3 minute read
NSW centre Tom Trbojevic was outstanding with a hat-trick in the Blues' historic win over Queensland in the State of Origin opener in Townsville.
STATE OF ORIGIN I AT A GLANCE
* RESULT: NSW 50 (Tom Trbojevic 3, Brian To'o 2, Latrell Mitchell 2, Daniel Saifiti tries; Nathan Cleary 7 cons, 1 pen goal, Latrell Mitchell 1 con) bt Queensland 6 (Kurt Capewell try; Valentine Holmes con) at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
*QUOTE: "We've had a convincing win every year, so we're well aware that nothing has been achieved as yet," - said NSW coach Brad Fittler after the game.
* KEY MOMENT: With NSW leading 8-0, Penrith winger Brian To'o crashed over for a double within five minutes to put the Blues ahead 20-0 half an hour in. It sucked some of the energy out of the Queensland crowd, and the Maroons couldn't reign the scoreline back in.
* MAN OF THE MATCH: Tom Trbojevic was absolutely unstoppable, scoring his second hat-trick at Origin level as well as setting up another try. He was named in the centres but played as a second fullback, linking up through the middle with James Tedesco as well as Latrell Mitchell on the opposite edge.
* TALKING POINT: Queensland blew their big advantage of playing in front of a parochial home crowd in Townsville for the first time. To level the series some serious changes need to be made to the Maroons side.
* KEY STAT: The 44-point thrashing is Queensland's biggest ever loss in a State of Origin game.
* INJURIES: Maroons - Christian Welch (concussion), NSW - Nathan Cleary (cheek).
