Bloody hell – those Queenslanders have done it again
Those bloody Queenslanders!
Honestly. You could poison them, drive a stake through their heart, put them in a coffin, bury them six foot under, be dancing on their graves ... and they'd still be a chance of winning anyway.
For that was precisely the situation in this Origin II match in Perth, and it has bloody well happened again.
In Origin I, as you'll recall, NSW won at Suncorp 18-6 and were unlucky not to have won by 30 points. On the strength of that, 10 of the 11 Sydney Morning Herald experts, quite rightly predicted a Queensland loss, by as much as 28 points. How could they do anything else, on the facts available? What is more, after the first 10 minutes of this Origin II match, when the old firm of Nathan Cleary, Jarome Luai and Brian To'o again combined to put To'o over in the corner, it was obvious that Queensland was done and dusted. Of course this was going to be another NSW win, and the series secured!
And yet, what did we see?
From that point on, for the rest of the half, it was all Queensland, all the time, to the point they went into half-time leading 26-6, and looked like they were just warming up!
The whole cavalcade was helped by a desperately disappointing NSW side. There was some irony in the fact that because of a sponsorship arrangement, every NSW player had 'The Star' printed on their back in large letters when – in truth – none of the Blues stars truly shone in that first half. Cleary, even hampered by a leg injury, had his moments, as did Luai and Liam Martin, but no-one truly emerged to turn the Maroon tide.
The fact that in the second half NSW came back into it in such stunning fashion was great for the spectacle, and their four successive tries actually made you think that the Blues might pull off a miracle and win anyway.
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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Slater sledges inspired Maroons to do it for Billy
Cameron Munster has revealed how public criticism of Billy Slater galvanised Queensland, admitting he was hurt by jabs at his coach in the lead up to State of Origin II. Slater's rollercoaster 42nd birthday ended with a 26-24 win on Wednesday night, 12 hours after he issued a public apology for a comment regarding the late Paul Green. The win has set up a decider in Sydney on July 9, with life breathed back into a series that appeared destined to be won by NSW after their dominant game one. Slater has come under fire from all quarters in the past three weeks, over questions about selections following Daly Cherry-Evans' axing, the team's performance and his future in the job. He was also labelled a "grub" by former NSW forward Aaron Woods, prompting his controversial response on Tuesday at an outdoor press conference in Perth's CBD. The criticism was also enough to spur on the Maroons, with 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' performance in their 18-6 series-opening loss was unwarranted. "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. "We can't afford to be ambushed." Cameron Munster has revealed how public criticism of Billy Slater galvanised Queensland, admitting he was hurt by jabs at his coach in the lead up to State of Origin II. Slater's rollercoaster 42nd birthday ended with a 26-24 win on Wednesday night, 12 hours after he issued a public apology for a comment regarding the late Paul Green. The win has set up a decider in Sydney on July 9, with life breathed back into a series that appeared destined to be won by NSW after their dominant game one. Slater has come under fire from all quarters in the past three weeks, over questions about selections following Daly Cherry-Evans' axing, the team's performance and his future in the job. He was also labelled a "grub" by former NSW forward Aaron Woods, prompting his controversial response on Tuesday at an outdoor press conference in Perth's CBD. The criticism was also enough to spur on the Maroons, with 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' performance in their 18-6 series-opening loss was unwarranted. "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. "We can't afford to be ambushed." Cameron Munster has revealed how public criticism of Billy Slater galvanised Queensland, admitting he was hurt by jabs at his coach in the lead up to State of Origin II. Slater's rollercoaster 42nd birthday ended with a 26-24 win on Wednesday night, 12 hours after he issued a public apology for a comment regarding the late Paul Green. The win has set up a decider in Sydney on July 9, with life breathed back into a series that appeared destined to be won by NSW after their dominant game one. Slater has come under fire from all quarters in the past three weeks, over questions about selections following Daly Cherry-Evans' axing, the team's performance and his future in the job. He was also labelled a "grub" by former NSW forward Aaron Woods, prompting his controversial response on Tuesday at an outdoor press conference in Perth's CBD. The criticism was also enough to spur on the Maroons, with 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' performance in their 18-6 series-opening loss was unwarranted. "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. "We can't afford to be ambushed."
