NSW may have finally found a group of players capable of ending Queensland’s six-year State of Origin reign, although it might be another five years before any of them graduate to that level.
The Blues took out the inaugural under-20s State of Origin clash with a gripping 18-14 victory at Centrebet Stadium on Saturday night after surviving a tense final 10 minutes as Queensland attacked the tryline looking to steal the win.
But as the Baby Blues clung on to victory with desperate defence, they also looked to have unearthed a number of future NRL stars and perhaps an Origin saviour or two.
Most of them haven’t yet played first grade and can only dream of taking on Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater and Cameron Smith at Suncorp Stadium.
But their impressive performance would have tempted Blues coach Ricky Stuart, who was an interested onlooker, to crack a smile.
Sydney Roosters prop Kane Evans was immense for the Blues and scored the try of the match in the 24th minute.
The 192cm side-stepped his way through the Maroons defence before sprinting past fullback Lachlan Maranta on a 42m run to the tryline.
Queensland were best served by centres Edrick Lee, who scored a double, and Tautau Moga.
The first of Lee’s double came from an 80m bust in the first half, while a powerful run from Moga set up his second.
Earlier, Brisbane winger Aaron Whitchurch showed great composure to open the scoring for the Maroons in the ninth minute off an excellent stabbing grubber from Ben Hampton.
But it was NSW who took a 12-8 halftime lead thanks to a well-worked try to Chanel Mata’utia, who had endured a forgetful evening for most of the first half.
The Newcastle winger had spilled the ball twice, the first leading to Queensland’s opening try, but hit back just before the break when he accepted a short ball from centre Cheyse Blair and managed to get the ball down in the corner before crossing the sideline.
Blues halves Jacob Miller and Harry Siejka, who beat three players on the way to an excellent solo try to start the second half, controlled the match confidently.
Both sides had to be spoken to by referee Dave Munro on several occasions as tensions built in an at-times spiteful clash.
