State of Origin 2016: Game 2 Score and Reaction for Maroons vs. Blues
The Queensland Maroons are the 2016 State of Origin champions after a 26-16 win over the New South Wales Blues at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Wednesday gave them an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the series.
After two penalties apiece from Johnathan Thurston and Adam Reynolds, Dane Gagai scored the first try of the game for the Maroons, giving them a 10-4 lead at the interval. In the second period the winger went on to complete his hat-trick, sandwiching a Tyson Frizell response for the Blues.
James Maloney set up a fascinating finish when he scored late on, but Maroons nerves were settled when Corey Oates added the gloss to the scoreline eight minutes from time.
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Queensland carried a 1-0 series lead into this clash after an attritional 6-4 win over their rivals in Sydney earlier this month.
The early stages of Game 2 immediately suggested this one was not going to be quite as tight an affair, with both teams showing a little more aggression in attack. It was ambition that also yielded some early mistakes, allowing Reynolds to put over two penalties book-ended by two from Thurston.
There were times when the players did seem to overstep the mark, however. Per FOX SPORTS NRL, Queensland’s Sam Thaiday was placed on report for this tackle on Blues skipper Paul Gallen:
At 4-4, the match was well balanced, and the visitors seemed to be grabbing a foothold as half-time edged closer. However, Queensland showed just how ruthless they can be, as Gagai latched on to a loose pass and made for the try line.
As we can see courtesy of the NRL Twitter feed, the winger still had a long way to go before touching down:
Thurston curled in a sumptuous conversion to give the hosts a six-point advantage, one they were unable to extend before half-time despite some heavy late pressure on the New South Wales defence.
While the Blues had acquitted themselves well for long periods of the opening stanza, there were signs late in the half that an onslaught from Queensland was coming.
And as it transpired it was that man Gagai who extended their advantage. The winger was on hand to touch down after some fluid passing between Cooper Cronk and Greg Inglis, but once again it was a mistake from the visitors that handed their opponents cheap possession in a dangerous area.
Nevertheless, as we can see, Gagai did magnificently to gather the ball:
Thurston slotted another brilliant conversion to make it 16-4, but any suggestions this game was done were quickly dispelled with a great response from the Blues, as Frizell ran a devastating line to tumble over under the posts.
Reynolds added the extra points, and, suddenly, with the score at 16-10, New South Wales were within touching distance again.
Gagai continued to be a thorn in the side of the New South Wales defence, though, and in the 63rd minute he rounded off his hat-trick. This time it was Thurston playing the role of creator, as he threaded a brilliant kick through the amassed blue line, and after a review from the video referee, it was deemed the winger had got the ball down.
Per the Fox Sports Lab, at 20-10 things were looking good for Queensland:
The Blues continued to battle, though, and following a flawless day, Gagai's poor ball gave Maloney a long run to the try line. After a substantial chase, he just managed to get there just in time, with Reynolds' conversion making this one a four-point game.
Yet as they'd done throughout the match, the Maroons were able to find an extra gear when things got close. With nervous tension bristling in the Brisbane crowd a slick interchange between Thurston and Darius Boyd was finished off by Oates, effectively ending New South Wales' chances.
It’s nine Origin wins in 10 years now for Queensland, who once again showed they have the edge in this longstanding rivalry. Getting the result here was impressive, but winning in Sydney in such a tight contest was evidently a huge boost to Kevin Walters and his players. They look primed to complete the whitewash in Melbourne on July 13.
For New South Wales it’s a familiar tale of coming up short. There was little between the two teams at the ANZ Stadium, nor in the opening exchanges of this one. But the match adhered to a recent theme in Origin tussles: The Blues make silly mistakes and the Maroons are so often on hand to punish them.
Post-Match Reaction
Blues skipper Gallen, playing in his last ever Origin series, lamented missed opportunities in the aftermath:
Maroons star man Thurston hailed the team's spirit as the key to their recent dominance in the rivalry:
Hat-trick hero Gagai spoke about his treble afterwards, insisting he was grateful to be involved in the occasion. ""I don't think I've even scored a hat-trick in club footy, but to be part of such a quality team, they make my job so much easier, and I'm just so grateful to be part of such an elite team," said the 25-year-old, per Dan Colasimone of ABC.
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