Maroons’ young guns shot down
QUEENSLAND’S outing at ANZ Stadium began on a sour note last night when the under-20s curtain-raiser ended in a 36-10 Blues boilover.
The young Maroons were outclassed by a bigger, better Blues pack in their worst under-20s loss since the fixture commenced in 2012.
Queensland suffered a massive blow justminutes out from half-time when talented teenager Cory Paix suffered a suspected groin injury and failed to return to the field.
Not since 2013 has Queensland suffered such an emphatic loss, when NRL stars Corey Oates, Moses Mbye and Anthony Milford were part of the team beaten 36-12 atcentrebet Stadium.
Queensland were error-riddled and poor in defence last night as NSW made it seven from eight series wins.
The Blues opened the scoring in the 15th minute when five-eighth Matt Burton regathered his own grubber kick on the tryline.
Sharks young gun and Ipswich junior Ronaldo Mulitalo continued his superb 2019 season, scoring Queensland’s first try soon after to level the scores.
The 19-year-old fullback – who made his NRL debut for the Sharks against the Broncos in round seven – split thensw defence before scoring in the corner.
Burton made it a double in the space of 15 minutes, before back-rower Teig Wilton crossed the line just minutes before the break to give the Blues a 16-4 lead at half-time.
Queensland were unable to match the Blues in the second half as they continued their scoring spree, crossing the tryline on three unanswered occasions before a late consolation try for Queensland winger Murray Taulagi.
– Chris Honnery