QLD vs. NSW, Game One, 2006

A crowd of 77,712 was on hand at a recently revamped Suncorp Stadium to see Queensland open the 2006/2007 defence of their State of Origin trophy aganst a New South Wales side determined to return the trophy south of the border after its first absence since 2000. Even heavy rain and winds couldn't deter a Queensland record crowd who were hoping a side full of new faces could get the job done.

Queensland New South Wales
1 Milton Thaidy 1 Brett Hodgson
2 Lote Tuqiri 2 Trent Pariah
3 Paul Bowman © 3 Jamie Lyon
4 Steve Bell 4 Mark Gasnier
5 Rhys Wesser 5 Luke MacDougall
6 Johnathan Thurston 6 Trent Barrett
7 Mat Rogers 7 Andrew Johns ©
8 Petero Civoniceva 8 Jason Ryles
9 Dallas Johnson 9 Danny Buderus
10 Danny Nutley 10 Mark O'Meley
11 Cordy Mathers 11 Nathan Hindmarsh
12 David Stagg 12 Craig Fitzgibbon
13 Damien Fields 13 Ben Kennedy
++Interchange
14 Carl Webb 14 Craig Wing
15 Shane Webcke 15 Luke Bailey
16 Daniel Wagon 16 Willie Mason
17 Scott Prince 17 Trent Waterhouse

Queensland scored first points in the 4th minute of play, debutant Damien Fields converting a penalty for a high tackle from Jason Ryles on David Stagg into an early 2-0 advantage for the home fans. Fields, who was raised in the Northern Territory, looked clearly delighted to have scored his first points at Origin level and had to wait just four minutes for another opportunity, this time a conversation attempt following Steve Bell's try. The try came from a well weighted grubbed from Mat Rogers, which Bell was on hand to ground despite the attentions of Brett Hodgson and Sunshine Coast debutant, Luke MacDougall. Fields again threaded the eye of the needle, and the Maroons had a solid 8-0 lead and were matching the clock.

NSW used defence to lay the foundation for their first try, limited Queensland to just six metres gain in the next set of six. Queensland's clearing kick dribbled into touch just over the halfway line, and New South Wales had won an ideal launching pad for their first real attack on the Queensland line. Wollongong's Brett Hodgson did the job for his team, cutting through some lazy defence and sprinting away from the cover defence to score New South Wales' first try. Hodgson ignored the support of Trent Pariah on the inside, and may well have lived to regret it after Pariah failed to convert from out wide. 8-4 after ten minutes of play.

Damien Fields further extended Queensland's lead with another penalty goal in the 17th minute, this time for a rather innocuous call of offside against the NSW defence. Fields' dream debut jumped up a notch when he further added to his personal tally in the 32nd minute - the Port Macquarie utility collecting his own impromptu chip, dummying past Hodgson, and racing away untouched in a moment of pure Queensland exuberance. Fields' conversion took the score out to 16-4 in favour of the home side, and the unheralded star received a standing ovation from a predominantly Queensland crowd.

Celebrations were short lived, however, Luke Bailey able to get his state back into the conflict when he scored in the 35th minute of play. Good defence was again the catalyst, pressure forcing the Queensland kick to go to a resting Hindmarsh behind the line. Bailey's effort was pure strength, muscling across the line despite the best efforts of Thurston and Webb. Pariah this time converted, and the defecit was six at 16-10.

HALFTIME: Queensland 16 lead NSW 10

An equaliser came after just ninety seconds of play in the second half, and again it was Luke Bailey getting across the line - a rare front-rower's double scored in similar fashion to his first. A forward pass in the opening set of the half had granted NSW the opportunity, and Pariah's conversion erased the lead built largely by a recently substituted Damien Fields.

Queensland's forwards enjoyed a period of rare domination following the try, with debutant Cordy Mathers easily the best on show with a number of rampaging line breaks the likes of which it was usually left to Gorden Tallis or Willie Mason to make. Despite this, it was New South Wales hitting the lead for the first time in the game in the 57th minute when Jason Ryles continued a front row assault from the Blues with a try of his own. Ryles was on hand to collect an offlload from Johns in traffic, going across virtually untouched in testament to the miracle pass. Pariah again converted, and somehow the Blues were leading 22-16.

Scores were again level in the 72nd minute, Jonathan Thurston's try sending the crowd into uproar with just eight minutes remaining. Like Fields' try in the first half, Thurston's was a piece of individual brilliance against the run of play. Intercepting a pass on his own thirty, Thurston broke free from a MacDougall tackle and kicked long for the chase of speedsters like Wesser or Tuqiri. Cover from Hodgson picked up the loose ball, but a brutal tackle from Thurston jarred the ball lose and into the in goal. A foot-race between Gasnier and Thurston ensued, and it was the Brisbane Bulls' star who wanted it more. Fields continued a faultless night and the conversion had things set for a grandstand finish.

In fitting fashion for an epic game, the decisive try came in the dying seconds of the game, with just eighty seconds remaining on the clock. Luke Bailey capped off a remarkable night of try-scoring with his third try, this time found hiding out wide by a bullet pass from Craig Wing in dummy half. Despite a standing start, Bailey was more than enough to palm off Rhys Wesser and plant it in the corner. Salt to the wounds came from Pariah's conversion, and despite a quickly taken short kick off, Queensland were unable to find the equaliser needed for extra time. New South Wales had won a remarkable game, 28-22.

FULLTIME

Queensland 22
Steve Bell
Jonathan Thurston
Damien Fields
Fields 5/5

lost to

New South Wales 28
Luke Bailey 3
Jason Ryles
Brett Hodgson
Pariah 4/5

MAN OF THE MATCH: Cordy Mathers (QLD)
2..............Luke Bailey (NSW)
1..............Craig Fitzgibbon (NSW)

Pariah?

Not even the legendary Cordy Mathers couldn't help Queensland. No doubt the mighty Queenslanders are going to come back in game 2.

Btw. is Maunder still coaching Queensland, because I'd still be interested in coaching the Maroons if Maunder or no one else is currently

Since when did I lose the trophy last year?

I won the series.

join the line.

My bad, Mick. Was getting my years mixed up. It was the year prior to your success that saw Queensland win the series

As for the Queensland coaching role, Matt Lyons' excellent record at QLD City/QLD Country and North QLD/South QLD level makes him the first choice candidate (especially given Maunder's own recommendation). Matt, you've got the unenviable task of winning two straight to take the plate.

Cheers Chris, if anything I'm looking forward to the challenege of getting the State of Origin shield north of the border.

Hey Micky you want to give me a hand and be the assistant coach of Queensland?

sounds ok to me

pm with your ideas of how that can work

Chris is the next State of Origin Match this week coming up or the week after that?

Yeah whats happening. I saw there was two results of the state of origin in the results posted with the formies