Can you spot the tiny jersey detail that reveals what REALLY sparked Queensland's incredible Origin win?
Queensland channeled the spirit of their iconic 1995 'Neville Nobodies' team to secure a heart-stopping victory over New South Wales - and even paid tribute to the side on their jerseys.
The Maroons thrive when they are bagged and given no chance and they were in their element in Perth in a stunning 26-24 win to take the State of Origin series to a decider in Sydney.
The side invoked the mindset of the famous 1995 Queensland team, with a subtle '1995' printed on the right sleeve of their jersey.
The 'Neville Nobodies' stunned the rugby league world by thrashing a star-studded Blues outfit in a series that's etched into Maroons folklore.
'We had that mentality, like the '95 Nobodies team and just kept working and turning up for each other and we ended up getting the chocolates,' said Maroons skipper Cam Munster after the match.
'But in game three, we need to be a lot better in certain positions and we can't afford to give them piggy backs.'
Billy Slater, who turned 42 on Origin night, and his fellow selectors axed veteran skipper Daly Cherry-Evans and replaced him with Tom Dearden at halfback and it worked a treat.
The elevation of Munster as skipper was a revelation in his 21st Origin match, as was the recall of 32-year-old second-rower Kurt Capewell.
NSW great Andrew Johns said Slater's call on Munster was 'an absolute masterstroke'.
Big occasions and the weight of expectation are what Munster thrives on and after a nervous start he showed why he was a dream pick as the 16th captain of the Maroons.
His first-half try when he ran onto a pass from Harry Grant with a body swerve into space was as masterful as it gets in the Origin cauldron.
The 30-year-old had a look in his eye that suggested he would not be denied and was a deserved man of the match..
Dearden's performance was elite and a tribute to Slater's faith and coaching. He clearly gave the 24-year-old the belief to take charge and the North Queensland co-captain's involvement in three first-half tries showed where his mindset was at.
Dearden's pinpoint kick for Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow's second try was all class.
There were other selections that Slater made that were spot on. The inclusion of Capewell was vindicated with the versatile Warrior scoring a try and making key tackles when the Blues came home with a bang.
The Maroons started poorly with errors. Dearden was sitting back on his heels to allow Jarome Luai to run freely and set up a try to Brian To'o with a grubber.
That could have rocked the Maroons but their key players all stood up. Munster, Dearden, fullback Kalyn Ponga and Grant at hooker all had big moments that set up their 26-6 halftime lead.
It all went south from there as the Maroons fell away. Capewell's defence, despite the errors of his teammates, was the difference.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
See how State of Origin star exposed troll on social media after copping disgraceful abuse like 'I hope you get charged with sexual assault'
NSW Blues star Liam Martin has exposed a troll on social media after the backrower was abused online following Queensland 's 26-24 win on Wednesday night in game two of the Origin series. Martin used an Instagram story to share the disgraceful comments, which included being labelled a 'ugly human' and hoping the four-time NRL premiership winner with Penrith 'gets accused of sexual assault.' The person who posted the vile message - known as Beau - also stated: 'You look like you don't wash your hair. You you [sic] are disgrace to rugby league.' Martin posted in response: 'Don't be like Beau.' His Origin teammate Zac Lomax was also reportedly targeted online. It comes just days after a man, 20, was charged by NSW Police for allegedly sending death threats and abusive messages to Newcastle Knights star James Schiller. Martin used an Instagram story (pictured) to share the disgraceful comments, which included being labelled a 'ugly human' and hoping the four-time premiership winner with Penrith 'gets accused of sexual assault' Schiller, 23, was targeted with a string of vile messages following his team's dramatic comeback win over Manly recently. The abuse came despite Newcastle pulling off their biggest turnaround in 18 years, recovering from a 16-0 halftime deficit to claim a 26-22 golden point victory at McDonald Jones Stadium on June 5. On social media, several accounts piled on, labelling Schiller 'one of the worst NRL players I've ever seen,' and claiming he 'wouldn't stand out for Taree Turtles reserve grade.' But one message crossed the line, and Schiller shared it publicly. 'Count your days c*** I will end your f***ing life,' the message read, sent to his Instagram inbox early in the second half. Even after the Knights sealed victory, the same account continued to abuse him and added some shocking homophobic comments involving former Queensland Origin star Dane Gagai. 'Doesn't make up for it even though you won. 5 errors, 2 penalties, 1 six again and partridge in a pear tree I hope Dane [Gagai] jams his c*** down your throat and you choke and die.' Schiller posted screenshots of the messages to his Instagram story, drawing attention to the darker side of fan behaviour at a time when mental health support for young men and athletes is being heavily promoted across the country. Abuse aimed at young NRL players (pictured) continues to spark debate around online behaviour and athlete mental health support Knights coach Adam O'Brien said the threats against Schiller were a concern. 'That is worrying,' he said. 'I want to protect for him to go through that over a couple of errors….it's a game of footy. 'He's got a family. That's partly the reason why you do want to protect them. 'I think it's a societal problem, isn't it? It's not just football players who are getting that sort of stuff. 'We need to be able to stop people doing it, change their thought process before doing it.' Lake Macquarie police have since arrested and charged a man over the matter. He was charged with use of carriage service to menace, harass or offend.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Simple photos sum up why eight million people are FURIOUS about State of Origin
