Queensland 2-1 New South Wales (Series)
New South Wales 24-10 Queensland (Final Game)
New South Wales scored 4 tries to win at home in the final game of State Of Origin 2023 as Queensland lift the Shield with a 2-1 series victory.
The event begun just over 2 hours prior to kick-off, at 5:50pm, with an exhibition New South Wales RISE Academy under-15’s men’s rugby league match between RISE Blue & RISE Navy. RISE Blue won 28-6.
The Nine Network, in the pre-match coverage, again showed the team line-ups with pre-recorded footage of the respective states’ iconic bridges in the background lit up in their team’s colours, complete with computer-generated fireworks. The pre-recorded footage (despite claiming it was live) of the Sydney Harbour Bridge lit up blue completely was shown again later.
A surprise drone show over Sydney Showground featured in the lead-up to the match, broadcast on TV on delay (so it started before 7:18pm). It only featured the non-sponsored State of Origin logo in horizontal form (brand image to the left, the words ‘State of Origin‘ in blue to the right). More pre-recorded drone show footage was shown again later (and thus, finished no later than 7:35pm).
Then at 7:30pm, the pre-match entertainment began. Indigenous performances & a light and pyrotechnic show featuring New Zealand’s biggest band, SIX60, featured. The latter opened with a Maori performance, followed by SIX60‘s 2011 song, Don’t Forget Your Roots, which again featured Maori performances including a mid-song haka. This all was in front of a stadium crowd of 75,342 (a new record for a ‘dead rubber’ State Of Origin match) and the multi-million sized TV audience (though the Indigenous performances only featured in the broadcast background & the rest of SIX60‘s set not being televised).
The New South Wales side then walked from their Centre Of Excellence across the road through the former athlete transfer tunnel from The Games of the XXVIIth Olympiad: Sydney 2000 to Stadium Australia where they met the Queensland side on the field, who came from the stadium’s changing rooms.
The customary Welcome To Country, conducted by Aunty Kerrie Kenton and performance of the National Anthem, sung by Courtney Monsma, then immediately preceded the main match,
Anyway, to the game. Queensland took the upper hand at the start with their only converted try scored by David Fifita in the 11th minute.
Brian To’o saved New South Wales from complete domination by diving into the corner a few minutes later to score the 1st unconverted try for New South Wales in the game.
The lack of conversion was quickly reprieved 3 minutes later when New South Wales received a penalty due to Queensland’s Harry Grant tackling in mid-air after a Mitchell Moses kick. They took the penalty’s opportunity to score a field goal which levelled the scores.
A couple of minutes later, Josh Addo-Carr ensured Queensland won’t have the upper hand again for the rest of the series by showcasing his speed & kicking skills in a classic unconverted try.
New South Wales debutant, Bradman Best, met the Origin challenge by backing up Addo-Carr a few minutes later to score his debut Origin try, which was converted, to lead by 10 points.
It looked like New South Wales was going to storm to victory, but Queensland’s Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow reminded them that Queensland doesn’t give up victory without a fight by finding a gap in New South Wales’s defence & to the best of his ability with the space available, recreate Josh Addo-Carr’s try except with a low kick along the ground, to score what would end up being Queensland’s last unconverted try of the series.
A minute before half-time, New South Wales received another penalty thanks again to Harry Grant who crowded the ruck. They used the penalty to score a field goal to add an extra 2-point buffer.
At half-time, the score was 18-10 in favour of New South Wales.
During half-time, a Little Origin match was held between Sacred Heart Mount Druitt & Cessnock Public School.
The 2nd half was fairly even but as time went on, the more likely a New South Wales victory in the game was assured. It began with a couple of arguments after a few minutes & then, around the 60-minute mark, there was a flurry of try attempts by both sides but all were unsuccessful.
