Rugby League
First Blood
Queensland Maroons draw First Blood after a tough fought battle to beat the NSW Bluesers 26-18 last night in Game 1 of the 2023 State of Origin series played in Adelaide.
by Simon Amani I 1st June 2023
It was a brave and gutsy display by the Maroons who lost 2nd Rower Tom Gilbert early to a suspected dislocated shoulder as well as losing Tom Fledger in the sin bin in the 68th minute after coming on and putting a good shot on Tommy Turbo's chin, ruling him out of the rest of the game due to HIA.
NSW had dominated for long periods of that game with the majority of the possession and field position and had Queensland under the pump for a long period. Had it not been for try saving heroics from Murray Taulagi and the work of Cobbo and Walsh under the high ball, it felt as if NSW should have been at least a couple more tries ahead. But Queensland just old fashioned rolled up their sleeves and just absorbed the pressure and stayed in the fight.
As it played out, by the 74th minute the score read 18-14 to the Blues. Enter the magician Cameron Munster. After receiving the ball 40 meters out from the try line, up races Nico Hynes out of the line (who had come on for Tommy Turbo) to put pressure on Munster...nek minit boom bada bing, Munster works the dance floor and put Hynes in the spin cycle, breaking ankles, in comes the fastest man on the planet Josh Addo-Car to help out but instead sees the ball go past him into the hands of the Samala (Hammer) Tabuai Fidow...it’s now a foot race JAC vs Hammer....aaaand New! The fastest man on the planet
goes to... The Hammer, who just burns JAC on the outside steps past Tedesco with ease and puts QLD ahead 20 -18
A few minutes later Lindsay Collins puts the icing on the cake by catching a highball over his club captain Tedesco then flicks an offload to set up the try for Munster in the 77th minute. Shut the gate, pa uma thanks for coming.
One of the great Wins by Queensland, a lot of shit talking about Billy Slater’s team choices but the performances of Man of the Match Rueben Cotter, The Hammer, and Reece Walsh, in particular, should put a big aue le pese to those critics.
A gutsy workhorse performance by the Queensland pack with an unrelenting Defence mixed with Athletic Speed out wide won the game for Queensland.
Now to the New South Wales performance.......IT DOESN’T MATTEEER!!!!!
Bring on game 2 next at Lang Park. U gonna be a Mexi can or a Mexi Kieeeent!.
Leeeesgoooooo!!