Origin
New South Wales Origin 14 l. Queensland Origin 16

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Location: Australia > National > Senior Representative Competition: State of Origin

Queensland stage another miracle
Wed July 5, 2006
Queensland have produced one of the great miracles to steal the State of Origin series from the grasp of New South Wales when ten minutes of referee and video referee madness after half-time put the Blues in the box seat until Darren Lockyer intercepted to confirm his status as a legend in the game.

The first half was very even with both states scoring one unconverted try each.

Adam Mogg scored the opening try of the night when he lept above Eric Grothe Jnr after a perfectly timed kick from Johnathan Thurston where Mogg scored millimetres within the sidelines. Clinton Schifcofske's conversion attempt from the sideline was wide of the posts.

Queensland were deep on the attack where Thurston threw a shocking pass where Grothe intercepted and raced 95m to score where he had too much pace for the Maroons cover defence. Brett Hodgson was also wide with his conversion attempt.

The opening ten minutes of the second half was pure madness where every decision possible went against Queensland and ruined the match until the final ten minutes where the Maroons produced something extra special.

Tonie Carroll scores a fair try immediately after half-time only for the video referee to disallow it.

New South Wales get the ball back and work it into position with Craig Gower knocking the ball on, only for Clark to rule it a knock back, and in the same tackle Thurston shadows the loose ball brilliantly where he picked it up only for Clark to mysteriously find a knock on against Queensland.

In the next scrum set, Nathan Hindmarsh knocks the ball on in the play the ball area and next tackle Matt King scores outwide.

To cap it all off a bomb from Gower, which was chased through by Hodgson was clearly knocked on only to be ruled a try by the video referee when Grothe scored his second try.

The match was headed all the way for New South Wales until Thurston cut through the Blues defence where Brent Tate raced 50m to score having too much pace for the cover to run under the posts.

Queensland stole the lead in the final few minutes when a loose pass from Hodgson near his own line was intercepted by Lockyer who scored under the posts. Schifcofske landed a very important conversion from under the posts to put the Maroons up 16-14.

The Maroons finally received a beneficial decision in the final three minutes when Rhys Wesser was dragged back into the ingoal area only to receive a penalty.

Queensland held on to win the match and Mal Meninga in his first series as Maroons coach comes up trumps. Meninga's selection as coach was criticised but he was the right man for the right occasion. Meninga's status as a leader and legend in the game is un-matched and he was the type of man that Queensland needed to bring back the fire and spirit back into the Queensland jersey.

Lockyer won the Wally Lewis Medal as Player of the Series and Lockyer stood tall in the final two matches. Lockyer's status as a champion and legendary fullback is confirmed but this series he showed his class as an outstanding five-eighth and one of the few players to be a success in two vastly different positions.

Brent Tate won Man of the Match where his form in the final two matches was very exceptional. He was ordinary in the opening game but Broncos coach Wayne Bennett said that Tate was hitting his best form prior to the second match and he's been proven correct.

If Queensland lost the match, it would have been a joke and farce. Thankfully justice found a way to prevail and the Maroons found a way to win the match and New South Wales threw it away with a dreadful pass with Lockyer in the right spot at the right time.

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Ten minutes of State of Origin madness
Wed July 5, 2006
I apologise for my half-time report where I said Steve Clark was having a good game - the opening ten minutes of the second half has been embarrassing and disgraceful where Queensland have every right to call for neutral officials in the future.

New South Wales currently lead 14-4 following a spate of disgraceful decisions. Rugby League is the greatest sport and it's normally a sport where the players are in control of the game, much more so than Soccer or Cricket where the official is more dominant. The referee and video referee has taken full control of the match and the players were not the main performers.

Tonie Carroll scores a fair try immediately after half-time only for the video referee to disallow it.

New South Wales get the ball back and work it into position with Craig Gower knocking the ball on only for Clark to rule it a knock back and in the samel tackle Johnathan Thurston shadows the loose ball brilliantly where he picked it up only for Clark to mysteriously find a knock on against Queensland.

In the next scrum set, Nathan Hindmarsh knocks the ball on in the play the ball area and next tackle Matt King scores outwide.

To cap it all off a bomb from Gower, which was chased through by Brett Hodgson was clearly knocked on only to be ruled a try by the video referee when Eric Grothe Jnr scored his second try.

I'm proud to come from New South Wales and it is the greatest state, county and province in the world. However, if Blues win tonight will be clouded by ten minutes of madness from the match officials where the Blues received every decision possible.

Mal Meninga and the Queenslander's can hold their heads high and they need a miracle to turn it around in the final 30 minutes. Regardless of the result they can be proud of their performances.

State of Origin is fast losing credability and where it has gone from being a gladitorial contest where it was a trial for Test selection is now at the same level as Twenty20 Cricket where it's a TV event and a pure money spinner.

HAVE YOUR SAY: State of Origin Forum

Wed July 5, 2006
• Origin decider locked up at half-time
  

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