Queenslanders Sing, Sing, Sing
by
Wednesday July 16, 2003

Johnny O'Keefe may not be of this earth anymore, but his song lives on after Queensland winger Matt Sing's three-try performance helped the Maroons to a face saving 36-6 thrashing of New South Wales at Suncorp Stadium.

The Maroons, who were criticised beyond belief after their series-losing game two 27-4 capitulation to New South Wales, shot back at critics who questioned the very existence of State of Origin with one of the most dominant interstate performances since the concept began in 1980.

Two 20-minute spells - the first and the last - were where Queensland did the damage, darting to a 16-0 lead after 18 minutes and then going from 16-6 to 36-6 in the final quarter. Broncos centre Brent Tate scored a double - his first tries in Origin football - while Michael Crocker scored his second in only his second game, and hooker Cameron Smith capped off a wonderful debut with a try.

The Blues' only joy came from a Timana Tahu try - and even it came from a kick and after it appeared referee Bill Harrigan erred in not penalising New South Wales winger Michael De Vere for a late challenge on Sing at the other end.

But it didn't matter, the 52130 fans at the sold out Suncorp Stadium savouring a Maroon victory and gaining hope for better things in 2004.

Much of the focus during the lead up was the stadium surface, with some claiming any more injuries would see law suits filed.  Two players suffered injuries during tonight's game, but Queensland's Tonie Carroll (hamstring) and New South Wales' Jason Ryles (shoulder) have more claim against their opponents who hit them with painful tackles than the grass on the ground.

The Maroons opened the scoring in just the 6th minute when Sing tapped back  a Ben Ikin bomb - despite the five-eighth claiming last Thursday he would take no part in general field kicking - for Tate to score.  Sing crossed himself seven minutes later when halfback Shaun Berrigan floated a wonderful long cut out pass to the North Queensland flier to score in the corner. He made it a double just two minutes later when, after New South Wales were penalised for being offside at the kickoff, Darren Lockyer put him across with another cut out pass.

New South Wales stabilised over the next 40 minutes, and after Johns knocked on over the line late in the first half, Timana Tahu made no mistake when he collected a deft Braith Anasta grubber for the corner, outpacing Shannon Hegarty to the ball.

But the Maroons stormed home.  Tate crossed for his second with 15 minutes to go after some brilliant lead up work from Lockyer, who handled twice. Cameron Smith crossed out wide shortly after for a 26-6 lead.  Sing completed his hat trick after a Matt Bowen break from his own line, and then Crocker capped off the night when he took the last pass from Lockyer to score.

The 36-6 scoreline was exactly as the same as the previous mark set in 1989 as the Maroons completed a clean sweep of that series, and their 8th bona fide State of Origin victory in succession after winning the last two games of 1987, and then back to back clean sweeps in 1988 and 89.  So dominant were the Maroons that even the Test selectors will have a tough time agreeing with New South Wales coach Phil Gould's claims that the third game should not be considered at the selection table. Suddenly, players like Petero Civoniceva, Ben Ikin, Shaun Berrigan, Matt Sing, Brent Tate and even interchange forward Steve Price have genuine claims for a Test jumper, despite having lost the series.

Queensland coach Wayne Bennett will decide his future in State of Origin coaching during the offseason, but many expect the Maroons' longest serving mentor to stand down, handing the reins to Newcastle's premiership winning coach and former Origin star Michael Hagan. If he does so, he leaves with the creditable win-loss-draw record of 11-9-1. And Queensland are back to a two-game advantage over the Blues with 34 wins to New South Wales' 32, with the 2 drawn games in 1999 and 2002. Only the staunchest of Blues fanatics, then Blues captain Peter Sterling - and, apparently the Sydney-based ARL - have the gall to count the 1987 Long Beach Vacation as a genuine State of Origin contest.

Three weeks ago there were calls that the concept was dead. There is merit in discussing whether the format should be revised to a one-off game, or scheduled in a manner to limit the impact on the NRL competition.  But, as prop Shane Webcke said to Channel 10's Sports Tonight, perhaps the journalists who preyed like vulchars on the Maroon corpse of game 2 should attack their Blues counterparts just as strongly after being even more soundly thrashed in the third game.

The Maroons will be back for an encore in 2004.