Queensland 18-14 New South Wales: Maroons go 1-0 up in 2019's State of Origin
By Michael Cantillon
Last Updated: 05/06/19 3:47pm
Queensland came from 8-0 behind to win 18-14 against New South Wales and go 1-0 up in the 38th State of Origin series in front of a home crowd at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
A Nathan Cleary penalty and superbly taken Josh Morris try after a fabulous James Tedesco step in the build-up left the Blues 8-0 ahead at half-time.
Twice Queensland were denied scores in the first half - Corey Oates for a foot in touch and Dylan Napa with the Video Ref deducing a loss of control while grounding.
Queensland started the second half in command though and Oates would not be denied a try on the night as he finished spectacularly in the corner on 53 minutes after a superb interchange between Kalyn Ponga and Felise Kaufusi created the opening.
Just minutes after that, Tedesco produced a try-saving piece of defensive play as he got under Michael Morgan to hold the ball up in-goal and deny Queensland a second try.
Latrell Mitchell was sin-binned just shy of the hour mark for a professional foul which stopped a certain try for Matt Gillett - the Blues player tackling the Maroon before he could take the ball on top of the try-line - though the Video Ref controversially did not award a penalty try.
Ponga levelled things up from a penalty soon after and though the home side butchered two clear overlaps during the bin period, Dane Gagai intercepted a Jack Wighton pass to run the full length of the field and score.
Gagai finished brilliantly in the corner to score his second try with nine minutes left - his 11th in 11 Origin games - having taken in a wonderful Ponga left-hand pass.
Though Jake Trbojevic scored a late try to bring New South Wales back to within four points, Queensland had done enough to take victory.
State of Origin II takes place at Perth's Optus Stadium on Sunday June 23, live on Sky Sports, with New South Wales noq requiring victory to force a decider in a bid to defend their title.
Game III then takes place on Wednesday July 10 at Sydney's ANZ Stadium, also live on Sky Sports.
"We could have been going in at 18-8," Queensland's Daly Cherry-Evans said of the half-time score. "Things didn't go our way. We wanted to play an attacking style of football that worked in the first half."
"For a winger you want them to be able to do all the tough stuff," Cherry-Evans added. "His [Gagai] carries were fantastic."
The winner of the first game has gone on to win 27 of the past 37 series, including eight of the past 10. The second Origin match is scheduled for June 23 in Perth, with the third July 10 in Sydney.
Queensland coach Kevin Walters' team contained seven changes from the side that beat New South Wales 18-12 in the last match of last year's series. New South Wales coach Brad Fittler named five new caps but included 11 players from the squad that won last year's series.
"Obviously we're hugely disappointed," Fittler said. "We thought we should have been better from the point of view of working together in defense. If anything that let us down."
