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State of Origin Game II as it happened

The biggest show in rugby league is upon us, as Queensland and New South Wales battle it out in State of Origin.

Queensland drew first blood with an 11-10 victory in Sydney, but New South Wales hit back hard at the MCG on Wednesday night. 

Full time score:

New South Wales 26

Jennings 4
Morris 27
Woods 62
Dugan 71

Queensland 18

Scott 11
Inglis 33
Gillett 48

10:17pmWill Evans: That last 20 was Queensland-like. I still think some of Daley’s questionable selections were masked by a great team effort and the absence of Cronk, but Blues forwards won the day.


10:14pmThat’s it. A famous win for New South Wales to level the series at 1-1. New South Wales 26 Queensland 18. The decider will be played at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday July 8. 


10:00pmTRY! Josh Dugan explodes and crosses over to put NSW in control inside the final 10 minutes. Hodkinson with the conversion. NSW 26 Qld 18 with 70 minutes gone. 


9:54pmBig call by the video ref, Mitchell Pearce is stripped and Greg Inglis runs the length of the field. But no try. NSW 20 Qld 18 after 67 minutes.


9:51pmNo Try. Mitchell Pearce crossed for NSW, but it’s called back. Will Evans: Wow, where did that come from? Will become an iconic moment for Woods if Blues go on to win it


9:48pmTRY! New South Wales, Aaron Woods crashes through two defenders. Great effort. Hodkinson makes the simple conversion. It’s NSW 20 Qld 18 after 63 minutes.

9:41pmWill Evans: “New South Wales halves still not doing enough.”


9:34pmBut the dam breaks! TRY! Matt Gillett breaks through. Thurston with the conversion. NSW 14 Qld 18. Queensland lead for the first time tonight. Crowd announced as 91,513 an Origin record. Take a bow Melbourne. 

 


9:31pmNSW defence holding up very well here early in the second half. Qld pouring it on, but the Blues hold fast.


9:25pmWe’re away in the second half. Meanwhile, Billy Slater walks like an Egyptian… Slater


9:12pmWill Evans: “Blues will be happy with that half, but two tries apiece when Qld have been fairly sloppy and disjointed means it’s still advantage Maroons. Qld clearly missing Cronk though, a bit disorganised and execution lacking. Cherry-Evans had an ordinary half.”


9:07pmHalf-time: NSW 14 Qld 10. Trent Hodkinson with a penalty just before the interval. Shaping up as a cracking second half. Let’s catch our breath and regroup. 


9:02pmWill Evans: “Inglis having a big game after a dud performance in Origin I – makes such a difference for Qld when he is on.”


8:58pmTRY! Greg Inglis caps off a great move involving Darius Boyd and Billy Slater. Thurston misses the conversion by a fair margin. NSW 12 Qld 10 after 34 minutes. 


8:54pmOur rugby league expert Will Evans says: “Good fight-back by the Blues – could have crumpled in a heap after conceding that try so soon. Jennings is causing all sorts of problems for Qld’s right-side defence.”


8:51pmTRY! Josh Morris latches on to a Mitchell Pearce high bomb, and the video ref rules he grounded it. Hodkinson makes the conversion NSW 12 Qld 6 after 28 minutes. 


8:48pmNSW almost in, but a great interception from Greg Inglis holds them out. 

 


8:44pmBit of a stoush between James Tamou and Billy Slater. Tamou pushed Slater’s face, Slater reacted by hurling the ball at his head, but he missed.


8:41pmThings have slowed a touch as the players try and gather themselves after a frenetic start. Paul Gallen coming from the field, must have an injury concern. He’s gone into the rooms with potentially a rib injury. 

Michael Jennings celebrates.

Michael Jennings celebrates.

 


8:33pmTRY! Matt Scott gets across under the post for Qld. What a start. Johnathan Thurston makes no mistake with the conversion. NSW 6 Qld 6


8:28pmTRY! New South Wales draw first blood 3:40 in through Michael Jennings. Trent Hodkinson slots the conversion for NSW 6 Qld 0


8:24pmPenalty to the Blues in the early going.


8:23pmAnd they’re off! Qld kicks us off!


8:21pmA minute’s silence for Ron Clarke. Wrecked by a few imbeciles.


8:17pmHere come New South Wales. Boos thunder around the ‘G.


8:15pmQueensland are out there, but NSW are having an extended pep talk. Ground looking magnificent. Well played MCG ground staff.


8:07pmPhil Gould: “It’s going to be two different dressing rooms.” Surely they’d all be in the same dressing room Phill? Phil?


8:03pmSeem cruel and unusual punishment to make Andrew Johns operate this touch screen in a waistcoat. He’s dancing about like Fred Astaire. 


7:52pmStirring stuff this from Gall. Now Sterlo beefing up the bald side of the table, as Gordo has probably ducked downstairs to get locked out of some more dressing rooms. 


7:48pmBit of a fireworks display here. Bit of a spiel about the MCG. Sounds like Bill Lawry’s had his voice modulated. MCG


7:47pm – No truth to the rumour Angry Anderson has been brought back to perform in the pre-game tonight. Who can it be now? Tim Rogers? Tex Perkins? The Temper Trap? Olivia Newton-John? 


7:41pm“We want to get stuck into them with the ball, and without the ball,” says Laurie Daley. 


7:40pmQueensland have won the toss and will kick off.


7:38pmFatty and Mal chewing the fat in the Queensland dressing room. Mal says he’s tried to keep it simple for Daly Cherry-Evans, who’s replaced Cooper Cronk in the Qld line-up. 


7:34pmThe telecast is underway. We’ve got a hair side of the table and a bald side of the table (Darren Lockyer and Gorden Tallis). 


7:30pm – Welcome one and all to The New Daily‘s live coverage of State of Origin II. We’ll be bringing you all the action from the MCG as it unfolds. 

To get you up to speed, our rugby league expert Will Evans has gone to the trouble of letting us know who the men with the most at stake are in Origin II, while his report from Origin I will let you know where it was won and lost. 

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