This was published 8 years ago
JUST listening to Billy Slater break down on air at fulltime. Another six-star spectacle of athleticism, bravery, pathos and drama. We had some technical difficulties tonight and I had to hand over the reigns to the great Matt Bungard in the second half. He did a great job, right?? See you in three weeks. You know the drill: podcast here book here autoplay below.
QUEENSLAND coach Kevin Walters is unsure if talisman Johnathan Thurston will be fit for Origin III - captain Cameron Smith reckoned JT "went through hell" to play.
Asked about the seriousness of a shoulder injury to the no.6, Walters said: "I'm not sure. We'll have to let our medical staff look at that."
Paying tribute to Thurston, hooker Smith said: "He's got every joint in his body strapped up tonight. He's a warrior. He got a couple of knocks at training this week. I don't know how he keeps getting up for these matches. His body's not 100 per cent but he just finds a way.
"As good as the performance was from everyone tonight, the play that got us the win was the goalkick. I couldn't hear myself think. We score that try to level it up. I said to him 'you're the best - go and kick it'.
"He's pretty banged up. I don't think I've played a game over the last six to eight years where he hasn't been knocked up afterwards. He's playing 300 games at the weekend. I'm sure he went through Hell tonight to play for the team but that's what great players do."
NEW South Wales captain Boyd Cordner believes the Blues blew the chance to seal their second Origin title in 12 years.
"Queensland took their opportunities but at the end of the day we beat ourselves and that's the disappointing thing," said Sydney Roosters' Cordner.
"We gave them too much cheap ball. They make you pay like they did tonight. It's so disappointing to work so hard ... to get beat like that, it hurts.
"We went away from it (our game) and it wasn't us."
But the Blues remain confident of sealing the series in Brisbane on July 12. "That's the beauty of winning game one," said Cordner. "How we played up there, we know we can get it done. Let it burn, let it hurt and then get over it."
Superb fightback from the Maroons, who have forced a game three at Suncorp on July 12th.
THE 2017 State of Origin series is headed for a decider after Queensland secured a stunning victory after trailing by 10 at halftime, with an injured Johnathan Thurston leading the way.
The Blues looked destined for their second series victory in 12 years before Kevin Walters' Maroons pulled out a performance for the ages. Twin tries to winger Dane Gagai, the second with just three minutes remaining and each converted by Thurston, did the job.
The Blues have gone from supreme confidence to facing a massive task to win the decider in Brisbane three weeks from now.
COMMENT: As a spectacle, Origin rarely lets you down; pure guts from the Maroons in face of significant adversity and the sort of game that will enshrine the institution for years to come.
Smith kicks it long and Teddy takes it on the full! 30 seconds to go, 60 metres to go..
High kick to the corner and the future Rabbitohs takes it cleanly! They may not get another set!
Ferguson comes up with it. Two to go!
It starts out to the right and goes through!!!! 18-16 Maroons!
Unbelievable. They swing it right, Slater ghosts across the field and finds Michael Morgan who goes halfway through a gap before flicking it out to his winger, who dives over the stripe! Kick from out wide to perhaps win it coming up!