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Origin stunner thrills Perth fans as Bears plot entry
It's the biggest show in town but you wouldn't have known it from reading the local news. Perth's Optus Stadium was transformed into a sea of maroon and blue as 57,023 fans gathered on Wednesday night for Origin II - the third straight sellout for Origin games hosted in the Western Australian capital. And they were treated to a frantic and at-times ferocious display as Queensland held off an extraordinary NSW comeback to level the series with a 26-24 victory on coach Billy Slater's 42nd birthday. It wasn't pretty but it won't faze Maroons fans who were in full voice in pelting rain and under heavy smoke haze that lingered from halftime fireworks. While NRL administrators will be heartened as they look to win support for new franchise the Perth Bears, visiting fans glancing at the local newspaper over breakfast might have wondered if they were in the right city. There was barely a mention of Origin in The West Australian's game day edition, with a front page graphic - 'State of Origin's Back: WA's Dockers v Victoria's Bombers - instead highlighting the following night's local AFL fixture. ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys in May highlighted perceived bias from the Seven West Media-owned monopoly daily newspaper, after a local headline of "Bad News Bears" labelled the club a "dud second-division team" from Sydney. "Let's be quite frank: They don't want us to be here," V'landys said, highlighting Seven West Media's free-to-air AFL rights deal. Whether the Bears can meet ambitions to secure 30,000 members for their first season in 2027 remains to be seen. There are plenty of league fans in the AFL-mad west but many have pre-existing loyalties. Fireworks lit up Optus Stadium at halftime as a glossy video package - met with muted applause by those still in their seats - implored West Australians to "be part of history" by signing up for Bears membership. "It's been immense, the amount of support that I've received and the Perth Bears have received," inaugural Bears coach and Queensland great Mal Meninga told Nine's broadcast. "Let's hope the game tonight will excite all the people, the fans here." Spirits were certainly high among fans who packed out bars in the stadium precinct long before the opening whistle. Resources-rich WA has gone to great lengths in recent years to lure box-office events ranging from Socceroos and Matildas internationals and NRL games to UFC bouts and even pro-wrestling shows. Plans to stage an international bare-knuckle boxing event deemed "barbaric" by critics were nixed earlier in June by local authorities, and while Origin II didn't quite reach combat sports territory, it was still a fiery affair. NSW five-eighth Jarome Luai was placed on report amid an apparent allegation of eye-gouging against Queensland second-rower Reuben Cotter. Blues winger Zac Lomax was earlier penalised over a stray elbow which caught Trent Loiero in the side of the head. It's the biggest show in town but you wouldn't have known it from reading the local news. Perth's Optus Stadium was transformed into a sea of maroon and blue as 57,023 fans gathered on Wednesday night for Origin II - the third straight sellout for Origin games hosted in the Western Australian capital. And they were treated to a frantic and at-times ferocious display as Queensland held off an extraordinary NSW comeback to level the series with a 26-24 victory on coach Billy Slater's 42nd birthday. It wasn't pretty but it won't faze Maroons fans who were in full voice in pelting rain and under heavy smoke haze that lingered from halftime fireworks. While NRL administrators will be heartened as they look to win support for new franchise the Perth Bears, visiting fans glancing at the local newspaper over breakfast might have wondered if they were in the right city. There was barely a mention of Origin in The West Australian's game day edition, with a front page graphic - 'State of Origin's Back: WA's Dockers v Victoria's Bombers - instead highlighting the following night's local AFL fixture. ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys in May highlighted perceived bias from the Seven West Media-owned monopoly daily newspaper, after a local headline of "Bad News Bears" labelled the club a "dud second-division team" from Sydney. "Let's be quite frank: They don't want us to be here," V'landys said, highlighting Seven West Media's free-to-air AFL rights deal. Whether the Bears can meet ambitions to secure 30,000 members for their first season in 2027 remains to be seen. There are plenty of league fans in the AFL-mad west but many have pre-existing loyalties. Fireworks lit up Optus Stadium at halftime as a glossy video package - met with muted applause by those still in their seats - implored West Australians to "be part of history" by signing up for Bears membership. "It's been immense, the amount of support that I've received and the Perth Bears have received," inaugural Bears coach and Queensland