The 2004/2005 State of Origin has been a much hyped battle between two of the ASRL’s longest standing and most dedicated ASRL coaches. NSW are under the guidance of Central Coast mastermind, Anthony Magro, for the second year running- following last year’s Origin win by the Blues. Likewise, Queensland chose to retain the services of State of Origin’s most experienced current coach, in Roger Bossert. With some surprise selections on both sides, the opening game in front of a packed ANZ Stadium promised to be a thriller.

QLD NSW
1 Mat Rogers 1 Anthony Minichiello
2 Wendell Sailor 2 Trent Pariah
3 Willie Tonga 3 Ryan Girdler
4 Shaun Berrigan 4 Matthew Gidley
5 Ben Tune 5 Luke Rooney
6 Darren Lockyer 6 Trent Barrett ©
7 Sean Towers © 7 Craig Gower
8 Antonio Kaufusi 8 Mark O'Meley
9 Cameron Smith 9 Craig Wing
10 Steven Price 10 Jason Ryles
11 Gorden Tallis 11 Andrew Ryan
12 Luke Williamson 12 Craig Fitzgibbon
13 Scott Sattler 13 Scott Magro
++Interchange
14 Casey Macguire 14 Matt Orford
15 Chris McKenna 15 Luke Bailey
16 Chris Flannery 16 Matt Adamson
17 Paul Bowman 17 Daniel Abraham

Things got underway from the boot of veteran halfback Sean Towers, and NSW made solid use of their first touch courtesy of a penalty against Gorden Tallis for a high tackle. Thankfully for the largely Queensland crowd, Ryan Girdler spilled the ball early in the count to surrender possession. Queensland’s opening try of the night didn’t take long, with Sydney stars Willie Tonga and Steven Price combining to put the Maroons ahead. Tonga, included despite not having played in the North Queensland vs. South Queensland selection trial, made a memorable bust which ended with Steven Price crashing over for a four pointer. Mat Rogers converted to give the Queenslanders a handy 6-0 lead after only two minutes of play.

After the opening salvo was fired, however, it was NSW who stepped up a gear. The world class NSW backline, lead by Dally M leader Luke Rooney, continually made inroads in a defensively inadequate Queensland threequarter line. When Rooney chipped ahead after his break and Trent Pariah was able to collect the bouncing ball, it looked as if NSW had levelled things courtesy of a State of Origin corker. Video referee Russell Smith, imported from England, ruled that Pariah had been slightly offside in pursuit of the ball- however.

The cracks may have begun to appear in the tenth minute, but it took NSW until the 29th minute to finally get across the line for an equaliser. The intervening twenty minutes had been, for NSW fans, an exercise in frustration as their side squandered the possession with poor last tackle options from Oiler, Craig Gower. When a try did come, Wellington’s Anthony Minichiello chimed into a promising backline movement to streak across the line untouched. Fairfield’s Scott Magro added the extras to make it 6 all heading into halftime. The game, heading into its final ten minutes of the first half, was sitting on a knife’s edge. The next side to score would take a decisive mental victory going into the break.

Defence dropped to an RSC standard in the next ten minutes, with both sides throwing reckless passes and finding gaps in abundance. The defence always solidified at the last moment, however, and the Blues scored a minor victory when they managed to bundle Wendell Sailor into touch after he had skipped out of a lazy Matthew Gidley tackle. As if making amends for his dangerous miss, Gidley cut through a poor Shaun Berrigan tackle to race away for a try only moments later. With Mat Rogers in pursuit, Gidley was still able to run it around under the posts. Scott Magro duly converted, and the Blues lead 12-6. The half was to get worse for Queensland fans, with Craig Gower running onto a gorgeous Trent Barrett short ball to score the Blues’ third and final try of the half. Gower’s weaving downfield run eluded several of the Queensland side, before the Oilers’ halfback kicked ahead for himself, and collected for the try. Magro’s conversion came shortly before halftime, and when the siren sounded, the Blues held a convincing 18-6 lead. If Queensland were to come back, they’d need to score early and score fast.

HALFTIME: Queensland 6 trail NSW 18

Queensland coach Roger Bossert stressed the need to score early in his halftime wrap, but it was NSW who came out with guns blazing. After a promising break from Steven Price in the opening set, the Queenslanders became their own worst enemies with pedestrian play and poor marker defence. When two forwards, Fitzgibbon and O’Meley, combined for a sixty metre try- the writing was well and truly on the wall for Queensland. Continuing a faultless night with the boot, Scott Magro made it 24-6 in favour of the visiting Blues.

The game came down to the next try, in many people’s eyes. One more NSW try would well and truly seal victory for the Blues, who have not lost an Origin series since 2001. If Queensland could score against the run of play, overcoming a red hot NSW side, then the glimmer of hope may be enough to see the Maroons storm home. The talent was certainly there. Twenty minutes of frantic play ensued, and whilst the Maroons managed to make significant inroads in the NSW defence, the miracle try just wouldn’t come. When Matthew Gidley was put in for his second try from a powerful Craig Fitzgibbon run and offload, the Blues cantered to a 30-6 lead and a date with a potentially series deciding game at Stadium Australia in a fortnight.

The ‘miracle try’ came three minutes too late for Queensland, with Sean Towers leading by example and following up his forty-twenty with a powerful run from ten out. The conversion, though good, still left the Queenslanders eighteen adrift with just over ten minutes remaining in the game. A draw seemed a distant possibility, and winning was all but gone from the minds of Queensland fans as they left the stadium dejected and shattered. The last laugh of the game went to NSW with a minute remaining, Andrew Ryan becoming the second Oiler to score points against Sydney coach Roger Bossert’s Queensland team. Whilst Scott Magro was unable to convert from out wide, the result was a convincing 34-12 victory to the NSW Blues.

FULLTIME

NSW 34
Anthony Minichiello
Matthew Gidley 2
Craig Gower
Andrew Ryan
Mark O’Meley
Magro 5/6

Defeated

QLD 12
Sean Towers
Stephen Price
Rogers 2/2

MAN OF THE MATCH: Ryan Girdler

Scott Magro……………..2 PoMs
Craig Fitzgibbon………..1 PoM

im a devils fan, but why the fuck did you pick antonio kaufusi for qld??????

Because Christopher Maunder, he has 9 PoM points. No other prop for qld has any points. And that is why we don't pick our nose.