Queensland needed a result after the humiliation of the game
one lass as the game moved to neutral territory in Perth with New South Wales
looking to seal the series win and make the third game in three weeks’ time a
dead rubber.

In heavy rain, both coaches rang the changes as they hunted
the win, Queensland added Mam and Capewell to the mix while New South Wales
brought in Luai, Burton and Utoikamanu.

The Blues were big favourites with the bookies for a second
2025 win and were handicapped by twelve points on the coupon, the same as the
winning margin in game one, as they looked to retain the shield.

After losing their captains challenge for a ball steal,
Queensland quickly conceded the opening try when a Nathan Cleary pass was
dinked towards goal by Jarmoe Luai, dribble forward by Stephen Crichton, and
grounded Brian To’o in the right corner. Lomax added the conversion for a 6-0
lead.

Queensland struck back on thirteen, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow with
an acre of space on the overlap to cross in the corner without a Blues hand on
him as he dived over in the corner. Valentine Holmes converted brilliantly from
the touchline to level the scores.

As the game developed, Queensland were growing in confidence.

As the game headed to the end of the first quarter,
Tabuai-Fidow leapt to collect a high kick to the corner from Tommy Dearden and as
he dropped to the ground, under the tackle, he grounded to edge the Maroons
into the lead. Holmes was perfect with his second kick from the same spot as
his first had been.

A flurry of errors from both sides boiled over in an
outbreak of pushing and shoving forcing referee Ashley Klein to read the riot
act.

An elbow to the face from Zac Lomax gifted Queensland with a
penalty under the stick and in the driving Perth rain Holmes kicked his third
two-pointer of the night for 14-6.

The third Queensland try came on the half hour, Cameron
Munster taking the pass from dummy half Harry Grant to bust between two tackler
and score by the right upright. Holmes kicked another perfect goal for a 20-6
lead. New South Wales were simply not at the races.

Nathan Cleary had a try chalked off on thirty-six for an obstruction
in the build-up.

On thirty-seven the Maroons lead was further extended after
they kept the ball alive with offloads and great passing, Kurt Capewell being
the man in the position to take the final pass from Kurt Mann to dove over.
Holmes made it five from five with the boot for a stunning 26-6 scoreline.

In the dying seconds Lomax attempted a two-point field goal,
but the ball drifted wide as the hooter sounded on a twenty-point Queensland lead.

The Blues set out their second half intent on forty-five, To’o
getting his second with a ten-metre sprint to the line on the overlap left as
they loaded up. Lomax was just wide of the far post with his touchline
conversion.

The game was back in the balance on fifty-seven, Stephen Crichton
jinking his way through the defence. But the ball came back off the near
upright, the Blues still twelve points adrift.

With fifteen minutes remaining the Blues set up the chance
of one of the greatest comebacks in Origin history following a Tabuai-Fidow knock-on
as To’o took a Lattrell Mitchell quick pass to again dive over in the corner as
the left side was exploited again. Lomax missed the target again, NSW now eight
adrift, the Blues trailing by three missed kicks and a penalty goal.

On seventy-two Stephen Crichton charged down on a deft Luai
kick to goal and outpaced the defenders to ground the bouncing ball. Lomax found
the target this time, the lead down to just two points.

Frantic defence from Queensland in the dying minutes but
they kept their line intact and held on for the two point victory.

After a proverbial ‘game of two halves’, everything now
comes down to game three on the 9^th July when both sides will believe
that they will have the firepower to win the deciding game and lift the shield.
Queensland played an incredible first half in this game, but it became very
nervy as New South Wales fought their way back into the game in a sensational second
half. The stage is set for an absolute cracker in three weeks’ time.

Queensland: Ponga, Coates, Toia, Holmes (G 5/5),
Tabuai-Fidow (2T), Munster (T), Dearden, Fotuaika, Grant, Fa’asuamaleaui,
Cotter, Capewell (T), Loiero. Subs: Mann, Collins, Nanai, Carrigan. 18^th
Man: Mam. 

New South Wales: Edwards, To’o (3T), Cricthon S (2T),
Mitchell, Lomax (G 2/5), Luai, Cleary, King, Robson, Haas, Martin, Crichton A,
Yeo.  Subs: Watson, Leniu, Young,
Utoikamanu. 18^th Man:  Burton.

Half-Time: 26-6.

Full-Time: 26-24.

Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 4-6, 6-6, 10-6, 12-6, 14-6, 18-6,
20-6, 24-6, 26-6 : HT:  26-10, 26-14, 26-18,
26-22, 26-24 :FT.

Lead Exchanges: NSW – Square – QLD.

Referee: Ashley Klein.   

Attendance: .