great Mal Meninga told Nine's broadcast. "Let's hope the game tonight will excite all the people, the fans here." Spirits were certainly high among fans who packed out bars in the stadium precinct long before the opening whistle. Resources-rich WA has gone to great lengths in recent years to lure box-office events ranging from Socceroos and Matildas internationals and NRL games to UFC bouts and even pro-wrestling shows. Plans to stage an international bare-knuckle boxing event deemed "barbaric" by critics were nixed earlier in June by local authorities, and while Origin II didn't quite reach combat sports territory, it was still a fiery affair. NSW five-eighth Jarome Luai was placed on report amid an apparent allegation of eye-gouging against Queensland second-rower Reuben Cotter. Blues winger Zac Lomax was earlier penalised over a stray elbow which caught Trent Loiero in the side of the head. It's the biggest show in town but you wouldn't have known it from reading the local news. Perth's Optus Stadium was transformed into a sea of maroon and blue as 57,023 fans gathered on Wednesday night for Origin II - the third straight sellout for Origin games hosted in the Western Australian capital. And they were treated to a frantic and at-times ferocious display as Queensland held off an extraordinary NSW comeback to level the series with a 26-24 victory on coach Billy Slater's 42nd birthday. It wasn't pretty but it won't faze Maroons fans who were in full voice in pelting rain and under heavy smoke haze that lingered from halftime fireworks. While NRL administrators will be heartened as they look to win support for new franchise the Perth Bears, visiting fans glancing at the local newspaper over breakfast might have wondered if they were in the right city. There was barely a mention of Origin in The West Australian's game day edition, with a front page graphic - 'State of Origin's Back: WA's Dockers v Victoria's Bombers - instead highlighting the following night's local AFL fixture. ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys in May highlighted perceived bias from the Seven West Media-owned monopoly daily newspaper, after a local headline of "Bad News Bears" labelled the club a "dud second-division team" from Sydney. "Let's be quite frank: They don't want us to be here," V'landys said, highlighting Seven West Media's free-to-air AFL rights deal. Whether the Bears can meet ambitions to secure 30,000 members for their first season in 2027 remains to be seen. There are plenty of league fans in the AFL-mad west but many have pre-existing loyalties. Fireworks lit up Optus Stadium at halftime as a glossy video package - met with muted applause by those still in their seats - implored West Australians to "be part of history" by signing up for Bears membership. "It's been immense, the amount of support that I've received and the Perth Bears have received," inaugural Bears coach and Queensland great Mal Meninga told Nine's broadcast. "Let's hope the game tonight will excite all the people, the fans here." Spirits were certainly high among fans who packed out bars in the stadium precinct long before the opening whistle. Resources-rich WA has gone to great lengths in recent years to lure box-office events ranging from Socceroos and Matildas internationals and NRL games to UFC bouts and even pro-wrestling shows. Plans to stage an international bare-knuckle boxing event deemed "barbaric" by critics were nixed earlier in June by local authorities, and while Origin II didn't quite reach combat sports territory, it was still a fiery affair. NSW five-eighth Jarome Luai was placed on report amid an apparent allegation of eye-gouging against Queensland second-rower Reuben Cotter. Blues winger Zac Lomax was earlier penalised over a stray elbow which caught Trent Loiero in the side of the head.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
NSW pay for poor start on strange night for Cleary
NSW will rue an ill-disciplined first half that ultimately cost them the chance to wrap up the State of Origin series in Perth. The Blues went within a whisker of staging the biggest comeback win in Origin history but lost 26-24 after giving away eight penalties in the first half and trailing 26-6. Incredibly the Blues scored five tries to four but goal kicking cost them dearly in Origin II. Queensland great Cameron Smith summed up NSW half Nathan Cleary's strange and uncharacteristic showing in the opening 40 minutes. "I don't think he's been right all night," Smith said. Cleary was wearing a compression bandage on his upper right leg and did not kick for goal. Zac Lomax took on that responsibility but not hit them well at all. Cleary did not kick long in the first half and had a bizarre shank of a short kick. In the second half the maestro found an extra leg and started to find the magic with his passes and long kicks. The Blues comeback had a heavy involvement from the "Penrith gang" past and present, along with centre Latrell Mitchell who put Brian To'o over for two of his three tries. Cleary, Jarome Luai and Dylan