Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Queensland will have the chance to win the State of Origin series on home turf after a second-half onslaught, including a Selwyn Cobbo hat-trick, secured a 44-24 victory over NSW.
The teams will head to Suncorp Stadium for game three on July 8 with the series split after the Maroons levelled with a rare win in Melbourne, scoring six tries after halftime.
The most recent Queensland team to savour a victory at the MCG was in 1995, coached by Paul Vautin, with this year’s side delivering in front of a record Origin crowd of 91,671.
Cameron Munster put on a play-making masterclass to orchestrate the second-half domination while halves partner Sam Walker was similarly impressive.
Walker was named man of the match, having also been flawless with seven conversions and a penalty.
“We just dug a little bit deeper and we had to,” Munster told the Nine Network.
“We had some good little clutch plays from Hammer (Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow), Jojo (Fifita), and Selwyn to ice the cake. I’m really proud of the boys.”
NSW fullback James Tedesco lamented how his side lost control of the game after halftime.
“That second half we weren’t good enough and they came out with everything they had,” Tedesco said during the broadcast.
“But we have an opportunity with a decider in Suncorp.
“They lost the first game and had everything to lose and they out-enthused us in most areas.”
NSW centre Kotoni Staggs produced the game’s opening try in the sixth minute then was sin-binned in the second half for a high shot on Kalyn Ponga.
Cobbo scored twice early in the second half with fellow winger Jojo Fifita leaping high to add a third within 11 minutes as Queensland snared a 14-point lead with 25 minutes to play.
That turned around a four-point halftime deficit, the Maroons having been down 12-8 with the Blues finally getting their start right to score through Staggs.
Debutant NSW winger Mark Nawaqanitawase also touched down early and finished with two tries, looking right at home on the Origin stage as he passed a number of early high ball tests.
Queensland did well to keep NSW in check, with both skipper Munster and prop Tino Fa’asuamaleaui tested for a HIA during the first half.
Despite the disruption, Queensland were able to keep NSW scoreless during that time and instead crossed themselves through Loiero.
Rugby convert Nawaqanitawase showed his freakish finishing prowess to bag a second in 59th minute to put NSW back in the hunt at 26-18.
But they lost Staggs to the sin-bin for a high-shot on Ponga as the fullback off-loaded to tryscorer Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, putting a dent in any NSW hopes of a fight-back.
Cobbo then capped the night in the 71st minute, diving over for his third.
