Queensland looked down and out for the count but again once they found a way to sink New South Wales on Wednesday night.
The Maroons mustered another miracle victory after trailing with seven minutes left on the clock and a man in the bin.
Now Blues coach Brad Fittler must pick up the pieces ahead of Game 2 at Suncorp Stadium and they’ll need to create history to win the series from here.
NSW have never won Game 2 in Brisbane and gone on to win a decider.
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So where did it all go wrong in Adelaide?Read on for the biggest talking points out of the State of Origin opener.
‘Careful’ – Slater gets cheeky with DCE | 00:37
BILLY’S BRUTAL SELECTION CALLS VINDICATED
Queensland coach Billy Slater rolled the dice big time when he opted to pick Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow over Dane Gagai and debutant Reece Walsh over Kalyn Ponga.
But it ended up being a masterstroke for the Maroons.
Gagai had played 22 games for Queensland since making his debut in 2015. He has a reputation for lifting to another level whenever he pulls on a Maroons jersey and is a former recipient of the Wally Lewis Medal.
But Slater went for Tabuai-Fidow in the centres, who is a fullback at club level.
‘The Hammer’ shut down any doubts over his selection with a dominant performance while marking up on Tom Trbojevic.
Tabuai-Fidow scored two tries — one that gave Queensland the lead with seven minutes to go — and ran for 111 metres. He also made 17 tackles with zero misses.
“I can’t explain the feeling,” a beaming Tabuai-Fidow told Channel 9 after the game.
“If there was anyone else other than Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow on the end of it, it’s not a try,” Cooper Cronk said about Tabuai-Fidow’s thrilling second try.
“He dropped the accelerator, beat (Josh) Addo-Carr and then swerved past (James) Tedesco like he wasn’t there.
“A hell of a finish from a guy that was playing out of position and then come up with a clutch play to win it.”
Corey Parker added: “I thought he carried the ball strong out of his back end, I thought he was looking for work to alleviate some of the pressure off the middle forwards, defensively held his hands up great — he had a terrific game.”
Slater delivers passionate QLD speech | 01:13
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Slater said “I’m not surprised with how Hammer played tonight” before also finding praise for Walsh, who was another contentious selection.
Walsh finished with 83 running metres, two linebreak assists and a peach of a pass to set up Selwyn Cobb.
“The young lad at fullback, he’s got so much substance to his game outside the highlights,” Slater said.
“We all love watching Reece Walsh pull the trigger on a pass, or blistering speed or his involvement in the game. But he’s building a foundation to his game that’s going to hold him in good stead for a long period of time and that’s what I’ve seen and that’s what I’ve liked and that’s why he’s here.
“He’s a quality player, he’s a good young man and he’s got a big future ahead of him.”
Walsh was another selection call that some fans and pundits questioned given what Ponga has produced for Queensland at fullback.”
Slater was confident Walsh was the right player for the No.1 jersey — and was proved right.
“I think we’ve got to give Slater a bit of a rap here,” Cooper Cronk said.
“While people probably would’ve said pick Kalyn (Ponga), pick Gagai… Tonight he’s gone with Reece Walsh. Someone questioned the selection and he said ‘have you seen Walsh play?’ he delivered tonight, Walsh.
“Billy again, to put Hamiso up against Tom Trbojevic and for him to hit the scoreboard with two tries — you’ve got to give Slater a lot of credit.”
NRL clubs will be closely watching Slater’s blistering start to his coaching career and his ability to work with young talent.
Slater has been touted as a future Storm head coach, but Queensland Rugby League chief executive Ben Ikin is keen to extend his Maroons contract, which expires this year, as soon as possible.
Cronk’s brutal assessment of NSW defence | 01:41
PANTHERS COMBOS A BLUES SILVER LINING
The Blues had no less than seven players on Wednesday night who starred together for the Panthers in the 2022 NRL grand final last October.
It played a big part in NSW coach selecting Api Koroisau at hooker and Jarome Luai at five-eighth, and the Penrith combinations shone through in Game 1.
Luai threw a beautiful ball to his Panthers teammate Liam Martin for the Blues’ first try, Koroisau scored the second, and the initial duo combined again for the third.
Nathan Cleary put up a cross-field kick that Martin batted back to Luai who then four another premiership-winning teammate in Stephen Crichton who scored.
Former Blues hooker Mick Ennis was asked after the game if the Fittler needed to change his halves pairing of Luai and Cleary.
“No we don’t. It was a great game of footy and with 10 minutes to go we were ahead 18-16, to Queensland’s credit they found a way through,” Ennis said.
“Look, it’s Game 1, that combination between Koriosau, Cleary and Luai has won two premierships in the past two years, so I don’t think we need to make changes.