Edwards combined like old times to put Stephen Crichton over out wide. Cleary and Luai got together again and it was the Wests Tigers five-eighth's kick for Angus Crichton that got them within two points of the Maroons. NSW's greatest-ever coach Phil Gould said the Blues played "unintelligent" footy in the first half. They scored the first try to the irrepressible To'o, who notched a hat-trick, but then clocked off as the Maroons found their momentum. "NSW didn't see it coming," Gould said of the Maroons' fightback in game two. While the Blues will be fuming over their opening 40 minutes they showed in the second half that when they get their game on they have the Maroons' measure. With the decider at Homebush there is no need for coach Laurie Daley to panic. Apart from injuries there are unlikely to be major changes but the Blues learnt a well-worn lesson that the Maroons are always at their most dangerous when written off. NSW will rue an ill-disciplined first half that ultimately cost them the chance to wrap up the State of Origin series in Perth. The Blues went within a whisker of staging the biggest comeback win in Origin history but lost 26-24 after giving away eight penalties in the first half and trailing 26-6. Incredibly the Blues scored five tries to four but goal kicking cost them dearly in Origin II. Queensland great Cameron Smith summed up NSW half Nathan Cleary's strange and uncharacteristic showing in the opening 40 minutes. "I don't think he's been right all night," Smith said. Cleary was wearing a compression bandage on his upper right leg and did not kick for goal. Zac Lomax took on that responsibility but not hit them well at all. Cleary did not kick long in the first half and had a bizarre shank of a short kick. In the second half the maestro found an extra leg and started to find the magic with his passes and long kicks. The Blues comeback had a heavy involvement from the "Penrith gang" past and present, along with centre Latrell Mitchell who put Brian To'o over for two of his three tries. Cleary, Jarome Luai and Dylan Edwards combined like old times to put Stephen Crichton over out wide. Cleary and Luai got together again and it was the Wests Tigers five-eighth's kick for Angus Crichton that got them within two points of the Maroons. NSW's greatest-ever coach Phil Gould said the Blues played "unintelligent" footy in the first half. They scored the first try to the irrepressible To'o, who notched a hat-trick, but then clocked off as the Maroons found their momentum. "NSW didn't see it coming," Gould said of the Maroons' fightback in game two. While the Blues will be fuming over their opening 40 minutes they showed in the second half that when they get their game on they have the Maroons' measure. With the decider at Homebush there is no need for coach Laurie Daley to panic. Apart from injuries there are unlikely to be major changes but the Blues learnt a well-worn lesson that the Maroons are always at their most dangerous when written off. NSW will rue an ill-disciplined first half that ultimately cost them the chance to wrap up the State of Origin series in Perth. The Blues went within a whisker of staging the biggest comeback win in Origin history but lost 26-24 after giving away eight penalties in the first half and trailing 26-6. Incredibly the Blues scored five tries to four but goal kicking cost them dearly in Origin II. Queensland great Cameron Smith summed up NSW half Nathan Cleary's strange and uncharacteristic showing in the opening 40 minutes. "I don't think he's been right all night," Smith said. Cleary was wearing a compression bandage on his upper right leg and did not kick for goal. Zac Lomax took on that responsibility but not hit them well at all. Cleary did not kick long in the first half and had a bizarre shank of a short kick. In the second half the maestro found an extra leg and started to find the magic with his passes and long kicks. The Blues comeback had a heavy involvement from the "Penrith gang" past and present, along with centre Latrell Mitchell who put Brian To'o over for two of his three tries. Cleary, Jarome Luai and Dylan Edwards combined like old times to put Stephen Crichton over out wide. Cleary and Luai got together again and it was the Wests Tigers five-eighth's kick for Angus Crichton that got them within two points of the Maroons. NSW's greatest-ever coach Phil Gould said the Blues played "unintelligent" footy in the first half. They scored the first try to the irrepressible To'o, who notched a hat-trick, but then clocked off as the Maroons found their momentum. "NSW didn't see it coming," Gould said of the Maroons' fightback in game two. While the Blues will be fuming over their opening 40 minutes they showed in the second half that when they get their game on they have the Maroons' measure. With the decider at Homebush there is no need for coach Laurie Daley to panic. Apart from injuries there are unlikely to be major changes but the Blues learnt a well-worn lesson that the Maroons are always at their most dangerous when written off.
