Source : the age
James Tedesco scores and the Blues take the lead for the first time in this match.
Tedesco beat Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow in a one-on-one contest for the ball, and despite a small bobble in the air, the Blues fullback regained possession before the ball touched the turf.
That is a game-winning play from the NSW fullback.
Nathan Cleary lets the clock tick down as he takes his conversion, and the Blues win game one of the series by two points with three seconds left on the clock.
NSW 22, Queensland 20 with 18 seconds to
The Blues are trying to find their way through, but the scrambling Queensland defence is holding strong as they turn NSW away despite a set restart.
That’s impressive goal line defence from the Maroons, who look absolutely spent from the extra work they’ve had to do being a man down for the past 20 minutes.
If the Blues lose this match, that is a moment they’ll regret.
Queensland 20, NSW 16 with three minutes to go
Jojo Fifita drops a Nathan Cleary kick and the Blues are on the attack inside the Maroons 20 metres once again.
The crowd at Accor Stadium are going wild, as the Blues are given another opportunity for points with a fresh set and an extra man on the field.
Queensland 20, NSW 16 with five minutes to go
Nathan Cleary stands up when the Blues need him the most, with the NSW halfback slipping through the Queensland defence to score.
Cleary converts his own try and the gap is just four points as full-time nears.
Queensland 20, NSW 16 with seven minutes to go
The Blues need something special, and Nathan Cleary delivers.
The NSW halfback kicks a fantastic 40/20 to give the Blues a full set well inside the Maroons half as we enter the final 10 minutes of this match.
Queensland 20, NSW 10 with 10 minutes to go
The Blues have completely stripped Queensland for numbers on the right edge, but James Tedesco sends a horrific pass out to Haumole Olakau’atu who drops the ball.
That’s a bad, bad pass from the NSW fullback, while Olakau’atu looks seriously uncomfortable with cramp.
Another lost opportunity for the Blues, who easily could have gotten a try there and narrowed the gap once more.
Queensland 20, NSW 10 with 11 minutes to go
Ethan Strange was denied a try only minutes before, but the karma has come back his way.
The Blues debutant links up with Stephen Crichton to score down the left edge, after Crichton slipped past Sam Walker, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, and passed out to Strange who beats Robert Toia to the line.
Nathan Cleary misses the crucial conversion and Queensland hold a 10-ppoint lead.
Queensland 20, NSW 10 with 16 minutes to go
Tolu Koula’s Origin I is over after the Blues winger failed his head injury assessment.
Because he left the field as an act of foul play, it means NSW can activate another player from the bench – Jacob Saifiti and Matt Burton are their two options.
Queensland 20, NSW 6 with 18 minutes to go
Well, that’s one of the biggest calls in Origin history. Head-on-head contact being ruled a send off – ruling Kalyn Ponga out of the last 23 minutes – is as controversial as it gets. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow you’d imagine moves to fullback for Queensland and they play without a lock. The Blues have 22 minutes to reel in this deficit and they’ve got the men on the paddock to do it – Blayke Brailey is their best attacking option out of hooker. Addin Fonua-Blake is their most dangerous front-rower and they’ve kept Casey McLean up their sleeve to replace Tolu Koula.
