NSW Blues Win State Of Origin Game II Defeating QLD 18-8 At ANZ Stadium Post by: Dave-O 16 June, 2011 - 8:05 AM

(Photo: Getty Images)

The NSW Blues have squared up the State Of Origin series coming from behind to beat QLD 18-8 in Game II.

With The Blues going into the game needing to win to keep the series alive, over 80,000 fans at ANZ stadium witnessed a fast, tough game of footy between two teams desperate to win.

When The Maroons skipped to an 8-nil lead early via a really soft dummy-half try by captain Cameron Smith it was beginning to look like the Maroons would cruise to a sixth straight series win, but a try to Blues veteran Luke Lewis in the corner after he flew to the heavens to snatch a Mitchell Pearce bomb, followed by a brilliant sideline conversion from Jamie Soward, the Maroons went into halftime leading just 8-6.

The Blues never gave up showing the passion in the jersey coach Ricky Stuart had been begging them to show all series. The new look team came out fired up and outplayed the Maroons in every department, scoring the only two tries in the second half, including an amazing try in the corner by 19-year-old debutant Will Hopoate, who had a dream debut, to take out the game and take the series into a decider for the first time in four years.

After fulltime Maroons halfback Johnathan Thurston admitted NSW were too good saying the Blues quick play the balls, speed around the ruck and near perfect completion rate killed them.

Man of the match was Blues skipper Paul Gallen, who had a gutsy game playing prop, a position he doesn't normally play. He played the full 80mins and put the props from the first game to shame making 31 tackles and over 200 metres. Now that's tough.

After the match Ricky Stuart stirred some controversy by begging his players to stand down for club duty ahead of game three at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.

Leave your comment

• Dougie says

  Blah blah blah, we gave you that one so at least this year Origin isn't a push-over for everyone and the Maroon fans.

  Question is can the Blues play like that again? Very much doubt it.

  One trick pony me feels.

  Posted Thursday 16 June, 2011 12:31 PM
• skye says

  we kicked qld's butts. about time. oh wait, we let youse win from 2004 because were a great supportive team. GO THE BLUES!!!!!!!

  Posted Thursday 16 June, 2011 4:40 PM
• Andrew says

  don't worry about us being one trick ponies, the important thing to remember is that we are ponies and ponies can do anything, just like little horses, only cuter.

  Posted Friday 17 June, 2011 12:10 AM
• Tim borg says

  i am a st george and jamie soward tragic... the critics can say what they like, his passion makes him the only candidate for origin 5/8 and thats why he got picked...

  to doug... who called them one trick ponies.. the maroons won game I on a fluke and are lucky it's not 2-0 up to NSW already.

  get ready to rellinquish the title to the true champions.

  Posted Sunday 19 June, 2011 10:00 PM