Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
State of Origin triumph belonged to the New South Wales Blues on Wednesday night after they beat the Queensland Maroons 30-12 in Brisbane to seal a 2-1 series win.
The result mattered well beyond the scoreboard. It came after weeks of pressure on New South Wales Blues coach Laurie Daley and questions over the pride and resolve of his playing group.
The win also added another major chapter to a busy National Rugby League news cycle, including Xavier Willison’s Brisbane Broncos contract update, as clubs and representative stars move into the next stage of the season.
New South Wales Blues Answer Critics
The New South Wales Blues controlled the contest with direct running, field position and sharper execution in key attacking sets. Queensland started with the backing of a loud Brisbane crowd, but New South Wales handled the pressure and finished with authority.
Mitchell Moses spoke strongly after the match, rejecting claims that Queensland players carry more pride than New South Wales.
“Our team’s been bashed in the media by everyone. Our coach has been bashed in the media by his own people,” he said.
“We’ve come out and showed the fight we have. Got lucky a few times but that’s footy and we did it.”
Laurie Daley Backed After Series Win
New South Wales Rugby League chief executive Dave Trodden defended Laurie Daley on Thursday, saying some criticism crossed the line.
“Criticise selections by all means, criticise tactics by all means, but some of the personal stuff was just unacceptable,” he told reporters.
Laurie Daley also addressed the issue after the match.
“No one likes criticism. I get that. You know it comes, so you’ve got to accept it and cop it. But there’s some parts of criticism that go way, way above others which I get really disappointed with,” he said.
The official National Rugby League platform remains the key source for State of Origin fixtures, scores and match coverage.
Former Stars Praise Daley
Former New South Wales representative Greg Alexander said he was pleased to see his former teammate enjoy the moment.
“I was so happy for Laurie Daley,” he said.
Former Queensland representative Cooper Cronk added: “Laurie Daley gets to have his night and enjoy it.
“That’s what Origin does.”
