The show must go on, New South Wales have made certain of that. Tables were turned and Nathan Cleary redeemed in a 34-10 rout that levels this State of Origin series but very much puts Queensland on the psychological back foot leading into next week’s finale.
Wednesday night was the epitome of the sporting post-loss rebound, of strength in conviction, and vindication for a coach questioned for seven days since a game-one capitulation threw into doubt his dynasty just as it was starting to reign.
Brad Fittler was a man under pressure at ANZ Stadium, his Blues left reeling by a bunch of inexperienced – albeit talented – rookies from north of the border. But Wayne Bennett could not wave his magic wand this time, only watch as opposition protagonists rediscovered their individual attacking class.
There was teamwork, too, and Fittler’s recall of Cody Walker at the expense of Luke Keary appears a masterstroke given the former’s seamless halves partnership with Cleary, who nailed four conversions and one penalty in a man-of-the-match performance befitting this season’s overall form and at odds with recent suggestions otherwise.
For all that this was a one-sided contest, it was Queensland who got off to a flyer – quite literally – inside eight minutes when Xavier Coates produced one of the more spectacular representative tries.
The 19-year-old, found on the right edge by the fast hands of Dane Gagai, leapt high. There he stayed, careering forward, legs above head, suspended in motion some four feet off the ground. Until he wasn’t, and his hand was on the ball and the ball deposited onto the closest blades of grass to the corner post.
Almost exactly 10 minutes later Cleary made a crucial break, one that split the Maroons defence and led to a repeat set for NSW. He zipped the ball to Cody Walker, who spun Kurt Capewell on a dime and burst over the line. Cleary converted and the Blues were ahead 6-4.
Queensland, until that point, had been in control. Possession and territory were theirs and the signs pointed to a series win within the hour. If any team had been guilty of ill discipline it was the Blues. But Bennett would have been a picture of vexation inside the interiors of ANZ Stadium as he watched his defensive structure disintegrate before his eyes.
To be fair, they had lost Cameron Munster within two minutes, the Melbourne Storm five-eighth suffering whiplash after a brutal high tackle from Tyson Frizell and failing a subsequent head injury assessment.
The NSW of game one might have let their guard down here, invited their opponents in and received the punishment such invitations entail. Instead, they piled on the pressure and inched relentlessly towards the line, ready for stand-in captain James Tedesco to slip through a gap that was far too substantial to be left unchecked.
With half-time approaching, Queensland were not so much thriving but surviving. By the time they slumped to the sheds, Josh Addo-Carr had lengthened the scoreline deficit further still via his seventh try in eight Origin games. Yet another conversion off the on-point boot of Cleary made it 18-4.
Fittler, in his half-time team talk, may well have warned what can come Bennett’s half-time team talks, vis-a-vis last week’s Queensland comeback from 10-0 down to win 18-14. Had he said such things, he need not have worried, for the Blues returned to the field with a potency and quickness of hand that turned a driving set into a Jack Wighton try with extras added.
Daniel Tupou, in terrific form all night, was rewarded with a maiden Origin try via a signature corner dive. This one came with no conversion, and neither did the next – Addo-Carr’s second, courtesy of a Phil Sami error. Yet it still fashioned ample room to move when, two minutes prior, a six-again on the NSW line allowed Daly Cherry-Evans to pass short and sweet to Josh Papalii. The Canberra Raiders big man swung in for the four points and Valentine Holmes made it six.
Still, it was 32-10 and starting to grate emotionally as Payne Haas and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui were sin-binned for coming to blows. The melee might have sparked something in Queensland. And though the Papalii try did hint at a late comeback attempt, a late penalty put away by Cleary ensured that was all she wrote.