Harry Grant has announced himself as Queensland’s next big thing after leading the hosts to a dramatic State of Origin series win in Brisbane.
The Maroons defended with a man down in the final three minutes to win a brutal decider 20-14 at a near-capacity Suncorp Stadium, Grant changing the game after being brought on early in the first half.
Grant lunged for the line and scored for a 20-6 lead with 15 minutes to play, Queensland holding off the Blues’ late surge to win an eighth decider from the last nine contested.
A Daniel Tupou try and NSW penalty goal made it a six-point game inside the final 10 minutes, with Valentine Holmes twice fumbling chances to seal the result either side of that in a chaotic finish.
Fullback Corey Allan was binned with three minutes to go for blocking Josh Addo-Carr’s path as the NSW man raced to score, the Maroons defending tenaciously with a man down for two sets – and surviving a last-ditch captain’s challenge – to clinch a dramatic victory.
Hooker Grant, 22, was one of a staggering 14 debutants – including four in the decider – used by coach Wayne Bennett in a series in which Queensland were rated long odds to challenge a star-studded New South Wales outfit gunning for a third-straight triumph.
The youngster’s debut performance echoed that of No.6 Cameron Munster’s series-winning debut three years ago and it was fitting the five-eighth kick-started Queensland’s charge with a brilliant first-half try assist.
Munster kicked and regathered before repeating the dose while in mid-air as he gathered again, then chipped across field for another debutant, Edrick Lee, to score before half time for a 12-6 lead.
Holmes had scored first in the corner before James Tedesco planted the ball at the feet of a lost Daly Cherry-Evans in reply after debutant fullback Allan spilled a simple short kick.
Blues captain Tedesco’s night did not last much longer, after he slid headfirst into Josh Papalii’s knee and was replaced at the back by Clint Gutherson.
Dally M and RLPA rookie of the year Grant’s inclusion then swung the game in Queensland’s favour, the hosts peppering the Blues tryline early in the second half before settling for a penalty.
He scored the decisive try on 63 minutes, darting through a gap and planting the corner of the ball on the faintest edge of the tryline.
Blues playmaker Cody Walker ended a quiet night being stretchered off with a concussion, while Nathan Cleary’s best efforts went unrewarded as Bennett clinched an eighth Origin series victory.