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Queensland defied injury carnage to claim Origin series with a remarkable 22-12 win
By AAP
A brutal opening to the State of Origin decider hurt both teams but it was Queensland who defied the carnage to claim the series with a remarkable 22-12 win.
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NSW’s Cameron Murray was the first casualty as three players were knocked out of the game in the opening four minutes at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.
The losses of Queensland pair Selwyn Cobbo and Lindsay Collins in a frenzied opening left the Maroons down to just two players on their interchange bench and scrambling to rearrange their team with 76 minutes still to play.
Despite those absences and a two-point halftime deficit, it was the Maroons who found a way to win the match with a typical never-say-die display.
Murray’s night ended in the second minute, staggering away after a head clash with Corey Oates following the Queensland winger’s first carry of the match.
It was what happened soon after that created havoc for the Maroons though.
Cobbo was left motionless on the ground after Kurt Capewell’s hip collected the young winger on the head in a Maroons’ group tackle on NSW centre Matt Burton.
With the young winger being shielded by a teammate as he lay prone, posturing by NSW five-eighth Jarome Luai provoked a push-and-shove by both teams.
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Despite a stretcher being called for, Cobbo got to his feet, albeit in a neck brace, before being taken from the field.
Incredibly, within minutes of the game restarting a third man was knocked out of the match when Collins copped a stray elbow from Daniel Tupou after the Blues’ winger was hit so hard by Tom Gilbert he bounced away into the unfortunate Maroons prop.
With Capewell moving to centre and Dane Gagai taking Cobbo’s place on the wing, Collins’ absence meant Queensland’s middle forwards were facing a mountain of work.
Queensland struck first on the scoreboard, with Valentine Holmes scoring in the 12th minute before tries to Luai and NSW debutant Jacob Saifiti for the visitors.
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A Capewell try right on half-time reduced the deficit to two at the break before Queensland outfought, outran and outlasted NSW in a remarkable second-half display.
Kalyn Ponga put the Maroons ahead in the 60th minute and after NSW repelled several Queensland raids, Ben Hunt’s runaway winner in the 79th minute sealed the win and the series in another famous backs to the wall victory.
“We did in front of our fans, friends and family against all the odds and it makes it so special,” Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans said.
