NSW Blues beat Queensland Maroons: State of Origin 2024 Game 3 ...

Thank you for joining me tonight for yet another demonstration of why State of Origin is the pinnacle of Australian sport. The series got off to a slow start, but it finished at a rollicking pace. Roll on next year.

I’ll leave you with Jake Snape’s match report from Suncorp Stadium and encourage you to keep your eyes peeled for more reaction in the coming days.

The Blues assemble, the trophy is hoisted aloft, and Suncorp Stadium can do nothing but accept the sight of delighted New South Welshmen cheering into the night sky.

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Jake Trbojevic, a somewhat unlikely victorious NSW skipper, looks bashful in front of the microphone, but he gets through his work before Peter V’landys hands over the State of Origin shield.

Daly Cherry-Evans, who was excellent tonight, says what he has to as the defeated captain. “It’s not our year this year, boys, but that’s footy.”

The Roosters forward was on the outer just a few months ago, but he has capped a stunning return to form with the Player of the Series honour. “Boys it’s coming home!” he belts into the microphone on the presentation dais. “Chickawoo!”*

*I think that’s what he said. Happy to be corrected.

“The code wars are a big thing in Australia but as an a English kid who grew up playing soccer in Melbourne I just don’t understand how anyone, no matter what sport they follow most closely, can say anything other than Origin just always delivers,” emails Lee Carney. “What entertainment.”

Hear hear Lee. Year after year, almost without fail, it is the best sport on the Australian calendar. For 65 minutes tonight there were only three penalty goals on the scoreboard, but it was still unremittingly brilliant entertainment.

Dylan Edwards is named Player of the Match. “I definitely didn’t expect that,” remarks the surprised Panther. “We had a great bunch of boys that really ripped in tonight. We came to work and do our state proud and our families proud. We did that.”

“We were caught in the blocks from the start,” laments a despondent Harry Grant.

Bradman Best is the first player interviewed on TV, he does so with about one eighth of his top lip missing. The camera operator zooms in tight on the gore. “I haven’t seen it but I definitely felt it,” Best offers.

There is no harder task in rugby league than beating Queensland at Lang Park, and NSW have done just that. And deservedly so.

“It does not get any better,” delights Andrew Johns.

New South Wales beat Queensland at Suncorp Stadium. The Blues are the 2024 State of Origin champions!

79 mins: NSW complete their set just five metres from Queensland’s line. It’s now or never for the Maroons.

78 mins: On tackle one DCE kicks to the right corner! It’s a menacing bouncing bomb but NSW secure the loose ball and Best runs it clear. It was an all-or-nothing play but no dice for Queensland.

But wait. There’s a challenge on the play. The bunker is checking if Luai interfered with Walsh’s run and possibly conceded a penalty try!

Nothing doing. Blues fans, you can breathe.

77 mins: Again the Maroons opt for chaos theory but DCE Then Tabuai-Fidow lose their footing. DCE is then wrapped up by his old sparring partner Luai, and the Panther fancies afters. More chaos: Moses is led off the field with a dead right arm. Tabuai-Fidow can’t bend down to pick up the loose ball, but Stephen Crichton knocks it on!

76 mins: Martin drops a chest pass on tackle four! Queensland will feed a scrum on their own 20m line with time running out.

75 mins: Maroon markers are AWOL as Blues runners surge through the ruck time and again. The pain of the opening half is starting to tell and Queensland look ready to drop. But they’re not beaten quite yet. Tabuai-Fidow tries to run out of defence, then there’s chaos footy for a set as the home side try desperately to keep the ball alive. NSW don’t lose their heads and defend sensibly. Unlike Cobbo, who brings Edwards down in the air as he marks the set-ending kick. The Blues are on the cusp of a historic victory.

73 mins: “Queenslander!” urge the crowd, but their heroes are knackered. DCE tries to introduce his runners into the game but NSW have the bit between their teeth and crunch anything that gets within reach.

