A Ben Hunt intercept try has clinched a dramatic State of Origin decider for Queensland against NSW, winning 22-12 in Brisbane.
Three men exited the game inside the first three minutes with concussion, while Matt Burton and Dane Gagai were sin-binned for a fight that triggered an all-in brawl.
But somehow the Maroons, with a two-man bench in front of 52,385 rabid fans, overcame a 12-10 halftime deficit to clinch a ninth win from the last 10 Origin deciders.
With the game still in the balance, Hunt snaffled a Nathan Cleary kick and ran 70 metres to score the match-sealer and cap one of the great Origin contests that harked back to the 1980s at Suncorp Stadium.
Gagai and Burton exchanged blows to ignite the second half in a fight that sparked an all-in brawl that had threatened to come in a fiery first half.
Behind debutant five-eighth Tom Dearden, the Queensland spine dominated field position and went ahead through sensational fullback Kalyn Ponga before Hunt iced the game and the series.
A late Kurt Capewell try, off a trick-play short kick from Harry Grant, gave Queensland a sniff entering the sheds after the Blues had all the running in a mad first half.
Queensland lost two men and NSW another, all to concussion, in a brutal opening four minutes.
Blues backrower Cameron Murray was the first casualty, clashing heads with Corey Oates on Queensland’s first tackle.
Selywn Cobbo followed him less than a minute later, the Queensland winger lying prone after some friendly fire in another tackle and requiring a medi-cab to leave the ground.
Lindsay Collins completed the trifecta and left Queensland with just two on the bench, the prop copping a stray Daniel Tupou elbow after he had rebounded out of a fierce Tom Gilbert tackle.
Burton, a clear target for some Maroons’ physicality, almost joined them when a swinging Tino Fa’asuamaleaui arm collected him across the chin.
Two scuffles broke out before some rugby league finally took hold, Jeremiah Nanai producing several brilliant touches and Dearden putting on the game’s first try.
His short ball for Valentine Holmes capped 13 minutes of madness, the crowd finally able to take a breath as Holmes converted his own try.
A forward pass denied Dearden another try assist, the 21-year-old probing the short side in a nerveless introduction to the big stage.
Tired legs hit Queensland though, Cleary targeting the ruck then kicking for Jarome Luai to calmly plant the ball.
Debutant Jacob Saifiti then capped a superb half with a bullocking try of his own.
Capewell’s try gave Queensland a sniff though, before the fireworks to begin the second half paved the way for another Maroons miracle despite another huge game from Blues fullback and captain James Tedesco.