“There’s no doubt the attack at times certainly can improve, there’s no doubt about that.
“I think they just go back and have a look at their attack and build up to Game 2. They scored 10 points in Game 1 last year and came back in Game 2 and put 44 points on.”
Queensland legend Cooper Cronk agreed with Ennis and said the only thing NSW need to change is their tactics.
“I wouldn’t be making any changes. The fact that Koroisau, Yeo, Luai and Cleary. The only thing they should change, is they played too many players back underneath,” Cronk said.
“Cleary was dropping Frizell off, dropping Martin off, a lot of change of direction.
“The one try they scored that was very good was a straight line run from Martin on the left-hand side. The connection between those Penrith guys needs to improve, they need to play more straight and direct, but I would not be changing.”
New South Wales Blues Press Conference | 05:24
WAS HYNES WASTED ON THE BENCH?
When Nicho Hynes was named to make his Origin debut off the bench there was a lot of questions over how he’d be used.
The reigning Dally M medallist was rugged up in a big jacket until the 68th minute when he was thrown into the game at right centre to replace Tom Trbojevic, who suffered a head knock.
To Hynes’ credit he was solid while playing out of position — making a potential try-saving tackle on Murray Taulagi in the final 10 minutes.
Coach Brad Fittler revealed in the lead-up to the game that Hynes would be used at hooker, but Api Koroisau punched out 80 minutes with ease, scoring a try and making 42 tackles.
It was purely an injury that opened the door for Hynes’ injection.
But Queensland legend Cooper Cronk believes there could’ve been another way to use the superstar playmaker.
“Just because one team does a tandom dummy-half role, doesn’t mean you have to,” Cronk said in Fox League’s post-Origin coverage.
“The thing about Nicho Hynes is there’s something there, it’s a bit specialist that role because you’ve just got to wait for a moment to get him on. But maybe you can force that hand earlier.
“You wouldn’t expect (Queensland hookers) Ben Hunt and Harry Grant to defend well for long periods but they do so maybe there’s something where Hynes can be injected into the game.
“After 12-10 in the second half, Api Koroisau gets you to the lead, Fittler’s probably thinking ‘we need our best defensive team — that’s not Nicho Hynes.’
“But sometimes you might need a little bit of injection when Selwyn Cobbo goes over, maybe that’s the time to get him on there and throw caution to the wind and get more expansive play going.”
Parker & Ennis CLASH over Blues halves | 03:14
DO QUEENSLAND ‘GET’ ORIGIN MORE THAN NSW?
Nothing enrages NSW players – past and present – more than the claim that their Queensland rivals care more about their State of Origin jersey.
But another backs-to-the-wall win only adds fuel to the argument that when the going gets tough, the Maroons get going and the Blues go to water.
Queensland were behind with seven minutes left, had a man in the bin and several players injured, but still somehow found a way to win as NSW lost from a seemingly unlosable position.
Former Maroons star Corey Parker said it was the latest example of “that Queensland spirit” that once again got the underdogs home.
“They were down a man, two wingers off the field… that Queensland spirit, it’s a catchphrase that anyone south of the border will hate at the moment but Queensland just weren’t willing to say no,” Parker said.
“They did not accept no for an answer and the Queenslanders just found a way to win. It was an incredible victory and will go down as one of the best victories in a Queensland jersey.
“Billy Slater and his troops, after the back of what we saw in Game 3, to back up that performance tonight was outstanding.”
‘NO WAY’ Flegler binned as Hynes enters | 00:53
TEDDY’S NIGHTMARE AND BOLTER’S SHOCKER
Blues captain James Tedesco was picked for Game 1 on reputation, not form, and he did little to silence the critics on Wednesday night.
Tedesco was solid in the first half but when the game was on the line he produced two crucial errors that handed Queensland the win.
First he slipped over as the last line of defence which allowed Maroons centre Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to score the go-ahead try in the 73rd minute.
Then with the game still in the balance, he was outleapt by prop and Roosters teammate Lindsay Collins who came down with the ball and put Cameron Munster over for the sealer.
It seems unfathomable to say just six months after Tedesco captained Australia to World Cup glory, but if his form doesn’t improve and Queensland wins Game 2, his spot will be in question for Game 3.
Meanwhile, Hudson Young had a debt to forget.
Blues bolter with a chequered past promised to keep things in check in Wednesday night – he didn’t.
The Raiders backrower tried to get his hands on the ball early without success but was involved in an early melee with Daly Cherry-Evans.
Young went after the Queensland captain against just minutes later and then gave away a penalty that led to the Maroons’ second try.
NSW are light on backrowers at the moment which is the only reason Young is any chance of keeping his jersey for Game 2.
Obscure extra man penalty tests QLD! | 00:52
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