A simple photo of Blues captain Isaah Yeo in heated discussion with referee Ashley Klein has encapsulated the discontent NSW supporters have towards the officiating on Wednesday night. Despite a spirited second-half comeback, the Blues couldn't quite seal victory, with Cameron Munster's side holding out in a dramatic finish, to win the match 26-24 and level the series at 1-1. Referee Ashley Klein awarded eight penalties for the Maroons - and none for Laurie Daley's men across the opening 40 minutes. The count at the end of the match was 10-2. NSW's lack of discipline didn't help at Optus Stadium - but many supporters were incensed on social media as Billy Slater's team took a 26-6 lead into the sheds. 'Ashley Klein needs to pull his head in. You cannot tell me he hasn't been instructed to favour Queensland,' posted one on X. 'I know the NRL want a decider, but Klein can't even hide the bias. 8-0 penalty count and all the six-again calls. You may as well skipped game 2 and just gone to game 3,' fumed another. 'Looks like Klein took part in the Queensland Captain's run,' joked a third. Former players were furious with the brutal penalty count, too. Ex-Blues playemaker Jamie Soward posted: 'That will do me. Ash doing his best to get in the way here.' Jarryd Hayne posted: 'This is why Origin is the greatest game in this country!!! Regardless of the pressure teams face, it is the team spirit that truly matters. 'Ps 7-0 pen count. Did some individuals attempt to influence the referees to force a decider?' Blues captain Isaah Yeo was pictured in a tense discussion with Klein during the match, looking visibly frustrated. Following the match, Yeo said he thought the 50/50 calls went against the Blues all night. 'There's certainly a few that we were shooting ourselves in the foot with and they were just penalties,' he said. 'Other ones are 50-50. Some nights you get them, some nights you don't. So what you can't do is you can't go drop the ball early in the next set early in the tackle count when you've got the ball. 'So obviously I'd like that to be a bit more even, but we were our own worst enemy at times as well.' NSW coach Laurie Daley was more blunt when asked about the officiating.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
See the touching Billy Slater dressing room act that speaks volumes about his scandal-plagued State of Origin week
Billy Slater has been filmed sharing a heartfelt embrace with his wife Nicole after a State of Origin win that almost certainly saved his job as Queensland coach and helped erase memories of a scandalous build-up to the big game. Slater's roller-coaster 42nd birthday ended with a 26-24 win on Wednesday night, 12 hours after he issued a public apology for a comment regarding the tragic death of footy legend Paul Green. The 42-year-old has come under fire from all quarters in the past three weeks, with Wednesday night also looming as a referendum on his decision to axe skipper Daly Cherry-Evans. That bombshell led to Slater being labelled a 'grub' by former NSW forward Aaron Woods, prompting his controversial response on Tuesday as he brought up Green's passing in a retaliation he admitted was inaccurate and inappropriate. Questions have also circled around Queensland's performances and Slater's own future, with no Maroons coach having ever kept the job after two straight series losses - which is what the team would have suffered had they fallen to the Blues in Perth. But all of Slater's cares seemed to fade away when he hugged and kissed Nicole as his team celebrated one of the most nail-biting wins in recent Origin memory. The criticism of Slater was also enough to spur on the Maroons, with skipper Cameron Munster revealing how players wanted to stand up and play for the former Queensland fullback. 'When you have someone jabbing at him like that, it really hurts. It hurts me personally,' Munster said. 'And when someone's having a jab at someone in your own backyard, you stand up on your back and want to get up and fight. 'We needed to do that tonight. We were backs against the wall, no-one gave us a chance. 'I love him, and I just want to do the best thing for Queensland, and the best thing for him, because he's not doing this for him, he's doing it for Queensland.' Munster himself was brilliant in the Maroons' win, scoring a try and named man of the match after starring in Queensland's 26-6 first-half. But the new Queensland captain is well aware the Maroons must be much better in Sydney, after letting NSW back into the game after the break and ending with four tries to their five. Regardless, Munster said the criticism of Slater for the Maroons' 18-6 series-opening loss at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane last month was unwarranted. Slater (pictured with wife Nicole) was just hours away from kickoff when he made a public apology for bringing up the tragic death of footy legend Paul Green in a stoush with former NSW Blues star Aaron Woods No Maroons boss has kept his job after taking the team to two straight series defeats - a fate the Queenslanders avoided by just two points 'He's our coach, and he's done everything he can to tick the boxes for us, and we didn't perform for him in game one,' Munster said. 'He got a lot of slack for it, and a lot of stuff in the media, and he didn't deserve it. 'He's given us a great game plan, and we didn't execute in game one, and we did it tonight in the first half. 'I played with Bill, he's a champion player and champion coach, and I've had a great relationship with him, and still do.' Munster also revealed the Maroons had invoked the spirit of 1995 in the lead-up to the game, with the 30-year anniversary of Paul Vautin's unlikely 3-0 series win during the Super League war. The Queensland No.6 referenced the 1995 series on field after the game, before again raising it in the press conference. 'We keep talking about it,' Munster said. 'They won by two points in a couple of those games in the series, and we won by two tonight. It was that '95 mentality in defence. 'We've just got to keep working hard for each other. It's going to be a harder task going to Sydney, and we've got to be ready for it.
