Souness pushes selection case

shining through.

Desperate to prove a point after missing the Ferns’ Games squad, New Zealand A played with no shortage of determination.

They took it to the Ferns in the first half, who took a slim 30-27 lead into halftime.

New Zealand A’s shooting end of former Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Tiana Metuarau were terrific in the first half, converting 27 of their 28 attempts.

Ekenasio landed a perfect 17 from 17 in the first 30 minutes, benefiting from accurate delivery from midcourters Peta Toeava and Sam Winders.

A 9-2 start to the second half from the Ferns, which included a 7-0 run, gave them some breathing space on the scoreboard. The Ferns played their best netball in the third quarter, winning the term 22-13 to take a 52-40 lead into the last 15 minutes.

In the earlier game, the New Zealand men opened with a 47-39 win over the Mixed Invitational side, featuring unwanted Ferns midcourter Maddy Gordon and former Ferns defender Leana de Bruin.

In a crowded list, Billy Slater has placed Queensland’s crazy 22-12 defeat of NSW in the State of Origin decider at the top of the pile.

Three men exited the game with concussion inside the first three minutes in Brisbane, while Matt Burton and Dane Gagai were sin-binned for a fight that triggered an all-in brawl.

But somehow the Maroons, down to a two-man bench and playing in front of 52,385 rabid fans, overcame a 12-10 halftime deficit to clinch a ninth win from the last 10 Origin deciders.

With the game still in the balance, Ben Hunt snaffled a Nathan Cleary chip kick and ran 70 metres to score the match-sealer and cap one of the great Origin contests that harked back to the 1980s at Suncorp Stadium.

Prop Pat Carrigan, who played the first two games off the bench, was named player of the series while debutant Tom Dearden stepped up in the absence of Covid-hit Cameron Munster and Kalyn Ponga was incredible at fullback.

‘‘It was a unique game ... I don’t know if I’ve seen a start to a game like that before,’’ rookie coach and former Maroons fullback Slater said.

‘‘It was courageous . . . that’s as good a Queensland victory as I’ve ever seen. I don’t think I’ve been any prouder of a team I’ve been involved in.’’

Gagai and Burton exchanged blows to ignite the second half in a fight that sparked an all-in brawl that had threatened to come in a fiery first half.

Behind five-eighth Dearden,