There will be a debate today about whether
the Maroons’ crushing Origin Two victory was due more to the Maroons’ brilliance
or the Blues’ ineptitude, but there can be no debate that the result was a
timely victory for State of Origin
Rugby League. The final score line – Maroons 30, Blues 6
– is not an inaccurate reflection of the game. The Maroons played their best
football in years, the Blues their worst.

As the ABC’s respected
commentator, Warren Ryan, strove to emphasise throughout the call, it was the
massive lift in performance by the much maligned Maroons forwards that laid the
foundations for the kind of victory that helps keep the Origin series alive, and the concept
alive as well.

The Blues’ one try came in the dying minutes
of the game, but for just about the whole 80-minute encounter, the
Maroons were the better team in every department. Maybe it was the attacks on the Maroons
coach, selectors, players, and tactics over the last couple of weeks – not to
mention the painting of the Wally Lewis statue in Blues colours – that fired up
the Maroons players.
Or maybe it was a bit of that and a dose of Blues over-confidence?

Whatever the reason, the result is a timely
boost for State of Origin and means the third game in Melbourne on 5 July
will decide the series. The third game was due to be held at
Telstra Stadium in Sydney, but the NSWRL gave up the right to the game in order to “promote”
rugby league in Melbourne. Graham Murray won’t be thanking his bosses for giving away the
home ground advantage.

The Blues have no excuses for their
comprehensive defeat. The referee, Steven Clark, was balanced and fair; in fact,
it was the best display by an Origin referee since Bill Harrigan was at his
best.

My prediction last night was wide of the
mark – but I was far from alone. And when Gus Gould told the Channel
Nine audience last night “the Maroons were very truly magnificent” then they must have been at least that!