With Queensland one game up in the three-game series, round two headed for the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane as the excitement reached fever pitch for the second game of the 2023 State of Origin series.
The coaches each made four changes to their line-ups with Maroons Billy Slater adding AJ Brimson, Jeremiah Nanai, Moeaki Fotuaika and Xavier Coates to his side, Brad Fittler drafting in Damien Cook, Mitchell Moses, Reece Robson and Stefano Utoikamanu into his seventeen. But it was the absentees this time which were of most note with Arrow, Cobbo and Dearden missing out for Queensland while Cleary, Hynes, Koroisau and Pangai Junior were all out for the Blues.
Queensland were narrow favourites with the bookies to get the series win, with a four-point handicap on the coupon, but most neutrals were hoping for a Blues win to take the series into an exciting third game.
Tom Trbojevic was an early casualty, leaving the field with just under three minutes on the clock clutching his shoulder, the Blues forced into an early re-organisation.
The Maroons hit the from on nine minutes when the defence failed to deal with a Daly Cherry-Evans cross field- kick, Valentine Holmes grounding the ball after it was knocked into goal by the Blues defence. Holmes was unable to add the conversion to his own try. New South Wales already looking second best.
But rather than capitulate, the Blue redoubled their efforts and enjoyed a good spell of possession and position although they couldn´t breach the line.
On thirty-three Queensland were in again after a dubious forward pass from David Fifita to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow went unseen by the officials, but a good final pass out to Murray Taulagi set the winger free to go on from five metres and improve the angle to score behind the sticks. Holmes added the conversion for a 10-0 lead.
Once again Queensland had sprinted into a ten-point lead, but this time they didn´t let New South Wales back into the game before half time. New South Wales needed a sensational second half to save the series.
Queensland struck a hammer blow on forty-two with a fast hand move from the centre of the field to the right wing with Holmes taking possession ten put and sprinting to the line to score with a full-length dive into the corner. Once again, he was on target with the boot, Queensland into a 16-0 lead.
The fourth Queensland try put the result beyond doubt when Tabuai-Fidow chased a Taulagi dink over the top ad snatched it from the hands of a lacklustre Addo-Carr tackle to ground. Holmes hit the near upright with the conversion attempt, Queensland 20-0 ahead.
New South Wales grabbed one back on fifty-seven, and the thinnest of lifelines, by keeping the ball alive. They rode their luck with a quality pick-up and pass from Jarome Luai finding Damien Cook who found a route through a broken Maroons defence to score by the left upright. Stephen Crichton added the conversion, the margin back to fourteen points.
The hope lasted just seven minutes before the Maroons were in again for their fifth of the evening. Great hands created the space for Reece Walsh to find Coates to score another spectacular flying effort in the corner. Holmes curled his kick in between the uprights from the touchline for 26-6.
A towering Cam Munster kick on seventy-four was again fumbled in goal by the NSW defence with Jeremiah Nanai being the first to react and ground the loose ball. Holmes hit the mark for the fourth time in the game for a 32-6 final score.
With twenty seconds of the game remaining a mass brawl broke out inside the Queensland twenty. In the fracas Josh Addo-Carr threw a punch and was sin-binned by referee Klein. After taking reports the referee then dismissed Jerome Luai and Reece Walsh for head-butts. It was an ill-tempered ending to a one-sided game which had nevertheless been played with passion by both sides.
It was a series win for Queensland with a game to spare, retaining the trophy after winning it from New South Wales in 2022. They have set up the opportunity for a first 3-0 series win since they did it in 2010, when the sides meet again on the 12th July in Sydney. Valentine Holmes had a great evening with the hands and the boot but skipper Cherry-Evans was the boss in midfield, controlling the game, and tormenting his opponents. Queensland put in some massive defensive stints to deny and frustrate the Blues and force the errors.
Queensland: Walsh (SO on 79), Coates (T), Holmes (2T, 4G), Tabuai-Fidow (T), Taulagi (T), Munster, Cherry-Evans, Fa’asuamaleaui, Hunt, Flegler, Fifita, Cotter, Carrigan. Subs: Collins, Nanai (T), Grant, Fotuaika. 18th Man: Brimson.
New South Wales: Tedesco J, To’o, Crichton, Trbojevic, Addo-Carr (SB on 79), Luai (SO on 79), Moses, Paulo, Robson, Haas, Frizell, Young, Yeo. Subs: Cook (T), Utoikamanu, Murray, Martin. 18th Man: Burton.
Half-Time: 10-0.
Full-Time: 32-6.
Score Progression: 4-0, 8-0, 10-0 : HT: 14-0, 16-0, 20-0, 20-4, 20-6, 24-6, 26-6, 30-6, 32-6, (SB), (SO), (SO) : FT.
Lead Exchanges: Queensland.
Referee: Ashey Klein.
Attendance: 52,433.
