Gasnier, what a champ.
Battling Blues draw first blood
By Steve Jancetic
May 21, 2008
NEW South Wales unveiled their own batch of dynasty busters at ANZ Stadium with the sky blue rookie brigade making a mockery of Origin nerves to lead the Blues to an 18-10 victory over Queensland in the series-opener.
New boys Peter Wallace, Anthony Laffranchi and two-try hero Anthony Quinn were all brilliant as they consigned the Maroons to their 11th loss in 13 appearances at the Olympic venue and put them on the back foot in their search for a hat-trick of series wins.
Only given a start after Kurt Gidley was ruled out with injury, young Brisbane halfback Wallace starred, his poise and control early in the game breaking the back of the Maroons.
Having spent the week working with former NSW maestro Andrew Johns, Wallace terrorised fullback Billy Slater with a precise kicking game which had the Maroons raking the ball out of their own half for much of the match.
He also showed a deft touch to find winger Anthony Quinn with a chip kick to give the Melbourne flyer two tries inside his first 18 minutes of Origin football.
"Unbelievable, it was just a dream come true," Wallace said.
"Hopefully it gets me another game, it's the best I've ever felt.
"It was a pretty big week, there was a fair bit of hype about it, I just tried to block it all out.
"I learnt so much in just a week, it's stuff I'll take away for the rest of my career, it was awesome."
While all the pre-match focus centred on how the Blues could contain the star-studded Queensland backline, it was the home side's speed men who were asking all the early questions.
Quinn gave the Blues a 4-0 lead after as many minutes as the ball went through the hands, Brett Stewart showing tremendous finger-tip control to reel in a Ryan Hoffman offload before finding his unmarked winger.
Queensland, who were burdened with the rarely carried favouritism tag, seemed more intent on dishing out defensive punishment than doing damage on the scoreboard, particularly through Broncos duo Karmichael Hunt and Justin Hodges.
But Hunt proved he was no Darren Lockyer as he struggled to get the Maroons backs firing and it appears they will be left with little choice but to bring in in-form Gold Coast playmaker Scott Prince for game two should Lockyer's knee not come good.
Laffranchi wasted little time in making an impact off the bench with his offload sparking Stewart's 35th minute try and it seemed the Blues would take a comfortable 14-0 lead to the break.
But Wallace's one error let the Maroons back into the game when his kick sailed out on the full just his side of halfway.
From there Queensland earned a repeat set before Brent Tate touched down on a Johnathan Thurston grubber as the halftime siren sounded.
It was nearly a repeat of the first half with the Blues making a bright start to the second half, Mark Gasnier cut short metres from the line by a Dallas Johnson try-saver.
It was certainly a much better effort than what Johnson came up with late in the contest, not for the first time the Storm lock taken from the field in a groggy state after getting his head in the wrong position.
The Blues made sure of the win with Laffranchi backing up a Gasnier bust 12 minutes from time, the Queensland side showing the never-say-die spirit they're renowned for as debutant Israel Folau crossed in the dying stages to make the final margin just eight points.
Cronulla utility Greg Bird was named man of the match and enjoyed his partnership with Wallace.
"I really enjoyed playing outside him (wallace) and he's a cool-headed character and he took everything in his stride throughout the week and that paid in the game, he had a blinder," he said.
"I enjoy the big stages. It was good fun out there."
AAP
"Remember lads, rugby is a team game; all 14 of you make sure you pass the ball to Giteau."
By the Clock
2nd minute: NSW halfback Peter Wallace settles into his first Origin game with a 15m attacking burst.
4th: NSW are in. Greg Bird puts his "makeshift five-eighth" label to rest with a great flat ball to Ryan Hoffman. Hoffman gets a clever one-armed pass to a juggling Brett Stewart who sends winger Anthony Quinn over on debut. Craig Fitzgibbon's conversion makes it 6-0 Blues.
9th: Karmichael Hunt smashes Hoffman in the night's first big hit.
10th: The game's first penalty goes against Blues big man Willie Mason for jumping too quickly from marker.
12th: Hoffman gets one back, smashing Melbourne teammate Michael Crocker.
15th: A Billy Slater worm-burning pass to Justin Hodges is ruled forward. For a moment, it looks like Queensland have won a rare tight head before referee Tony Archer re-orders the scrum.
16th: Israel Folau superbly defuses a towering Wallace bomb, outleaping Mark Gasnier. Replays show Wallace was taken out by Civoniceva after the kick.
18th: Quinn gets his second try when he marks a Wallace cross-field chip. Fitzgibbon missed the conversion. 10-0 NSW.
22nd: Hunt smashes Hoffman again - this time there's blood coming from the NSW second-rower.
23rd: A pinpoint Johnathan Thurston kick hems Stewart in his own in-goal.
26th: Slater throws a pass over the sideline as the Maroons continue to struggle to get their attack going.