Then, in the 64th minute, James Tedesco found a gap ‘in Queensland’s defence and ran to the try line. When confronted with Queensland’s fullback, he quickly passed at the last minute to Bradman Best who made the rest of the journey with no obstacles in the way to score his 2nd Origin try on debut, which was converted. He celebrated with Josh Addo-Carr with dancing. New South Wales now felt assured of victory leading by 14 points.
The rest of the 2nd half was evenly poised though around the 70-minute mark, Queensland had a few unsuccessful try attempts to leave open the potential for a reduced deficit in the game.
5 minutes before full-time, a couple of pitch invaders appeared, which security apprehended & 2 minutes before half-time, Josh Addo-Carr suffered a hamstring injury requiring an interchange with Clint Gutherson.
All successful conversions were kicked by Stephen Crichton for New South Wales & Valentine Holmes for Queensland.
At full time, the final score for the final game was New South Wales 24-10 Queensland & the final score for the 2023 series was Queensland 2-1 New South Wales.
The series presentation followed on a stage in the field’s centre with James Bracey as Master Of Ceremonies & Wally ‘The King‘ Lewis, Queensland rugby league great, Andrew Abdo, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rugby League and Brent Merrick, Ampol Executive General Manager of International & New Business waiting on the stage.
New South Wales coach, Brad Fittler, was invited onto the stage to award the Player of the Match medal, which was awarded to Cody Walker.
The winner of the Wally Lewis Medal, awarded to the player of the series by Wally Lewis, was then announced as Reuben Cotter.
Um, firstly, ah, congrats to New South Wales. Um, congrats to our boys. Ah, it’s been a, you know, a great series. I’ve loved every moment, ah, with youse, in camp.
Um, (breathes deeply) I just want to say thanks to all the Queensland supporters for coming out tonight… (crowd cheers) …& to the 5 million back home, uh, watching. Uh, thanks, thanks for supporting ma-, us all the way through & thanks to the coaching staff. Abuntoo!
Reuben Cotter, Queensland rugby league player
Uh, firstly, I just want to thank, uh, the Queensland boys for the series. Um, they were f-, too good for us the 1st 2 games, um, so congratulations to you boys. Thanks for the series. Oh, thanks all the fans – the New South Wales fans for coming out tonight. Um, we wanted to get some pride back into the jersey & get a win for you so really glad we could, um, though disappointed to lose the 1st 2 but want to thank my team, the staff, the series. Obviously wasn’t, uh, how we wanted to go – going down the 1st 2 games but, um, we fought hard tonight for a win so, uhm, we look forward to next year. Thanks guys.
James Tedseco, New South Wales captain
Yeah, look, I just want to take the time to thank all of the hard work that goes putting this stuff on. All of the corporate partners, the administrators, Queensland Rugby League, thank you so much for getting this on. It’s always a pleasure to play in such, such a big stage.
I want to thank ‘The Blues’ for the series. It’s been a tough series regardless of the result. Theys…These guys played fair all the way, made it a tough series & we had to work every bit of it so thank you very much for ‘The Blues’.
I want to thank everyone that’s come here tonight in particular you Queensland fans… (crowd cheers) …& as Reuben touched on, there’s 5 million of us sitting at home in Queensland. I hope youse enjoy this moment that’s coming up. It’s all for you.
Last but not least, the playing group & the footy staff. It’s been a hell of a lot of hard work gone into this but as Reub said boys, it’s something special here. Enjoy the moment. Abuntoo boys. Let’s go!
Daly Cherry-Evans, Queensland captain
Wally Lewis, Andrew Abdo & Brent Merrick then presented the State Of Origin Shield to Daly Cherry-Evans, who immediately lifted it up to the cheers of the crowd as flamethrowers lit up the stage. The former three people moved out the way for the rest of the Queensland team and staff who gathered around the Shield as Queen‘s iconic song, We Are The Champions, played. Ground fireworks exploded behind the stage as Queensland cheered in victorious glory while their families joined them on stage. That was State Of Origin 2023.
Until next year!
Sydney Spectaculars 