NSW keep Queensland try-less in Game 3 classic to win State of Origin series

New South Wales achieved a remarkable State of Origin win by beating Queensland 14-4 at Suncorp Stadium to win the shield in 2024. This victory in Brisbane was only the third time in 45 years that the Blues have won a deciding match in the State of Origin series.

In a huge game, over 50,000 fans at the stadium and many more at home had to patiently wait for more than an hour before the first try was scored. However, the match definitely lived up to its reputation for physical intensity. The first half was full of hard hits and tough battles, with players from both teams giving it their all, leading to a heated brawl that resulted in two players being sent off temporarily. Despite a strong effort from Queensland, New South Wales eventually took control and secured the win in the last 15 minutes of the game.

The coach of New South Wales, Michael Maguire, expressed his joy and pride in winning the shield during his debut Origin series. He described the moment as "amazing" and "extraordinary", emphasizing how special it was to achieve victory alongside his players. Maguire also commended the team's exceptional defensive performance, saying it was one of the best he has experienced, as they managed to prevent Queensland from scoring.

The turning point occurred when Bradman Best, at the center position, scored the first try after a quick run by Jarome Luai. He managed to hold off Dane Gagai and push Kalyn Ponga across the line. This was a big moment for Best, who was playing in only his second Origin game and was a last-minute replacement for Latrell Mitchell. After scoring, he jumped up, shouting in triumph with his mouth wide open as blood dripped from a cut on his lip.

Even though New South Wales kept up the pressure throughout the match, they were unable to score. Despite this, Best was not worried. He knew the team just had to keep up the pressure and eventually they would come out on top. And that's exactly what happened as they walked away with the win.

The win completely changed the previous trend of the Maroons always winning in the final games, and it was only the Blues' sixth win out of 23 games. Their performance at Lang Park was even worse, and this win on Wednesday was their first victory in a final game at that stadium since 2005.

However, it was unfortunate that one team had to be the loser in the end. The Blues showed their excellence in the first half of the second match of Origin football, but both teams performed well in the deciding game.

Queensland coach Billy Slater expressed that he was not disappointed with the performance of his players. He mentioned that although the team was defeated, it didn't feel like a loss to him.

In the first half of the game, the only points scored were from a penalty by Val Holmes right before the whistle blew. It was a tough and intense 40 minutes with lots of big hits, strong defense, and even a fight that led to Jeremiah Nanai and Cam Murray being sent off temporarily. Haumole Olakau’atu, a reserve player for the Blues, was so involved in the chaos that he was kicked out of the game while wearing a fancy blue jacket and pants.

The fight started when Luai and Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans confronted each other after a physical altercation. Cherry-Evans expressed his pride in his teammates for not hesitating to intervene and for showing him love and support. However, he believed that Murray should have been ejected from the game, not just temporarily sidelined. "I strongly believe that behavior is unacceptable in any level of football," the halfback stated.

In the first half, Tom Dearden, the Maroons' five-eighth, was heavily involved in the game. He made a crucial tackle on Liam Martin, causing the ball to be dislodged, and later prevented Zac Lomax from scoring a try. Dearden also made a clean break with a dummy halfway through the half, but unfortunately, he didn't have any support from his teammates.

Next to Dearden, who moved quickly to stop a risky ball near the goal line towards the end of the first half, was the surprising presence of prop Lindsay Collins. His hard work symbolized the impressive performance from the Maroons in the first half, especially from the forwards. Despite the Blues having 57% of possession and controlling the field, the home team managed to keep the opponents from scoring.

New South Wales picked up where they left off in the second half and quickly advanced into Maroons territory. A surprising choice to go for a goal from a penalty on the sideline - which Lomax successfully scored - emphasized the close competition in the exciting match.

The game was tied 2-2 and back and forth action continued on the field. With thirty minutes left, Ponga made his appearance, thrilling the fans at Suncorp Stadium. Unfortunately, fans were disappointed as they were unable to witness Ponga and fullback Reece Walsh working together. Ben Hunt and Grant went in a different direction in the attack, allowing New South Wales to regain possession after a dropout. Just as the Maroons seemed poised to set up a play with Ponga and Walsh, Reece Robson committed a penalty, resulting in the score being 4-2.

Suddenly, the Blues scored their first try and Lomax added another from the sideline, bringing the score to 8-4. With only 14 minutes left in the game, the Blues were on the verge of achieving a significant victory at Lang Park in rugby league.

Mitchell Moses, who had to leave the game early due to what looked like a bad bicep injury, sealed the win by scoring a try on his own shortly after. When he got the ball from Connor Watson, he dodged Grant and got past Walsh to score. The team quickly joined him to celebrate in front of the lone section of blue supporters in the otherwise red and maroon-filled stadium. Queensland tried to make a comeback by moving the ball quickly towards the end, but the Blues stayed strong and managed to secure one of the most memorable victories in Origin history.

Angus Crichton, a player for the Blues team, received the Wally Lewis medal for being the best player of the series. This was a special achievement for him as he had been dealing with a recent bipolar diagnosis and started the year in reserve grade. Coach Maguire praised his resilience, saying that Crichton's comeback from adversity was impressive and a true testament to his character.