Finch the Hero in Origin Heart Stopper

A 40 metre field goal from replacement half back Brett Finch has given NSW a thrilling 17-16 victory over Queensland in game one of their best of three State of Origin series tonight at Telstra Stadium in Sydney.

NSW looked to be in total control of the match when leading 14-0 at half time, but three second half tries to Queensland saw the scores tied at 16-16 heading into the final four minutes before Finch wrote himself into State of Origin folklore with his long range field goal in the 79th minute.

“A lot of the boys at the Roosters would be very surprised because I haven’t got a field goal all year,” an excited Finch told Channel Nine after the game.

“I thought it was going left and lucky for me it went over. It was a magnificent feeling.”

Having only been called into the side last night after Craig Gower was injured in a training mishap not much was expected from the struggling Roosters half back, but the feisty 24 year old showed he was up for the challenge scoring the opening try of the match and then breaking Queensland hearts at the death with his trusty right boot.

“I knew there was very good players around me so I didn’t have to do too much other than just try and get my kicking game on and push up with the forwards,” said Finch.

Having seen his side nearly throw away the game NSW captain Danny Buderus was a relieved man when talking to Channel Nine after the match and told them that every Origin always seem to produce a good tale.

“A few of the journalists at the start of the week thought it was a bit flat this year, but there is always going to be a story in Origin and in the 80th minute you got one there. Thank God for Brett Finch.”

As always it was a bruising affair in the opening moments and unlike recent contests it was NSW who came off second best with lock Luke O’Donnell forced from the field with a hand injury in only the seventh minute.

Queensland looked to take heart from injuring an opponent and went for the jugular, but some stout defence from the NSW held the visitors at bay and after absorbing the brunt of the Queensland attacking force NSW were able to score totally against the run of play in the 10th minute when a simple dropped ball from centre Brent Tate was scooped up by Mark Gasnier and after shrugging off a defender the burly centre found his winger Matt King who in turn promoted it to Finch to score in the right hand corner (4-0).

With that try under their belt the Blues started to play a much more expansive brand of rugby league and in the 15th minute it paid great dividends with the NSW backline putting the ball through quickly through the hands to give King the easiest of touch downs in the right hand corner.

After just failing with his first attempt Hodgson missed from the same spot again to leave the score at 8-0.

The Blues offensive juggernaut continued on its merry way six minutes later with prop Willie Mason going on a 40 metre run that saw him trample over three Queensland defenders to score between the posts and give the home side a comfortable 14-0 lead heading into half time.

There had been plenty of big hits in the game, but with tensions running high the match finally exploded in the 51st minute when NSW winger Eric Grothe and Queensland centre Justin Hodges came to blows,

The visitors got the penalty and from the ensuing set of six they got themselves back into the contest when Origin debutant Greg Inglis received a superb cut-out pass from five eighth Darren Lockyer to dive over in the right hand corner.

Half back Johnathan Thurston nailed the wide conversion to bring Queensland within eight points at 14-6.

With the tide turning against them NSW received a penalty close to the posts and the home side opted to take the points on offer with Hodgson slotting over the easy attempt (16-6).

The Blues missed a golden chance to seal the result in the 66th minute when King dropped the ball over the line after some good lead up work from Gasnier and the Queenslanders made them pay for that error five minutes later when Hodgson fumbled an innocuous Lockyer chip kick to gift Inglis his second try of the night.

Thurston pushed his conversion attempt agonisingly wide to leave the visitors a converted try behind with eight minutes to play.

With time winding down a moment of madness from Buderus saw him penalised for throwing a punch 30 metres out from his own try line and from the following set of six Queensland found a way over the line with winger Steve Bell scoring just inside the right hand corner post.

Knowing a miss would end their chances Thurston calmly potted the sideline conversion to lock up the scores at 16-16, but in the end it was all in vain as Finch landed the game winning field goal in the final minute to put NSW 1-0 up in the best of three series and condemn Queensland to their 11th straight visit to Telstra Stadium with no reward.

•  Have a view on this story? Send us your feedback!