Maroon tidal wave swamps Blues

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THROUGHOUT the last 10 years many rugby league experts have almost run out of superlatives to describe Queensland, but they were every one of them at Suncorp Stadium tonight.

Clinical, precise, magical, dominant.

But tonight they were just simply too good on their way to a record 52-6 belting of a hapless New South Wales in front of a record crowd of 52,500 fans.

Records were the name of the game as centre Justin Hodges bowed out in style.

And man of the match, Queensland five-eighth Johnathan Thurston was in everything; he kicked goals from the sideline, set up many tries and probably should have scored one himself as the Maroons wrestled back the shield.

It proved 2014 was just a minor hiccup.

"It's one of the best feelings you can have, winning a State of Origin," Thurston said.

"They wrote us off at the start of the series, but it goes to show what a champion side this one is. It's a blessing and a privilege to put this jersey on and we've made a lot of people proud throughout the state."

It only seemed fitting that a cricket score would be the end result after the Ashes started in England at the same time.

Thurston further underlined his title as the best player in the competition with a personal tally that equalled Lote Tuqiri's record as most points scored by a Queenslander in a State of Origin match.

The Cowboys' pivot broke Mal Meninga's all-time point scoring record of 200 points with another sideline conversion nearing the end of the match.

"It was all about proving a point this series - after losing last year people wrote us off, but full credit to the Blues, they've pushed us all the way but you couldn't ask a better way to finish the series."

Truth be told, New South Wales were never in the contest. A Trent Hodkinson penalty goal would be their only points in the first half after Queensland raced to a 22-2 lead at the break.

A mountain of possession saw Queensland with 67 per cent of the ball and New South Wales just couldn't handle the maroon tidal wave.

Any chance of a Blues revival in the second half was extinguished just two minutes into the second stanza when Matt Gillett scored after Justin Hodges batted the ball back despite being in the air over the dead-ball line.

It summed up the Blues night.

Blues captain Paul Gallen was forthright in his summation of the game.

"There's not a lot to say about tonight, it was just one of those nights," he said.

Further tries to Darius Boyd, Will Chambers and Aiden Guerra ensured the 2015 Queensland side entered the record books for the 46-point win.

Where it leaves New South Wales heading into 2016 is anyone's guess.

The facts are Queensland missed just nine tackles in 80 minutes, had completions upwards of 90 per cent, won the penalty count 12-5 and had 67 per cent of the ball.

You just can't compete against that.

Clinical, precise, magical, dominant.

Simply too good.

Match Details

Queensland Maroons 52 New South Wales Blues 6
Venue: Suncorp Stadium
Crowd: 52500
Halftime Score: Queensland Maroons 22 New South Wales Blues 2

QUEENSLAND MAROONS (52)
Tries: Dane Gagai, Josh Papalii, Greg Inglis, Matt Gillett, Michael Morgan, Darius Boyd, Will Chambers, Aidan Guerra
Conversions: Johnathan Thurston (7/7), Justin Hodges (1/1)
Penalty Goals: Johnathan Thurston (2/2)

NEW SOUTH WALES BLUES (6)
Tries: Michael Jennings
Conversions: Trent Hodkinson (0/1)
Penalty Goals: Trent Hodkinson (1/1)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Johnathan Thurston
2 points - Greg Inglis
1 point - Justin Hodges

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to the Cauldron, ladies and gentlemen! It's the Decider, it's Origin 3 - and it's back at it's spiritual home of Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane after jaunts to Sydney and Melbourne in the first two games. The series is tied up at 1-all - Queensland snuck home in the first instalment before the Blues dominated the last twenty minutes at the MCG in Game Two to level the series. The visitors are surprisingly the more settled of the two sides, with just one change from that match, compared to four for the home side.

Those changes - for NSW it's just Farah out, Ennis in at hooker, while the Queenslanders have lost Billy Slater and Daly Cherry-Evans from last time. Dane Gagai and Cooper Cronk are in. Read our LATE MAIL article for the full run-down on positional changes for the Maroons.

The Under 20's Origin curtain raiser was run and won earlier - for the fourth straight year it was the Blues who were victorious, claiming a 32-16 victory over their northern enemies. Gold Coast Titans' firebrand Brian Kelly finished the match with a breathtaking four-try haul for the winners.


A pre-game tribute to Justin Hodges, who is retiring from Origin. Interesting also to see Jarryd Hayne in the sheds.

Final pre-match preparations winding up in the sheds. Both sets of teams now preparing to head down the tunnel.

Are you ready? Get talking about tonight's contest in our live discussion forum HERE.

The NSW VB Blues are out onto Suncorp Stadium.

The QUEENSLANDER chant goes up. The XXXX QLD Maroons are out of the tunnel to a huge home reception!

And now it's time for the National Anthem of Australia.

That's it! Our Anthem singer, security guards and interchange players vacate the field - now it's just 26 players and four officials on the hallowed turf... and we're just about ready for kickoff. Only 5 minutes behind schedule, too!

