Key events
51 mins: NSW Continue to push, expanding to the left after good work through the middle by Crichton and Tedesco, but Tabuai-Fidow takes a strong mark to defuse the threat and then Grant turns consolidation into attack with a trademark snipe from dummy-half.
49 mins: But, but, but, but…always a but. Despite all the intensity, field position, and momentum, there are errors. Olakau’atu coughs up possession 20m from home and Queensland can regroup.
48 mins: NSW have been on top for the past 25 minutes, either side of half-time. Queensland need to be careful here. But they’re not. First Coates is drilled into the turf by Martin – who lets him know about it. Then Holmes is mauled by four New South Welshmen and drops the ball! This is stirring stuff from the home side. the 13-man Maroons are rattled.
TRY! NSW 10-20 Queensland (Lomax, 45)
Is the comeback on? NSW have monopolised the ball all half and they’re finally rewarded. It’s another directionless set from the Blues deep in attacking territory, but on the last Luai benefits from a grubber that bounces back his way. Hynes takes another kick, this time high to the right corner – and Lomax leaps with spring heels to soar over the flat-footed Cobbo, catch, and drop over the line. Scintillating wing play from the Dragon.
Hynes misses the touchline conversion.
43 mins: No chances with the drop-out from DCE, so NSW attack from halfway. It’s not slick though with momentum stalling in midfield then another critical pass going astray down the right. But Crichton doesn’t give up – stripping Carrigan one-on-one and the Blues are back on the attack! Queensland are lucky they have the man advantage because they have been below par for long periods.
41 mins: Leniu takes the first carry of the half. He’s been among NSW’s best. It’s a good set for the Blues who get to 30m before Luai hoists a Garryowen. The chase is fierce and Coates is pummelled by Crichton as he comes down with the mark, and dragged over the line! NSW straight on the front foot.
The players are back out for the second half. Can NSW conjure the greatest comeback in Origin history? Can they avoid humiliation?
The big issue: was it a send off for Sua’ali’i? In real time it looked brutal, the way the debutant centre slammed his right shoulder into Walsh’s jaw after the ball had been released. But you look at it from behind and you see the tackle is lined up as you’ve seen for time immemorial, only for Walsh to lose his footing, skid, and drop a few inches into the tackle, turning from a hit to the sternum to an instant concussion.
There was no obvious malice in the challenge, but the consequences of high hits in the modern game are clear, and they’re their for a reason. So – Sua’ali’i can feel unfortunate to find himself in the position of potentially receiving a red card, but thereafter he can have no complaints it was issued.
“Well, now that was something I wasn’t expecting – a send-off in a State of Origin match,” emails Harry Sachar. “The Maroons took full advantage as expected but the Blues have fought back in the last 15-20 minutes and battled gamely. Though I suspect that it will all be in vain. I think the Maroons will lift again sooner or later and get a couple more tries.”
Agreed Harry. The stats are incredibly even – and NSW actually completed five more sets than Queensland – but the scoreboard tells its own story. Down to 12 men it’s hard to see how the Blues upgrade competitive footy to a turnaround for the ages. And like you say, despite not playing their best, you expect the Maroons to exploit that overlap at least once more tonight.
The stadium is in shock as the players jog off for their half-time oranges. There’s disbelief among the majority-NSW crowd following that early red card to Sua’ali’i. I fancy there’ll be plenty of empty blue seats before the final whistle.
Half-time: NSW 6-20 Queensland
A nightmare half for the Blues comes to an end. Queensland haven’t played all that well, but they are on track for a victory as easy as they come in Origin footy.
39 mins: Leniu has been NSW’s best since he came on, and he earns a high-tackle from a standing start run. But again NSW fail to hit their targets as they look to attack down the right – Tedesco and Lomax again not on the same wavelength.
38 mins: DCE kicks on tackle four just to buy his side some territory. They have been under the pump for the past ten minutes or so. NSW run back to their attacking 30m line, Hynes hoists the bomb, and Tabuai-Fidow is fortunate to spill it backwards. But again Queensland can’t clear their lines, this time Grant losing possession at dummy-half attempting the one-handed pick-up dash.
36 mins: NSW gamble on tackle four, cutting to the right again, but Tedesco misses his target and Lomax has to concede ground just to keep the set alive. The kick on the last tackle isn’t threatening and Queensland escape again.
35 mins: Break in play for Leniu to receive some treatment after landing awkwardly in a tackle. Was that a hip drop by Grant and Fotuaika? The bunker will have a look for sure. Leniu, who has been superb since he came on, looked in serious pain to begin with but he’s back on his feet. And there’s no penalty against the Maroons.
