MAROONS FORCE DECIDER - JUST
TOM SMITH
QUEENSLAND 26
NEW SOUTH WALES 24
Optus Stadium, Perth, Wednesday
BILLY SLATER breathed a massive sigh of relief after New South Wales fell just short of a miracle comeback in the Perth rain.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow’s first-half double - and an 8-0 penalty count -helped Queensland to a 26-6 half-time advantage.
But Brian To’o’s hat-trick took the Blues to within a whisker of a comefrom-the-clouds victory.
NSW scored five tries to Queensland’s four, although Zac Lomax’s four missed conversions -compared to Val Holmes’ flawless five from five - proved the difference on the scoreboard.
New captain Cameron Munster and Storm team-mate Harry Grant were mighty for the victors.
All the pre-game chat focused on Slater’s eyebrow-raising response to ex-NSW prop Aaron Woods jokingly calling him a “grub” on FM radio - a positively tame sledge by Australian standards.