The Queensland Maroons have defeated the NSW Blues 20-14 to take out the 2020 State of Origin for the first time since 2017.
It was supposed to be the “unlosable” series for NSW, but ultimately Queensland came out on top in two of the three rounds.
“On behalf of the worst Queensland team… thank you very much,” Maroons coach Daly Cherry-Evans joked as he lifted the shield at Suncorp Stadium.
QLD getting around it! 🏆#Origin pic.twitter.com/DqlC7Sdfvi
— NRL (@NRL) November 18, 2020
Maroons five-eighth Cameron Munster was awarded the 2020 Wally Lewis Medal for player of the series. Without him, there’d probably be no win tonight.
It was about as tense as a decider could get, with NSW clawing back from being down 20-6 to being down 20-14 in the last 15 minutes.
James Tedesco and Cody Walker being knocked out and forced off the field didn’t help the Blues’ chances, though.
Early on in the deciding match of this year’s Origin series, a streaker ran onto the pitch, just like at the AFL Grand Final, which also in Brisbane this year.
However… they were wearing clothes and, when given the attention of the entire stadium (which was nearly at capacity!), they chose to floss until they were dragged off by security.
Streaking aside, the game ended up being a future State of Origin classic with punters biting their nails until the very end.
Johnathan Thurston even went as far as to declare this year’s deciding match as the “best series win since 1995”.
That said, some are still standing by their hot takes on Queensland having a pretty bad odds this year.
“It is the worst Queensland team I’ve seen in the last 15 or 20 years. Congratulations to them, they won,” Paul Gallen commented after the match.
“To their credit, they still beat the Blues. What that says about NSW, I’m not so sure.”
