Maloney and the Blues almost find a hole!
It’s six again, but it’s scrappy. Are NSW trying to push one pass too many early on?
They go wide, but it’s put down. Real let off, they’ve duffed that attack.
9 min: NSW start about 20m with a full set. Gallen with a carry and he’s firmly met by his opposite skipper.
Frizell goes awfully close, rebuffed about 5m out, before the Blues chance their arm out wide. It goes through the hands before Ferguson runs out of space. He attempts a ball back in-field but it’s adjudged that the Queensland player it strikes before going out doesn’t play at the ball.
Queensland scrum feed, 20m out from their own line.
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7 min: Great work from Boyd, coming into the line to create the spare man, but in reality, from about 10m out, you’d be hard pressed to stop Inglis anyway.
Thurston misses the conversion - a rare let off there, maybe this is a dead-rubber after all.
Thaiday penalised for a loose carry, and it’s a turn over. First incomplete set from Queensland - can the Blues try and apply some pressure here?
Try! New South Wales 0-4 Queensland (Inglis)
5 min: Scarcely I say that before the Blues come up with a cheap knock on, 10m out from their own line - and they’ve put it on a plate for the visitors.
Through the hands, Thurston out left, and Inglis ambles over, cool as you like.
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3 min: Queensland go wide early in the tackle count - perhaps keen to test Moylan’s defence early on. First penalty too, and it’s the Maroons with a set to start about 30m out from the Blues’ line.
Smith puts Matt Scott about 3m out, before Thurston tries to dart over but is repelled. Smith then with the grubber, but NSW stand firm.
Kick off!
1 min: Queensland with it from the kick off and they’re safely through their set.
Tedesco with him first touch, no mistakes there, as the Blues bump and barge their way up to the 30m.
And here’s #OurGal leading out the Blues. A respectful reception, but perhaps not thunderous.
Anthems observed, and...
There are a few especial match-ups I’m keen to suss tonight. Tedesco coming in is obviously of interest, as is the return of Dugan. I appreciate that Dylan Walker has been a bit of an easy punching bag, but seriously. Watching him line up opposite GI just made your waters break. Dugan at least should offer better defensive resistance; and don’t forget with Queensland going with four forwards on the bench, will NSW’s extra utility help their backs get an edge?
The disparity hasn’t been too severe in the forwards over the past few years, and while Queensland’s champion halves and playmakers have often been the difference, perhaps this tweak to the backs could give the Blues some slight joy?
Anyhoo, one to ponder – as our Queensland Maroons enter the field, led by veteran and retiree, Corey Parker.
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The players are just running through their warm ups, as we speak, so let’s take the chance to look at the respective team line ups.
New South Wales:
James Tedesco, Blake Ferguson, Michael Jennings, Josh Dugan, Josh Mansour, Matt Moylan, James Maloney, Aaron Wood, Robbie Farah, Paul Gallen (c), Wade Graham, Josh Jackson, Tyson Frizell
Interchange: Jack Bird, James Tamou, David Klemmer, Andrew Fifita
And for Queensland:
Darius Boyd, Corey Oates, Greg Inglis, Justin O’Neill, Dane Gagai, Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Matt Scott, Cameron Smith (c), Nate Myles, Matt Gillett, Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker
Interchange: Gavin Cooper, Josh McGuire, Aidan Guerra, Jacob Lillyman
Injury to Adam Reynolds sees Maloney shift to halfback, with Moylan to come in at five-eighth. Tedesco and Graham make their debuts with Dugan back in the fold from injury.
Not too many changes with the Queensland lineup, but then why would they? Nate Myles returns, shunting McGuire to interchange, while Cooper comes in for injured club teammate Michael Morgan.
Hi all, RP in the chair. I hope this finds you well, from wherever you’re following our coverage. Is it Outer Mongolia, on your Telsta roaming dongle; or are you paddling through the fjords of northern Finland whilst pinching some poor Laplander’s data?
Before we all go ahead and assume that tonight’s a fait accompli don’t forget that NSW do occasionally come good at home in Sydney.
Cast your mind back to Game I and you could even pretend that the Blues should have won that one; so even if the series is dead, I’ve got a sneaky suspicion tonight should still be a pretty even contest. And, to get the giggles starting early; I’m calling it – Blues to win.
Is that your read of things? As always it’s a more enjoyable coverage with your thoughts, quips, witticisms included. Drop us a line on richard.parkin.casual@theguardian.com or find me on the Twitters @rrjparkin.
Contributions always welcome, be they slightly eccentric, or just plain naff. Like this one, from NSWRL:
Keep walking 🚶
— NSW Blues (@NSWRL) July 13, 2016
Just a quiet team walk/round of Pokémon Go to prepare for #Origin 😉#uptheblues pic.twitter.com/FJAJksLy3N
Bless. So hip with the kids.
Preamble
So it’s State of Origin, once again.
As every media outlet will tell you tonight is officially a ‘dead rubber’ – but then [insert whatever pretext you need to justify still watching] – because let’s face it, you were always going to anyway, weren’t you.
Perhaps the finest attempt to spice things up has been the whole ‘Do it for Gal’ narrative – that tells us despite have lost for him so many times previously, tonight the NSW boys are really, really going to, this time, stand tall and deliver for their skipper.
Forget being done by one of the all-time great teams of rugby league, if the boys just gave 110% (instead of the 103-105% they’ve been averaging over the last decade) then things should swing round, right?
For Gallen, it’s been a relatively thankless task. Like being chosen as head brahman and asked to lead your herd into the same abattoir year after year, somehow expecting a different outcome.
The greatest player, he isn’t, but he is NSW’s most-capped skipper, and he does line up for his 24th Origin, which commands respect, even if it’s begrudging.
Those of a dark brownish/red hue will point out that opposite number Cameron Smith has not just played but actually won 24 Origins, but it would be churlish perhaps to rub that particular fact under #OurGal ‘s nose tonight.
For those in Blue, it’s not all doom and misery – you get first look at James Tedesco and Wade Graham in NSW colours. The return of Josh Dugan too is something to welcome, as long as his mended wing doesn’t prove fragile early on.
And for those in Maroon, well. Just do what you do every game, hey. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.
Richard will be with you shortly. In the meantime, here are some of Matt Cleary’s thoughts on tonight’s big dead rubber.
The Queensland Maroons have a side that rivals and probably betters the very best there’s ever been. Think ’82 and ’86 Kangaroos, Queensland Origin side of ’89, Canberra Raiders of ’88 to ’94, Broncos of ’92 and ’93. Better than all them. Better than ’74-’75 Roosters, better than Dragons of that fabled 11-year itch. This Queensland team is what a dynasty looks like. This is what a team without salary cap looks like. And they don’t do dead rubbers, either.
Read the full article here.
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