STATE OF ORIGIN: NSW demolish Queensland in 38-18 Origin II win

NSW have salvaged their State of Origin campaign, sending the series to a decider after demolishing Queensland in a 38-18 bloodbath.

In front of 90,084 fans at Melbourne’s MCG, halfback Mitchell Moses was the key for the Blues, setting up four tries and tormenting the rudderless Maroons with his long kicking game.

Prop Payne Haas led NSW from the front with one of his most dominant Origin performances, while Latrell Mitchell made an impression by scoring a try in his first Blues appearance since 2021.

Man-of-the-match Moses, Mitchell and Haas will all be required to find that level once more as NSW dare to dream of winning the July 17 decider in Brisbane.

NSW have not won a decider in Brisbane since 2005 but they will go to Suncorp Stadium brimming with confidence after bullying the Maroons off the park.

“It was nice to see the leaders went out and controlled the game,” Blues coach Michael Maguire said.

“What you saw in the first half is what I believe that this group is capable of.

“We have got to replicate that moving forward.

“Mitch came in and did what I believe he was capable of doing, he was strong with the way he wanted to play the game.”

Queensland were directionless and looked rattled when the Blues cruised to a 34-0 halftime lead.

Electric fullback Reece Walsh was barely sighted and his inability to inject himself into the game will only increase the focus on the Blues’ tactics to shut him down.

“It was a tough first half, it felt like we were running up hill,” said Queensland coach Billy Slater.

“Part of that is on us… we just couldn’t stop the momentum of the game.

“I will look at our game and work out what we need to adjust and what we need to go after.

“One thing I do know is that there is another game in three weeks time.”

Queensland had threatened early when Jaydn Su’A burst through on the left edge but was unable to offload the ball to a supporting runner.

NSW breathed a sigh of relief and they drew first blood when they were granted four back-to-back sets.

Moses eventually exploited a tiring Maroons defence to send Liam Martin over for NSW’s first try of the night in the 10th minute.

Queensland needed to be faultless but a shanked kick from winger Murray Taulagi on the last gave the Blues a seven-tackle set.

Stephen Crichton dragged Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow back into the Queensland in-goal on the next set which paved the way for Mitchell to send Brian To’o over in the corner.

Queensland were lost and there was nothing they could do to stop the Blues motoring downfield.

Moses was suffocating the Maroons with his boot and he continued that with a chipped kick for Zac Lomax in the right corner.

Lomax outlept Taulagi to touch down and Moses repeated the play, crabbing round to the left edge and glancing a grubberkick through for To’o to pounce on in the 26th minute.

Moses was dishing it out in defence, too, forcing an error from Tom Dearden that allowed the Blues to charge down the Queensland end through interchange prop Spencer Leniu.

The Sydney Roosters took the baton from Haas, who finished his first stint with an impressive 110m return from 13 powerful carries.

Leniu had one of his trademark cavalier runs which allowed the Blues to further turn the screw with Mitchell and Lomax scoring before halftime.

Lomax kicked five of his six first-half conversion attempts to give the Blues a 34-0 halftime advantage, the biggest lead in Origin history.

It took until the 50th minute for the Maroons to get off the mark, Jeremiah Nanai barging over after Blues forward Liam Martin and Queensland lock Patrick Carrigan had been sinbinned for a push and shove.

Either side of a try for debutant Blues fullback Dylan Edwards, Tabuai-Fidow and Taulagi both crossed for second-half Queensland tries but the Blues had already done the damage.

Tabuai-Fidow, who destroyed the Blues in Game I, recovered from a shoulder injury that took him off the field to score one of the three Maroons’ second half tires. Jeremiah Nanai was the first to cross for Queensland in the 54th minute.

Edwards’ try capped off a remarkable first Origin outing for the Penrith fullback, which reinforced why he was NSW coach Michael Maguire’s first option at No.1 before injury denied him his debut last month.

Moses said after the game it was a team performance and the Blues would enjoy the win before turning their attention to the daunting task of clinching the series at Suncorp Stadium in three weeks time.