Queensland needed a result after the humiliation of the game one lass as the game moved to neutral territory in Perth with New South Wales looking to seal the series win and make the third game in three weeks’ time a dead rubber.

In heavy rain, both coaches rang the changes as they hunted the win, Queensland added Mam and Capewell to the mix while New South Wales brought in Luai, Burton and Utoikamanu.

The Blues were big favourites with the bookies for a second 2025 win and were handicapped by twelve points on the coupon, the same as the winning margin in game one, as they looked to retain the shield.

After losing their captains challenge for a ball steal, Queensland quickly conceded the opening try when a Nathan Cleary pass was dinked towards goal by Jarmoe Luai, dribble forward by Stephen Crichton, and grounded Brian To’o in the right corner. Lomax added the conversion for a 6-0 lead.

Queensland struck back on thirteen, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow with an acre of space on the overlap to cross in the corner without a Blues hand on him as he dived over in the corner. Valentine Holmes converted brilliantly from the touchline to level the scores.

As the game developed, Queensland were growing in confidence.

As the game headed to the end of the first quarter, Tabuai-Fidow leapt to collect a high kick to the corner from Tommy Dearden and as he dropped to the ground, under the tackle, he grounded to edge the Maroons into the lead. Holmes was perfect with his second kick from the same spot as his first had been.

A flurry of errors from both sides boiled over in an outbreak of pushing and shoving forcing referee Ashley Klein to read the riot act.

An elbow to the face from Zac Lomax gifted Queensland with a penalty under the stick and in the driving Perth rain Holmes kicked his third two-pointer of the night for 14-6.

The third Queensland try came on the half hour, Cameron Munster taking the pass from dummy half Harry Grant to bust between two tackler and score by the right upright. Holmes kicked another perfect goal for a 20-6 lead. New South Wales were simply not at the races.

Nathan Cleary had a try chalked off on thirty-six for an obstruction in the build-up.

On thirty-seven the Maroons lead was further extended after they kept the ball alive with offloads and great passing, Kurt Capewell being the man in the position to take the final pass from Kurt Mann to dove over. Holmes made it five from five with the boot for a stunning 26-6 scoreline.

In the dying seconds Lomax attempted a two-point field goal, but the ball drifted wide as the hooter sounded on a twenty-point Queensland lead.

The Blues set out their second half intent on forty-five, To’o getting his second with a ten-metre sprint to the line on the overlap left as they loaded up. Lomax was just wide of the far post with his touchline conversion.

The game was back in the balance on fifty-seven, Stephen Crichton jinking his way through the defence. But the ball came back off the near upright, the Blues still twelve points adrift.

With fifteen minutes remaining the Blues set up the chance of one of the greatest comebacks in Origin history following a Tabuai-Fidow knock-on as To’o took a Lattrell Mitchell quick pass to again dive over in the corner as the left side was exploited again. Lomax missed the target again, NSW now eight adrift, the Blues trailing by three missed kicks and a penalty goal.

On seventy-two Stephen Crichton charged down on a deft Luai kick to goal and outpaced the defenders to ground the bouncing ball. Lomax found the target this time, the lead down to just two points.

Frantic defence from Queensland in the dying minutes but they kept their line intact and held on for the two point victory.

After a proverbial ‘game of two halves’, everything now comes down to game three on the 9^th July when both sides will believe that they will have the firepower to win the deciding game and lift the shield. Queensland played an incredible first half in this game, but it became very nervy as New South Wales fought their way back into the game in a sensational second half. The stage is set for an absolute cracker in three weeks’ time.

Queensland: Ponga, Coates, Toia, Holmes (G 5/5), Tabuai-Fidow (2T), Munster (T), Dearden, Fotuaika, Grant, Fa’asuamaleaui, Cotter, Capewell (T), Loiero. Subs: Mann, Collins, Nanai, Carrigan. 18^th Man: Mam. 

New South Wales: Edwards, To’o (3T), Cricthon S (2T), Mitchell, Lomax (G 2/5), Luai, Cleary, King, Robson, Haas, Martin, Crichton A, Yeo.  Subs: Watson, Leniu, Young, Utoikamanu. 18^th Man:  Burton.

Half-Time: 26-6.

Full-Time: 26-24.

Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 4-6, 6-6, 10-6, 12-6, 14-6, 18-6, 20-6, 24-6, 26-6 : HT:  26-10, 26-14, 26-18, 26-22, 26-24 :FT.

Lead Exchanges: NSW – Square – QLD.

Referee: Ashley Klein.   

Attendance: .