34 mins: NSW get another shot in Queensland’s half. This is a good spell of concerted pressure. On tackle three they cut to the right and Lomax backs himself to chip and chase out wide, with his first real opening of the night. Tabuai-Fidow concedes the drop-out – which then doesn’t make the 10m line and is gifted back to NSW.
33 mins: Ooooh, almost a third try down the left for Queensland after more good work from Dearden but Su’A ends up passing forward trying to lob the killer ball over the top.
32 mins: Robson and Martin pound Cotter as Queensland struggle to clear their lines. But there’s the release valve of Harry Grant sniping from dummy-half to buy his side 15 cheap metres. NSW are still in decent field position though and Hynes can loft another chip kick on the last tackle. Olakau’atu chases it and has a clear run at the mark but spills it forward. Spirited stuff from the Blues.
30 mins: Now it’s the Blues’ turn to get a six-again. Crichton does brilliantly to tap on a pass straight to To’o who does well to stay in play. Another set restart – then another! In case you couldn’t guess, Harry Grant is now on for Queensland. The crowd is suddenly interested as the Blues camp deep in enemy territory. Two tackles go nowhere but on three there are offloads and broken field. The Maroons are scrambling – and Leniu punches through the defensive line, reaches out, and Tabuai-Fidow somehow manages to jam his body underneath the ball and hold up a certain try. The bunker confirms the decision and Queensland escape. Incredible save from the double try scorer.
29 mins: Brad Fittler talks of defensive confusion in the Blues’ ranks with players all over the field not knowing who should be where. The NSW defence looks like a series of shotgun shells discarded onto the Accor Stadium turf – and they still manage to concede a set restart. Carrigan turns the screw, but then Su’A makes a double error, losing possession attempting to offload, then burning his side’s Captain’s Challenge disputing it.
27 mins: In a bit to catch sand in a sieve, Lomax is now defending in the right centre spot for NSW with Hynes shifted outside. Queensland are in complete control though and go through a set up the guts without a care in the world, knowing openings will materialise when they choose to look for them.
TRY! NSW 6-20 Queensland (Tabuai-Fidow, 24)
How many more times will see that strategy? At least one more. Copy and paste for Queensland. After a series of exchanged sets offering little imagination, Dearden draws bodies to the ball, slips the pass out to the left, a couple of passes later and Taulagi is back on his bike, timing his inside pass to Tabuai-Fidow to perfection. Embarrassingly easy for the Maroons.
Holmes kicks his fourth from four attempts. This is already ugly for NSW, but this could easily turn into one of the all-time great shellackings.
21 mins: That try could not have been a better demonstration of how to exploit the extra player, especially when that missing man plays right centre for the opposition. Clinical from Queensland, and you just wonder how many more times they’ll execute that strategy before the night is done, especially late on when the Blues are fatigued.
TRY! NSW 6-14 Queensland (Tabuai-Fidow, 18)
That’s what 13 v 12 rugby league looks like. For three tackles Queensland grind through the middle, drawing bodies to the ruck, then on tackle four Su’a gets his hands free, finds the offload, and Taulagi is in acres of space down the unguarded left wing. The winger draws the fullback towards him then assists an easy run-in try to his inside centre – Tabuai-Fidow.
Holmes makes it three from three.
17 mins: Of course James Tedesco scores a crucial early try after not being in the original 17. He’s a bystander as his side’s forwards execute a solid restart set, that ends with an early kick that keeps Queensland on the back foot. The Maroons grind to halfway when they take possession before Hunt launches a massive bomb that NSW take no chances with.
TRY! NSW 6-8 Queensland (Tedesco, 14)
From the resulting scrum NSW offer little ambition. Bullocking runs from McInnes and Haas get them back in motion and draw bodies to the left. On the last tackle Luai seizes the initiative, cuts infield, drifts across the line and drops the ball onto his boot, weighted perfectly for the onrushing Tedesco to gather and drop over the line.
Hynes cannot miss the conversion from under the crossbar.
Superb response from the Blues!
14 mins: That’s more encouraging for NSW, who reach halfway then are awarded a set restart as Haas makes his presence felt. The set ends with a better kick from Hynes, high to the left corner and Crichton’s pressure in the marking contests forces a knock-on out of Holmes.
12 mins: “You’ve just got to front up. It’s your duty. It’s not ideal, but you’ve just got to front up,” implores a forlorn Andrew Johns on commentary. The bold new Blues era could hardly have started more disatrously.
GOAL! NSW 0-8 Queensland (Holmes, 10)
From just left of the posts Holmes dabs over an easy couple of points. Queensland are in the box seat already.
Meanwhile, 18th man Felise Kaufusi has been activated for the Maroons after Walsh is very swiftly ruled out with a head injury.
