BILLY’S BRAVE BOYS PREVAIL
Maroons send Billy out a winner with gritty Origin win
BUSTED, bruised, battered and brave… Queensland pulled out a State of Origin classic in Brisbane last night to give Innisfail’s Billy Slater a fitting farewell and Maroons supporters hope for redemption in 2019.
BYE BYE Billy. This is the glorious script you deserved.
Courageous Queensland last night summoned every fibre of spirit to deny NSW a clean sweep and send retiring fullback Billy Slater out a winner in the Maroons’ pulsating 18-12 victory.
Before 51,214 home fans, the desperate Maroons overcame intermittent rain, the disappointment of a series loss and a furious NSW riposte to stave off the embarrassment of a 3-0 Blue-rinse.
It was a deserved triumph for the Maroons, with recalled halfback Daly Cherry-Evans superb as flying winger Valentine Holmes produced a double to bury the Blues in another Origin thriller.
Fittingly, it was an emotional ending for Slater, the champion custodian who finished with man-of-the-match honours as he equalled Wally Lewis with his 31st and final match for the Maroons.
This time, Slater got his dream send-off but it wasn’t always guaranteed, with NSW overcoming a superb Queensland to steal a shock 12-8 lead at half-time.
With the Maroons on their knees, they summoned their special spirit, with tries to Holmes (52nd minute) and Cherry-Evans (58th) driving the dagger into the Blues as Queensland clawed back respectability.
While Cherry-Evans proved he is Origin class, centre Dane Gagai was also magnificent, amassing 183 metres and four tackle busts as Greg Inglis’ replacement.
The first half was one of the most brutal and baffling in Origin’s 38-year history. It was totally mystifying that a 40minute opening stanza that should have buoyed Queensland’s self-belief, but ultimately, and almost imperceptibly, rocked their spirit.
That the Blues went to the sheds leading 12-8 – after being under siege for 32 minutes – was testament to their composure, defensive application and Queensland’s offensive conservatism.
On possession alone, Queensland should have led by at least 10 points at half-time. The Maroons had 23 sets to 13. They had 68 per cent of possession. Incredibly, the Maroons had seven straight sets in a 14-minute window.
It should have been the statistical platform for a Maroons massacre.
Instead, with every desperate tackle and repelled set, the Blues picked apart at Queensland’s fragile self-belief.
Staring at the embarrassment of their first 3-0 defeat in almost two decades, Queensland dug deep and found the famous spirit that defines a proud state.
With two minutes to play, NSW winger Josh Addo-Carr streaked away and passed to Tom Trbojevic, who set sail for the tryline. But Slater, the greatest fullback we have seen, was there to save Queensland. He’s done it so many times. He did it again. Farewell Billy.