We are UNDERWAY! Queensland first possession!

1: KNOCK ON. Justin Hodges spills it inside the first set, Michael Ennis with a big tackle forcing the error. NSW scrum 40m out!

2: UNFORCED ERROR QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Dane Gagai makes an unforced error.
Dane Gagai has spilled a crossfield Mitchell Pearce bomb. A bit of a contentious call on that one, looked like a knock back.

4: PENALTY NSW, 3m out right in front. We'll see NSW take the lead here from a penalty goal.

5: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL NEW SOUTH WALES BLUES
Penalty goal attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
No drama with this - the Knights-bound halfback for NSW converts the penalty into the opening points of tonight's contest.

7: Queensland pick up their first penalty of the contest, NSW offside. Maroons set to start 40m out...

8: Better make that two. Queensland get the penalty, right in front, 5m out with Woods laying all over Cam Smith. Thurston to line it up to level the scores.

9: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Penalty goal attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
And it's 2-2! Thurston levels us up here at Suncorp.

10: Queensland surge to the NSW 40m before kicking deep and pinning the Blues well inside their own territory.

12: Penalty for Queensland, they'll get a chance to attack again here.

13: A high ball bounces between a few players but it's ultimately a handover to NSW.

14: And an error now from the Blues on the first! QLD scrum 10m out!

15: VIDEO REFEREE | Possible Queensland TRY to Dane Gagai on debut. On field is the call from Gerard Sutton. We're checking a potential knock-on earlier in the play.

15: TRY QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Scored by Dane Gagai. Kick to come.
No problems with that one, Dane Gagai gets the ball and scores in the corner!

16: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
From out wide, Thurston's classic hook curls in between the uprights. Maroons lead by six.

18: Momentum well and truly with the home side at the moment - Queensland have better intensity, better field position and better attack & defence.

20: Greg Inglis has batted back a cheeky Cooper Cronk grubber to force a drop-out from the NSW side.

20: And to compound it, NSW have given away a penalty. QLD all over them now...

21: Well, defensively the Blues can't be faulted there. Kept Queensland out well before Brett Morris took the last-tackle kick in-goal. 20m restart, and now a penalty to NSW to carry them inside the Maroons' half.

22: Merrin comes into the contest for NSW, Daley starting to look to his bench.

23: Cordner opts to grubber for himself on the last, and it nearly works before Greg Inglis gets it just 1m out.

24: Cordner is on for Ryan Hoffman as well here, 'Hoffy' off with an injury.

25: Momentum in a shifting state now, New South Wales have been able to confine Queensland to their own half the last few sets... until they concede a penalty for Woods being in the way. Meanwhile... KLEMMER IS ON. And don't the Suncorp crowd hate him!

26: TRY QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Scored by Josh Papalii. Kick to come.
Lead extends! Queensland go up the other end and Papalii gets over the line!

28: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Creates the try, then converts it. What can't JT do?

29: That try will sting the visitors - NSW had the Maroons on the ropes and let in a pretty soft try. On the Blues' first return set after that try, they now have a penalty. Points a must here.

31: Hodkinson puts it up for Morris on the last, who takes it and gets it back to Jennings, then Queensland knock it forward but reclaim it and work upfield.

33: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Penalty goal attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Beau Scott nails Cameron Smith after a downtown kick, it's a penalty and Queensland will add to their tally... Thurston kicks the goal.

35: Trent Merrin has upended Corey Parker in a very dangerous tackle. He's ON REPORT and it's another Maroons penalty.

35: TRY QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Scored by Greg Inglis. Kick to come.
Game over before halftime? Would seem so. Inglis dives over after a simple three-on-two, and out comes the Goanna.

36: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
This is huge. Thurston adds the extras and a twenty point lead. The Blues now have to mount the biggest comeback in Origin history if they're to retain the shield.

38: It started as a riveting contest but this game has fast become one-way traffic. Queensland lead by 20 and have enjoyed over 60% of possession.

39: UNFORCED ERROR NEW SOUTH WALES BLUES
Brett Morris makes an unforced error.
Hard not to cringe. Morris spills a high ball. QLD scrum 10m out. This could be anything.

40: That's halftime. 67% possession for the Maroons and that really tells the story. Queensland have had and retained the pill for far longer periods and made more of it. NSW have showed fight at times, then collapsed completely just minutes later, eventually conceding two tries and a penalty goal within the last fifteen minutes before the break.

40: Three Queensland tries - one from players rushing in off the wing for NSW, the others just poor line defence - and the Blues are just conceding far too many penalties. If you ask this pundit - it's all over. But this *is* Origin, and anything can happen.

NSW fans take heart, you aren't the only ones collapsing. England's cricket team are falling apart at the season within the first session of the first Ashes test - three wickets down for just 43 runs.