9 mins: As play restarts the 12 men of NSW look shellshocked. Repeat infringements at the ruck 30m out gift Queensland a penalty, and DCE points to the posts.
Cobbo is on for Walsh, who is unlikely to return to the field tonight.
RED CARD! Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i (NSW, 8)
Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i is just the sixth man in Origin history be sent off! Walsh played catch and pass in the Queensland line and as he released the ball the NSW centre planted his right shoulder into the Broncos’ fullback’s jaw. Walsh was out cold for a scary few seconds. Klein, in contact with the bunker, did not hesitate to apply the full force of the law.
8 mins: That was superb from Daly Cherry-Evans, and in the absence of Cameron Munster his side needs his leadership in the halves.
But the Maroons are not finished yet. Tabuai-Fidow breaks the line down the left and dashes 60m before he’s brought to ground. He had Dearden for the offload but he took the tackle instead. There’s a six-again on the play as Queensland pour forward – but the momentum is halted with play brought back to deal with a head injury. Reece Walsh is out cold in back play. This could be significant.
TRY! NSW 0-6 Queensland (Hunt, 5)
Queensland use four tackles to drive the ball safely up the guts, then finally spreading to the right before Nanai is hauled down. From the quick play-the-ball DCE gets to work, darting from dummy-half to the blindside then hooking a beautiful offload inside for Hunt to hit on the burst and crash over the line with two Blues hanging on. One attack, one try. Queensland doing Queensland things. And it all came from NSW pressure at the other end.
Holmes makes no mess with the conversion from just right of the posts.
4 mins: The first penalty of the match goes to NSW after Tedesco’s forward momentum Tabuai-Fidow’s strong tackle to become a dangerous tip. Tedesco is soon back in the thick of the action, driving the Blues inside Queensland’s 20, but a spell of dangerous pressure is released when Hynes overcooks a grubber and the Maroons are gifted a seven tackle set.
2 mins: Thankfully, the opening carry passes off safely – Collins taking the hit-up for Queensland. Walsh kicks on tackle four, belting the ball miles for Tedesco to gather. NSW drive to halfway and a solid set ends with Luai launching a bomb in Walsh’s direction.
Kick-off!
2024 State of Origin is under way…
The Welcome to Country is delivered impressively by 21-year-old Savannah Fynn. The national anthem meanwhile is probably already a meme after it was turned into a bush ballad by Idol contestant Dylan Wright.
Now the opening chords of Metallica’s Enter Sandman reverberate around the stadium as Jake Trbojevic leads the Blues into the arena to a deafening roar. Nicho Hynes puffs out his cheeks, smoke obscures the floodlights, kick-off is imminent.
Meanwhile, the klaxons sound, the strobe lights flash and the pyrotechnics fire off as the Maroons burst up the race and onto the turf – to a chorus of boos.
The Blues are on their massive pre-match hike from the Centre of Excellence, under the adjoining tunnel, and into the bowels of Accor Stadium.
Jack Snape
The pre-match laser light show is underway and darkness has consumed Accor Stadium as the stragglers wander in and find their seats.
Much has been made of the fact that the Matildas sold out this venue on Monday, while there are still tickets remaining for tonight’s match.
But the place looks near capacity, and the cheapest seats still available online are $300, making a crowd in excess of 70,000 likely.
Merry kitschmas everybody.
Queensland coach Billy Slater has spoken to Channel 9, saying he is “just as nervous, just as excited,” for his third series as coach. “I’m like all other Queenslanders watching at home on tele, I’m really looking forward to watching our team go to work.
The last eight days have really excited me. The way that they’ve applied themselves to their game, really looking forward to them getting their footy on tonight. Yeah, it’s great to be a Queenslander, a great time of the year. Pretty exciting.”
The weather in Sydney hasn’t been great for a while and it’s not the best tonight either with showers a chance to roll through during the evening. There’s also a touch of breeze, but it shouldn’t be enough to worry either fullback.
Here are the junior clubs that provide the origin stories of the State of Origin combatants.
Ashley Klein is tonight’s referee, for the seventh State of Origin match in a row.
The most controversial selection in either squad is Spencer Leniu. The NSW forward has only just returned from an eight-game ban for racially abusing Queensland’s Ezra Mam. Expect fireworks when he enters the game off the bench towards the end of the first half.
The 23-year-old’s Origin debut will be just his fourth game since returning from an eight-match suspension for labelling Brisbane’s Ezra Mam “a monkey” in the US. Mam is part of Queensland’s extended squad, while Broncos teammates Patrick Carrigan, Reece Walsh and Selwyn Cobbo are all part of the Maroons’ starting 17.
