It has long been said that State of Origin is won by the team that can capitalise on the big moments in the game. With Game II won and done, we take a look at the key moments from Perth.
Haas hit-up to start Origin II
There had been a bit of debate in the lead-up over where the Maroons should aim their kick-offs. With Spencer Leniu safely on the bench for the start of the game, they had the option of kicking towards the world's best prop in Payne Haas, or a bloke making his starting debut in only his second Origin game, Max King. The Maroons made their statement, kicking it to Haas and meeting him with the appropriate ferocity.
Stephen Crichton spills ball to miss opening chance
After receiving a dubious (aren't they all?) early set restart, the Blues were deep in Maroons territory. After a couple of hit-ups from the forwards, Nathan Cleary set in motion a play to the right. Zac Lomax was unmarked and had about 12 metres to cover to the corner. He was no certainty to beat the cover defence, but Stephen Crichton messed up the catch and pass, letting the Maroons off the hook early.
Soccer skills pay dividends in the wet
Big Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, running the ball out of trouble, was awarded a penalty for a strip. The Blues straight away challenged the decision and replays showed it was Liam Martin's shoulder in the tackle which jarred the ball loose. In the next set the Blues worked the ball left and Jarome Luai put in an early grubber kick, which Angus Crichton managed to soccer past Kalyn Ponga. The ball screwed around to the left on the wet grass, with Brian To'o in hot pursuit. He dived on it for the first try of the match, and Lomax converted from the sideline.
It's Hammer time
After receiving back-to-back-to-back tackle restarts, the Maroons finally cracked the Blues' defence. The ball was spread to the right and held up just long enough to draw the attention of Latrell Mitchell to a decoy runner. The ball found Robert Toia, instead, who set up his winger, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, for the opening Maroons try. Five minutes later he was in again, this time bringing down a pin-point accurate Tom Dearden kick to the corner. Tabuai-Fidow jumped over the top of To'o to gather the ball before crashing to the ground to score.
Holmes returns the favour to Martin
Liam Martin belted Tino Fa'asuamaleaui twice in the opening half, causing him to drop the ball on both occasions. Following the second such effort there was a push and shove with Martin screaming in the face of Fa'asuamaleaui. Karma can be a quick-acting punisher. Not long after, Martin ran the ball up himself and was absolutely crunched by Maroons winger Valentine Holmes. Martin spilt the ball and the change of possession resulted in Queensland's second try.
Experienced Maroons extend the lead
It took a bit of magic from hooker Harry Grant to send veteran five-eighth Cameron Munster over after 30 minutes. The wily No. 9 timing his pass to perfection to send Munster over virtually untouched. On the back of a 7-0 penalty count, Queensland were on the attack again, when the oldest Queensland debutant since Arthur Beetson, Kurt Mann, charged at the line before popping back the ball to another veteran in Kurt Capewell.
Cleary's try was too easy
With the Blues enjoying a rare moment of possession near the Maroons line, Nathan Cleary took a run, with a massive step off his right foot he fooled four Maroons defenders. He managed to squirm his way out of a Kalyn Ponga tackle, before strolling over behind the post. It looked like the Blues fightback was about to begin, but the referee asked the bunker to take a look. Sure enough there was Stefano Utoikamanu, who had run a decoy on the inside, standing in the Maroons' line as inside defenders scrambled to get across. It was a costly piece of inattention to detail.
You can't lose the penalty count so badly and win the game
When referee Ashley Klein blew his whistle and pointed his arm towards Queensland in the opening minutes of the second half, it was the Maroons' ninth penalty of the game. The Blues had yet to receive a single penalty and the score was understandably 26-6 the Maroons' way. Poor discipline from the Blues, sure, but how well-disciplined must the Maooons have been to not transgress at all in over 40 minutes of rugby league? The Blues were awarded their first penalty shortly after and Brian To'o was over in the corner for his second try of the game. Eleven minutes into the second half the count went to 10-1.
Blues score when they have the ball
With Klein set to award the Maroons their 11th penalty of the night, Isaah Yeo raised his hand for a captain's challenge. The bunker ruled that Xavier Coates had tackled Zac Lomax in the air before he dropped the ball. The Blues received their second penalty of the night and shortly after unleashed a withering backline move to the right. Stephen Crichton dummied to Lomax and crashed through three defenders to score. The Lomax kick rebounded off the upright, Queensland 26-14.
Hammer slip-up
With the Blues out on their feet, and going nowhere deep inside their own territory, Jarome Luai kicked the ball with all his might. It spun off his foot and produced a horrible bounce in the wet in front of Maroons winger Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow. He tried to control it with an outstretched boot, but it bounced up and off his arm for a knock-on. In the ensuing possession Brian To'o crossed for his third try after another slick pass from Latrell Mitchell. Zac Lomax missed again from a more adjacent angle, Queensland 26-18.
Thief on a wet night
Latrell Mitchell had already played his part in setting up the To'o tries, but it was a play in defence that really made a big difference late in the second half. With Queensland hitting the ball up inside the final two minutes, four defenders wrapped up Jeremiah Nanai. Latrell was first defender in and called his teammates to drop off. When they did, he ripped the ball clear and in the ensuing possession, Angus Crichton dived on a grubber kick to score another Blues try to trail 26-24 after the conversion.
Awful bunker call confirms Ponga knock-on
With three minutes remaining and Queensland under all sorts of pressure Kalyn Ponga contested a bomb with Zac Lomax. The ball hit the ground and Klein called it a Queensland knock-on, which the Maroons challenged. After several replays the bunker somehow agreed and the Blues were back on the attack. Payne Haas dropped the ball in a tackle not long after and the Maroons somehow managed to hold on.