NSW played a perfect 40 minutes of football. Can they do it for 80 in Brisbane? (2024)

For the closest thing resembling the perfect half of big-game football, prior to Wednesday, you had to go back to the 2001 grand final.

Such was Parramatta’s dominance that season, it was dubbed the unlosable grand final. Which they lost. It was over as a contest by half-time, when a Newcastle side led by Andrew Johns raced out to a 24-0 lead.

It was a masterclass, the likes of which hadn’t been seen before or since.

Until now.

In front of a crowd of 90,084 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, in a game they needed to win to keep the series alive, NSW produced the greatest 40 minutes of football. Ever.

Five minutes into the encounter, Stephen Crichton made a mini-break after running over the top of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow. Rather than succumb to the ensuing tackle, he threw a speculative ball that resulted in a turnover.

It was the one and only NSW error in what was otherwise a flawless half of football. The scoreline – 34-0 – was an accurate reflection of the Blues’ dominance.

The stats tell the story: Six tries. 68 per cent possession. 21 of 22 sets completed. 107 NSW runs (1,041 metres) to 51 Queensland runs (419 metres). Five line breaks to two. NSW tackling at 96 per cent efficiency.

In short, it is the closest any side will ever come to rugby league perfection. It was the type of performance Michael Maguire could only dream about.

Reece Walsh, frustrated by the lack of opportunities presented to him, was reduced to taking the type of hit-up normally reserved for his forwards. The fullback was duly levelled by Reece Robson and Payne Haas.

Every Blue played their part. The best on ground, Mitchell Moses, finished with four try assists. On two separate occasions, he jammed in defensively on Tom Dearden and forced a turnover. His right boot had a radar quality, whether it was finding open space or future Eels teammate Zac Lomax.

In the lead-up, Lomax was asked – given his ability to catch, kick and run – whether he had ever considered a career in the AFL.

“It’s funny how many times I get asked that question. I would never say no to it, I would always be open to it,” Lomax said, perhaps only half-jokingly.

And then he took a speccy befitting the venue, sitting on the head of Murray Taulagi to mark the Steeden like it was a Sherrin.

There were other contributors. Dylan Edwards justified Maguire’s decision to drop the state’s long-time fullback and skipper James Tedesco. Latrell Mitchell finished with a try and try assist despite only limited ball, making his best contributions without it.

Payne Haas was every bit as dominant as he is in a Broncos jersey. Angus Crichton made it impossible for the Roosters not to re-sign him, while Cameron Murray, off only a limited preparation, won every play-the-ball.

Eighth Immortal Johns, the Clive Churchill medallist who put on that clinic against the Eels more than two decades ago, summed it up thus: “The most important thing is, they have to think about the first 15 minutes when this game was won,” he said in commentary for Nine.

“It was won by hard work, all the effort areas. The kicking game was absolutely perfect.”

It was too good a half to reproduce. Almost inevitably, possession levelled out in the second stanza and the Maroons had the better of it.

The game meandered to its inevitable conclusion as the combatants’ minds drifted towards the finale. Maguire, despite the absence of Nathan Cleary, appears to have settled upon a combination that he can take to Suncorp.

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Selwyn Cobbo, whose selection was as surprising as his omission, will play on Saturday night. What does pick-and-stick now look like for Billy Slater?

NSW won’t have it all their own way on July 17. The stakes will be higher and the venue less hospitable. A 40-minute performance there won’t be enough.

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