wow.. I just got home from my bball game to hear about the thrashing.
Can't believe the game turned out like that. Complete shocker..
Oh well, game 3 will be a good one now

Maroons thrash Blues 30-6 in Origin II
Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 10:32 PM

Queensland has kept the State of Origin rugby league series alive with an emphatic 30-6 drubbing of NSW at Suncorp Stadium.

The Maroons forwards, lambasted for their meek showing in Origin I in Sydney, totally dominated the opening exchanges against a shell-shocked Blues pack to set up a decider in Melbourne on July 5.

The result also ensured talk of an unprecedented fourth straight series for the Blues was premature, after the Maroons responded superbly to critics of their game one performance.

"I suppose a bit of pride (was) restored it was a great feeling," said Maroons forward Carl Webb, who scored the opening try.

"We won the battle but we haven't won the war so we've got to finish them off down there in Melbourne."

Fellow prop Steve Price said Queensland was more comfortable playing at home rather than at Telstra Stadium, where they have yet to win an Origin game.

"The boys love playing here and obviously we were desperate, we had to turn what happened in Sydney around," he said.

"It's not stuff you like having said about yourself but we knew we had to work hard and that's what we did as a unit."

Bulldogs enforcers Willie Mason and Mark O'Meley, instrumental in laying a platform for the Blues in the series opener, were forced backwards on several occasions in driving gang tackles, with Petero Civoniceva and Sam Thaiday punishing in defence.

Debutant Adam Mogg, controversially chosen ahead of Penrith flyer Rhys Wesser, made two crucial plays in the first half, saving one try and then contributing to a four-pointer for the Maroons.

The Canberra winger snuffed out a Blues raid down the right-hand flank in the 10th minute, then threw Mark Gasnier into touch 10 minutes later when after the Test centre defused a Thurston bomb.

From the ensuing scrum, lock Chris Flannery shovelled the ball inside for heavyweight prop Webb to dive over under the posts to the delight of a capacity crowd of 52,468.

"It's sensational the boys were fantastic tonight defensively - sensational, I'm proud to be part of the team it was just awesome," said Mogg, who also scored two second half tries.

"Fantastic to score two tries in any game - but your first Origin it's a dream."

The Maroons' second try came against the run of play, with blockbusting centre Justin Hodges sprinting 75 metres after gratefully accepting an intercept pass from Blues pivot Braith Anasta. On his sojourn to the line, the Brisbane flyer taunted the cover defence, pointing at Brett Hodgson as the Wests Tigers fullback chased in vain.

They almost went further in front three minutes before the break, only for winger Brent Tate to be held up over the line by Hodgson.

Just as NSW did in game I, Queensland went into the sheds up 14-0 at halftime.

But unlike the Blues, the Maroons went on with the job in the second half.

Just four minutes in, Mogg scored a try to give the home team an unassailable 20-0 lead.

The try was again the result of a forgettable pass from Anasta, this time to Gasnier, who spilled a ball around his bootlaces. Thurston then toed it ahead and regathered after a ricochet off teammate Steve Bell, before throwing a spectacular ball for an unmarked Mogg.

The Catalans-bound winger capped a magic debut when he bagged a double when he touched down in the 63rd minute, while Shaun Berrigan iced the cake when he finished off a superb movement five minutes later.

Only a late try from Timana Tahu prevented a humiliating shut-out.

In a further blow to the Blues, Newcastle halfback Andrew Johns confirmed he would not come out of representative retirement for the series decider in Melbourne.