Ticking down to around half-an-hour to kick-off. Plenty of time to enjoy extended highlights of the first Origin fixture, 42 years ago.
New Blues coach Michael Maguire has had a few words with the host broadcaster. ‘Madge’ is not a natural media performer, but he did explain his Origin philosophy. “Prep is the big thing. Always been big on that. The preparation leading into the camps allows the boys to probably get out of town. We went up to Leura, up to Fairmont, had a camp away. That was excellent. We’re looking forward to really using that now with the way the boys have come together.”
Queensland XVII
Billy Slater was unable to call on Cameron Munster, Kalyn Ponga, Tom Flegler, and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, but the Queensland XVII still looks a high quality unit, full of big-game players. Reece Walsh will hog attention from fullback, but it’s up front where the Maroons have won the past two series with the likes of Pat Carrigan, Reuben Cotter, and Lindsay Collins excelling on the big stage. Harry Grant as an impact player off the bench might be the biggest luxury in modern rugby league history.
1. Reece Walsh 2. Xavier Coates 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Reuben Cotter 9. Ben Hunt 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Jaydn Su’A 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Pat Carrigan
Interchange: 14. Harry Grant 15. Moeaki Fotuaika 16. J’maine Hopgood 17. Selwyn Cobbo
NSW XVII
It’s an unfamiliar Blues line-up with Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i, Zac Lomax and Cameron McInnes all making their Origin debuts in the run-on side. Haumole Olakau’atu and Spencer Leniu will debut off the bench. Nicho Hynes deserves a starting spot but it comes courtesy of an injury to Nathan Cleary. Alongside him Jarome Luai has a point to prove after losing his jersey last year, while James Tedesco is in a similar boat after being asked to relinquish the No 1 shirt just a week ago. Jake Trbojevic has a massive job on his hands as the 21st skipper of NSW.
1. James Tedesco 2. Brian To’o 3. Stephen Crichton 4. Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i 5. Zac Lomax 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Jake Trbojevic (c) 9. Reece Robson 10. Payne Haas 11. Liam Martin 12. Angus Crichton 13. Cameron McInnes
Interchange: 14. Isaah Yeo, 15. Haumole Olakau’atu, 16. Spencer Leniu, 17. Hudson Young
The major selection news when the squads were announced last week was the overhaul of the Blues by Michael Maguire. But the headline omission, James Tedesco, soon found his way back into the starting XIII after Dylan Edwards joined the long injury list.
Maguire made Tedesco the first Kangaroos captain in history to be dropped from an Origin side, ending the fullback’s run of 22 straight matches for the Blues.
Jack Snape talks us through the big themes of this year’s series.
Rugby league’s State of Origin formula is well established: state against state, mate against mate. No pairing proves that slogan more than new New South Wales captain Jake Trbojevic and Queensland’s Daly Cherry-Evans. The pair are long-term teammates at Manly, but each will lead their state in Wednesday’s first men’s Origin clash at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.
Nick Tedeschi sets the scene:
Origin is typically won by winning the middle and by having the dominant kicking game. So it is little surprise that the Maroons enter the 2024 series and Wednesday’s opener as warm favourites.
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
It’s time for the best sport of the year. Hands down. Don’t @ me. No arguments.
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of State of Origin Game 1 between New South Wales and Queensland. Kick-off at Accor Stadium in Sydney is 8.05pm (AEST).
Why is the best sport of the year? Because it matters the most to the largest number of people. The format makes it a multi-month concern with the structure of a three act play. And despite all the fluffery buffery that surrounds it, the action is raw, and most often compelling and spectacular.
Despite the two squads being drawn from the same elite competition, there is always an underdog story, and with them a redemption narrative. This year that belongs to New South Wales, who have lost as favourites for the past two series. Defeat last year led to head coach Brad Fittler and all his backroom staff getting the boot, and the incoming Michael Maguire has stamped his mark on the Blues, selecting a squad packed full of debutants and individuals with points to prove.
Queensland, by contrast, are now a picture of stability despite being coached by a guy with only six matches on his first grade coaching CV. But what a half-dozen they have been for Billy Slater, featuring four wins. His Maroons have exhibited the never-say-die spirit that have made Queensland so hard to beat since the format’s introduction in 1982, but Slater has also empowered the flair of Reece Walsh and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, and given Cameron Munster licence to play on instinct.
But Munster is missing tonight, along with a host of star names as the centrepiece of the rugby league calendar risks being undermined by injury. Nathan Cleary, Tom Trbojevic, and Dylan Edwards are other modern greats who will not be suiting up tonight in what NRL bosses must hope is a blip and not the start of a trend.
There’s plenty more to come as we build up to kick-off, and if you’d like to get in touch while I’m on, please fire all communication to jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.