30th: Tate pounces on a deflected Thurston kick and looks to send Crocker in, but the pass goes forward.
34th: NSW get their first penalty when Thurston jumps too quickly from marker.
35th: Some Mark Gasnier magic lays on the Blues' third try for Stewart, who handles twice in the movement. Wallace misses the conversion but NSW lead 14-0.
38th: Wallace proves he is human, kicking out on the full from his own 40.
40th: Queensland score a desperately-needed try on the bell. Thurston grubbers and Tate gets just enough downward pressure. Thurston misses the conversion. 14-4 Blues at halftime.
Second Half
42nd minute: Billy Slater tackled into touch. From the scrum, Mark Gasnier scorches 40m but the set ends with Greg Inglis magnificently defusing a Peter Wallace bomb.
48th: The Blues get a penalty 40m out from their own line for a stripping offence. Ben Cross loses the ball on the first tackle trying a miracle flick pass.
51st: Greg Bird makes a bust but Anthony Tupou is tackled on the last 5m from the Queensland line.
53rd: An incredible Queensland attacking move goes 70m. Slater starts it, Inglis acrobatically flicks a ball into play as he's heading into touch and Justin Hodges almost gets to the tryline.
56th: NSW earn a rare penalty and Queensland are marched 10m for backchat.
61st: Queensland awarded a penalty 11m out after Ryan Hoffman is pinged for offside cleaning up a Johnathan Thurston kick. Queensland's attack falls apart again with poor passing.
63rd: A head clash between Karmichael Hunt and Craig Fitzgibbon leaves the Broncos fullback dazed and the Roosters second-rower bleeding.
65th: Wallace earns a repeat set with a deft grubber which shaves the goalpost. The Blues attack again until Thurston defuses the Wallace bomb.
67th: An out of sorts Thurston drops it cold on his own 30m line.
68th: Bird's at it again - as a five-eighth. His cut-out ball puts Gasnier into space and the Dragons centre sends Anthony Laffranchi over for 18-4.
70th: Freakish Greg Inglis grabs a short kick-off on the full to have Queensland unexpectedly on the attack. The Blues defence is again strong and Queensland's set-ending grubber goes dead.
73rd: Hodges is held up by Mason. Moments later, Hoffman comes up with a trysaver on Brent Tate.
74th: Dallas Johnson knocked senseless trying to tackle Mason front-on.
79th: Israel Folau dives over in the corner for a consolation four-pointer after latching onto a Hunt cut-out ball.
There goes the only NSW famous victory for the year.
Gaz was ok. Real stars were Quinn and Bird. Tough nuts.
Dallas Johnston, please learn to tackle correctly!!! PLEASE!!!
Laura Force Addict v Chook scrabble-off on Facebook: laura & Force Addict 0 | chook 9
Gigsa made me do it
"He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty." – Lao Tzu
Or at least wear a scull cap!
"Best" knock out footage I've seen for a while that's for sure.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Wasn't good to see him that wobbly coming off, but man it was funny that it happened about 2 seconds after Stirlo finished talking about him getting concussed LAST year.
God help me, I'm with Chook here... learn to tackle Dallas!
i Dallas Johnson for MOM before the game so thats probably why he played pretty crap last night.
didnt he get knocked out in the first 2 minutes last year?
Whatever!!!!Originally Posted by jargan83
Go you Blues
(not to be confused with the tahs)
Fellow TWFers....be warned, the content of the following photograph may cause offence to all those who live, eat & breathe theblue. Yes, two of our own have shown their true colours.....
For those who don't recognise them.....Jargan83 is on the left & Happy is on the right.
CHEERLEADERS ROCK!!!
That's disgusting
Posted via space
Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.
Happy informed me my shirt wasn't blue enough; it was "some bullshit aqua colour"
Whatever!!!!
Fellow TWFers....be warned, the content of the following photograph may cause offence to all those who live, eat & breathe the
For those who don't recognise them.....Jargan83 is on the left & Happy is on the right.
One day you learn the difference between union and league Welshy
Chuck Norris has the greatest Poker-Face of all time. He won the 1983 World Series of Poker, despite holding only a Joker, a Get out of Jail Free Monopoly card, a 2 of clubs, 7 of spades and a green #4 card from the game Uno.
BTW - go the blues!!
Chuck Norris has the greatest Poker-Face of all time. He won the 1983 World Series of Poker, despite holding only a Joker, a Get out of Jail Free Monopoly card, a 2 of clubs, 7 of spades and a green #4 card from the game Uno.
All the same to me when there's poofter blue involved!!!!
says he who sat and the corner all night with a box of tissues
Chuck Norris has the greatest Poker-Face of all time. He won the 1983 World Series of Poker, despite holding only a Joker, a Get out of Jail Free Monopoly card, a 2 of clubs, 7 of spades and a green #4 card from the game Uno.
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