71 mins: Queensland go for the short restart but Stephen Crichton wins the ball in the air and returns it with interest! It takes a despairing Walsh effort to haul him down. A set restart soon follows. The Blues can smell blood in the water. Barnett, then Yeo, then Watson, all drive at the tiring home defence. Another set restart! Queensland are on the ropes accepting blow after blow. Can they survive long enough to reach the bell and go again? Just! Watson loses the ball in contact and the Maroons survvie, for now.

It’s a straightforward set off the penalty for the Blues but with Queensland waiting for Moses to offload or kick, the halfback steps to his left, inside Grant, away from Tabuai-Fidow, and his momentum sees him weave past Walsh like a zephyr of smoke. Brilliant individual try.

Lomax doesn’t miss from the touchline, he isn’t going to fluff his lines from under the dot.

Dam burst, Moses parts the Maroon sea and wins the 2024 State of Origin for New South Wales.

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68 mins: And now Watson earns a penalty straight from the restart. All the pressure suddenly tilts towards Queensland.

67 mins: “This is the pinnacle of rugby league” purrs Andrew Johns. Bloody oath it is.

AND OPEN UP THEY DO! Angus Crichton, then Watson, both find scruffy offloads. Luai feasts on the scraps, dashes through the line and into open space. Is there support? YES! Bradman Best storms up on Luai’s left shoulder, hugging the whitewash. The Panther slows his pace, finds the pass, Best holds on – only just – and manages to both catch the ball and hold off his defender in the same motion, before barrelling his way into the left corner. An all-time legendary NSW Origin moment.

From the left touchline Lomax drills his second magnificent goal of the night.

64 mins: Fotuaika leads the charge from the restart, his second powerful run in quick succession. Grant then buys 10 yards sniping from dummy half. By the time Walsh launches a bomb he’s on halfway – and Tabuai-Fidow marks it on the run! But he can’t offload and is tackled on the 20m line. NSW will have to begin their grind from deep. Brad Fittler on the telly wants the Blues to begin to open up…

From point blank range Holmes kicks the home side back in front.

62 mins: Queensland begin to attack down the right but DCE slips over. Back to the left and Ponga accepts the offload like an NFL running back in motion behind the line of scrimmage. Grant, the big time truffle pig, snuffles the play-the-ball and milks a high tackle from Robson under the crossbar. In a game of so few scores, this could be pivotal.

60 mins: And another penalty – this time for ruck interference. Mercifully, NSW challenge the decision, allowing everyone a breather. The challenge is unsuccessful, but it gives everyone a clear 20 minute warning.

59 mins: This has stopped being sport and is now a hallucination. Both teams are spent but somehow finding reserves of energy to keep going at full speed. They are all red lining. Moses kicks to the right corner and this time the leaping Lomax beats Holmes in the air but he can’t offload on his way down. There’s a deflection off a Queenslander but it’s not pinged as a knock-on. Shortly afterwards Robson goes too high. Both groups consider another melee, but everyone’s too fatigued.

57 mins: Edwards has been excellent and he almost makes a crucial break – then Best – covered in blood like a Hyena stalking a carcass. Queensland resist and the wounded Walsh accepts another massive pounding running the ball out from fullback.

55 mins: Back to the arm-wrestle either side of halfway, but just as a pattern threatens to set in there’s a set restart and Queensland can mount an attack. “QUEENSLANDER!” bellows the crowd as DCE feeds Ponga for his first entry to the line. NSW defend down the left so Queensland spread to the right. There are bodies littering the field like spent shotgun shells. Structure has left the stadium. And Grant fails to read the situation, grubbering straight into his marker and gifting NSW possession.

53 mins: Queensland enjoy some rare attacking possession and probe their way to the 10m line. DCE then kicks a bendy grubber through the posts that forces a line dropout. And for the second time tonight Luai nails the execution, a blue jersey is up for the tap back and another New South Welshman is first on the ground to scoop up the shrapnel.