Dynasty dead? No chance. Queensland have dispelled any doubt that their domination of State Origin is nearing its end with a comprehensive 22-6 win in Game III to win the 2017 series.
No Johnathan Thurston? No worries.
NSW went to Suncorp Stadium confident they could win the decider and finally end the Maroons’ run of 11 series wins in the past 12 years. Queensland were without the best player in the world, the Blues had won Game I comfortably and were strong despite losing Game II in a tight one. They had a big, powerful forward pack, an energetic line-up not scarred by past failures and were supposedly a good chance.
But NSW were a rabbit in the headlights, wilting under the Brisbane night sky as Queensland showed their class in a one-sided contest.
Kevin Walter’s side gave a near faultless display in the first half to establish a 12-0 lead. It was perfect football from the banana benders and the Blues could do nothing in response.
Queensland took a deserved lead in the 14th minute. They spun the ball wide, with Michael Morgan popping the ball back inside Valentine Holmes for a fantastic finish to make it 6-0.
The Maroons’ forwards winning the battle in the middle, offloading at will and Cameron Smith was pulling the strings. Cooper Cronk’s kicking game was excellent while Mitchell Pearce’s was diabolical.
Queensland should have gone further ahead in the 17th minute when Cronk dived over. Billy Slater had split the defence and found Cronk in support. But the halfback had lost the ball as he dived over the try-line, with the video referee chalking the try off. NSW were riding their luck.
But eight minutes later the Maroons were in again. Smith made a break after throwing a dummy. In the next play Cronk launched a pin-point kick across the face of the line to land the ball right on Holmes’ chest. It was sensational work from the Melbourne maestro, who had the ball on a string.
Right before half-time NSW were fortunate not to concede another try when Smith failed to pass when the line was open. It was only 12-0 at the break despite the Maroons’ dominance. If it was boxing the referee would have called it off.
Queensland should have scored early in the second half, but Will Chambers couldn’t hold on to Slater’s offload. Then NSW finally got back into the contest in the 47th minute when Josh Dugan leapt high to brilliantly take a James Maloney bomb. The Blues were suddenly seemingly back in it at 12-6. But it was a mirage.
The Maroons got back into the grind and went up a gear, as they always seem to do when it mattered. In the 59th minute Munster, who was outstanding on debut, made a break. He threw a long pass to Holmes who juggled it and somehow managed to evade a defender and hold on to the ball to score in the corner. It brought up his hat-trick, in just his second-ever Origin game. What a talent the Cronulla fullback is.
The nail in the coffin for NSW came in the 66th minute when Munster threw a hail-mary pass out the back for Jarrod Wallace to stroll over and score. Everything was coming up Queensland.
The home team’s defence was magnificent and the Blues had no answers. It was another bleak evening for NSW. It remains a familiar story for long-suffering fans south of the Tweed river.
Dynasty over? Not for at least another year.
