QUEENSLAND, it has been one hell of a ride.
Maroons’ stranglehold on the State of Origin series, it will in no way diminish one of the most extraordinary performances in Australian sporting history – Queensland’s remarkable eight successive Origin crowns.
NSW’s 6-4 win in Origin II at ANZ Stadium has given the Blues their first series victory since 2005, and brought to an end the greatest winning run Origin has seen over 101 games and more than 30 years.
Queenslanders have become so used to the sweet nectar of Origin success since the beginning of Mal Meninga’s reign in 2006, the bitter, unfamiliar taste of a series loss may take a while to digest.
But once the last embers of this year’s series have been extinguished, all Queenslanders will look back with enormous pride at what the Maroons have achieved in the past eight years.
Origin’s greatest era? Without question, especially when it is considered that until this phenomenal generation came along, the greatest winning streak either state enjoyed was three years.
Four was unheard of. Eight was unfathomable. But that is the new high-water mark these Maroons have set.
Meninga has always shied away from using the word “dynasty” when talking about his team’s success, preferring instead the word “legacy”, and the standards and expectations this group will leave for the Queensland players of following generations.
There can be no doubt this team’s legacy is unmatched, in terms of success, achievement, skill, pride, passion and humility.
It may be the end of a winning streak, but is it the end of an era? Hardly. Meninga and his coaching staff have worked hard to ensure the continual and gradual changeover in personnel that means this Queensland team is not past its peak.
While the Maroons have farewelled a number of veterans over the course of the eight years, they have also introduced a host of new faces who will be the foundation of Queensland’s future campaigns.
Ultimately, for this series at least, lady luck refused to smile for Queensland.
Make no mistake, the Blues deserved their victory.
It was always going to take a special performance from a special team to beat a champion team like Queensland, and this year the Blues got their formula just right.
Rallying behind their captain Paul Gallen, the Blues gave everything – and it was just enough.
Their coach Laurie Daley once again came to rain on the parade of his former teammate and great friend Meninga, just as he had done in the playing as days as rival state captains.
But for Queensland, while the disappointment will surely burn, they will take solace from the fact that they gave it their best shot. There was nothing left to give.
In Game I, they lost their halfback Cooper Cronk to a broken arm after just 10 minutes, and still only lost by four points.
In Game II, the margin was only two points, but a scoreboard could never do justice to the courage Queensland needed to display just to get on the field.
Cronk was already ruled out, but in the days leading up to the team’s announcement, he was joined on the sideline by Game I forwards Corey Parker and Josh Papalii.
Billy Slater had a shoulder injury that meant he did not play a game between the first and second Origin game.
Greg Inglis somehow managed to overcome an ankle injury to take the field. New halfback Daly Cherry-Evans, with a badly damaged knee, trained only once in the lead up to the game.
The news did not get much better in the match itself. After losing their halfback in Game I, the Maroons lost their prime mover in Game II when Matt Scott’s night ended with a broken cheekbone midway through the first half.
The news got worse when, late in the second half, winger Brent Tate was carried from the field with a suspected serious knee injury and his playing future under a cloud.
Still the Maroons battled bravely, ultimately succumbing with just minutes to go as the mountain of body blows finally took their toll.
While the result was not the one that was hoped for, no one would question the heart, soul and pride in this Queensland performance.
So, onto Game III at Suncorp Stadium on July 9, where the Maroons – for the first time in a generation – are fighting for nothing but pride.
But it is still a cause worth fighting for. NSW 6 (Hodkinson try, goal) d QLD 4 (Thurston 2 goals) at ANZ Stadium, Sydney. NSW leads the series 2-0.