QUEENSLAND'S ROYAL RUN IN RECENT SUNCORP STADIUM DECIDERS
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2011: Early blitzkrieg kills the Blues
NSW finally added some respectability back to the interstate competition by taking State of Origin to a decider for only the second time in five years. But this quickly turned into a mauling. In Darren Lockyer's last game for Queensland, the Maroons scored four tries in 17 minutes during the first half as Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater, Lockyer and Cameron Smith all turned it on. NSW briefly fought back and Thurston ended the game in a wheelchair with a broken leg, but the Maroons won out 34-24.
2012: Cronk makes his statement
Every sinew in Cooper Cronk's body came together as he nailed a 40-metre field goal to kick Queensland to a 21-20 win over NSW. Playing in his first series as Queensland's first-choice halfback, Cronk practised field-goal shots from the exact same location the night before and landed the one-pointer when it mattered most for the Maroons. His match-winning play came after the Blues led 8-0 early, but still couldn't stop Queensland's run of dominance.
2015: The most brutal Queensland win of all
NSW had dominated Origin II in Melbourne and were eying off two straight series victories after their drought breaker the previous season. Any hope of that was quickly extinguished. NSW opened the scoring with a penalty goal, but soon trailed 22-2 by halftime. The onslaught continued after the break as the Maroons clocked up 50 points for the first time in their Origin history. Eventually it finished 52-6, in the perfect sign off for Mal Meninga as Maroons coach with his ninth series victory in 10 campaigns.
2017: Munster takes the reins as Queensland's new wunderkind
NSW must still be wondering how they let this series get away. They won Origin I at Suncorp, and led 16-6 at halftime in Sydney three weeks later. In what would be his last Origin, Johnathan Thurston carried the Maroons to victory with one functioning shoulder to force a decider. Then Cameron Munster took over. On debut, he had a hand in three of the Maroons' four tries in the 22-6 series-deciding win. Laurie Daley was sacked as NSW coach and eight of the Blues never played Origin again.
2020: Queensland's worst team take victory
They were branded the worst team in Queensland's history by NSW media, but the Maroons stunned the Blues again in a decider. After NSW lost James Tedesco early to a concussion, Isaah Yeo was left to defend at centre and the Blues were all at sea. Queensland got to a 20-8 lead as Harry Grant starred, and while NSW threatened a comeback with Corey Allan in the sin-bin, the Maroons held on to win 20-14.
2022: Maroons hunt down the shield amid chaos
Queensland shone through again in one of the most dramatic Origins in recent memory. Cameron Murray, Selwyn Cobbo and Lindsay Collins were all knocked out in the opening four minutes, before Dane Gagai and Matt Burton threw punches at each other in the second half. Queensland took a 14-10 lead through the chaos, and with NSW on the attack late, Ben Hunt intercepted a Nathan Cleary chip kick off the boot to go 75 metres and seal a famous 20-10 win for the Maroons.
Australian Associated Press