41: We're back underway at Suncorp - New South Wales with it all to do. They have first possession, Queensland kicking off.

41: UNFORCED ERROR NEW SOUTH WALES BLUES
David Klemmer makes an unforced error.
Uh oh. First play, Queensland have it from a Blues error - Klemmer the culprit.

42: VIDEO REF | Possible Queensland TRY to Matt Gillett. It's been raked back in... we're checking the dead ball line. AMAZING.

42: VIDEO... Cronk kicks through, Hodges bats it back, Gillett grabs it, try. Green lights for this one.

42: TRY QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Scored by Matt Gillett. Kick to come.
Gillett gets the try - and that will definitely spell the end of the Blues' one year reign. Open the champagne, Queensland.

42: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Did anyone see this coming? Thurston converts and pushes the lead to 26.

46: This Queensland defence is just absolutely brutal. Queensland manage to restrict NSW to just 25m on that set there.

48: Dugan's saved the day where it looked like Inglis was certain to score. Looking in backplay, Josh isn't in a good way though.

50: A grubber... and Jennings gets a handle on it to push it dead. Drop-out.

50: TRY QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Scored by Michael Morgan. Kick to come.
Inside ball to Michael Morgan, only just on the field - and now it's a rout.

52: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Faultless.

53: They're all coming together, no punches thrown but plenty of niggle. Highlight? Dane Gagai giving Michael Ennis several rubs to the head.

53: Here we go again. Another all-in... this time we MIGHT have something punishable. Tamou's got Lillyman high then swung his arm back in underneath him. Not pretty.

54: Tamou goes ON REPORT, while Sutton gives both captains a talking to. Gallen tries to make his point while Cam Smith seems happy to just get on with it.

55: TRY QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Scored by Darius Boyd. Kick to come.
This is embarrassing for NSW now. Boyd gets the cutout ball and gets himself in over in the corner.

57: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Probably his hardest attempt of the night... and he makes no mistake whatsoever.

59: Penalty for the Blues here. Swinging arm from Matt Scott on Josh Dugan. QLD lead penalties 9 to 4.

61: TRY NEW SOUTH WALES BLUES
Scored by Michael Jennings. Kick to come.
COMEBACK? Ok probably not but the visitors are on the board. A loose pass out the back by Gillett is picked up by Jennings and he fends off Hodges before sprinting 65m to opening the Blues' tryscoring account.

62: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEW SOUTH WALES BLUES
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson unsuccessful.
In complete contrast to his opposing goalkicker, Hodkinson can't get this one through from out wide.

63: NSW get inside Queensland territory with a cheeky kick but Dugan is in front of the kicker so it's a penalty to Queensland.

66: UNFORCED ERROR NEW SOUTH WALES BLUES
Josh Dugan makes an unforced error.
Bad to worse. Josh Dugan spills it in goal. They take the drop-out and it goes short and Morris can't keep it in either. QLD scrum 10m out.

67: VIDEO REFEREE | We're heading upstairs to see if Will Chambers has scored out wide.

67: TRY QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Scored by Will Chambers. Kick to come.
Dear oh dear oh dear. Chambers is over in the corner and it's all too easy. Demoralising for the Blues, incredible from Queensland.

68: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
He's a freak, absolute freak. What a goalkicker.

71: VIDEO REFEREE | Thurston is claiming a try. Everyone in Maroon is standing in Suncorp with a 52,500 record crowd. We're checking onside further up the field, it bounces for Inglis, off to Gillett, Thaiday, Morgan and back to Thurston. Green lights-a-comin'!

72: It's NO TRY. Matt Scott is within that 10 metre perimeter. NSW penalty inside the QLD half. Can they crack double figures?

72: Nope. NSW have lost it and Thaiday picks it up.

72: Queensland push Dugan to his limits, but he's able to shadow it dead. 20m restart NSW.

73: Brett Morris chips down the touchline for himself, but it's beaten him over the touchline on the full there. QLD handover.

74: Thurston and Woods have come together in backplay. It's almost comical with neither able to do anything but yell, grab and push each other, before teammates intervene.

76: Thurston picks up a wayward NSW kick and runs 70m before he's chased down by Mitchell Pearce. QLD on the attack now.

77: TRY QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Scored by Aidan Guerra. Kick to come.
FIFTY. Inglis throws a cheeky short ball at dummy half straight to Aidan Guerra. Queensland reach a half-century for the first time in the Origin era.

79: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION QUEENSLAND MAROONS
Conversion attempt by Justin Hodges successful.
After Thurston managed 9 from 9, Hodges steps up in his final moments as an Origin player. He moves in, hits it, and gets the two.

80: NSW attempt a short kickoff, and that will just about do us. Queensland playing it out now.

80: FULLTIME. Queensland get a late penalty but they want none of it, it's time to celebrate.
QUEENSLAND - 2015 ORIGIN CHAMPIONS!

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