Eye-gouge or face massage? Should Luai have been banned?

• Maroons held on for 2-point win
• QLD player ratings
• Cleary shouldn't have played injured
• QLD 'won it for Slater'

“When you think you’ve seen everything in this arena, it continues to amaze. We’re in for an epic conclusion.”

Phil Gould was not wrong.

NSW were gone. Dead and buried, 20 points down and showing no signs of life.

Never underestimate what Origin can do with NSW falling agonisingly shot of pulling off the greatest comeback in Origin history in a 26-24 defeat to Queensland to send the series to a decider.

Billy Slater’s men were in cruise control. They had outclassed and outsmarted their ill-disciplined rivals for 40 minutes despite coming in as the berated underdogs.

But the second-half onslaught from the Blues will be talked about for years to come. The Maroons were besieged and with just over a minute left on the clock it was all down to Queensland’s new captain Cameron Munster who claimed a crucial turnover.

“Queensland are back from the dead,” Gould said on the siren. “The Munster era is under way.”

LUAI EYE GOUGE

Blues five-eighth Jarome Luai has avoided a ban despite being put on report for an eye-gouge during the first half of State of Origin Game 2 in Perth.

In slippery conditions, the ball was being dropped left, right and centre and after being dropped between tackles, Luai's fingers found the eyes of Maroons forward Reuben Cotter.

Moments later Luai's teammate Zac Lomax was also put on report for smashing Trent Loiero in the head.

"Don't lash out with your arms," he's told by referee Ashley Klein. "On report."

Loiero was forced off the field for the remainder of the half but passed his HIA.

Both Luai and Lomax have been fined for the incidents and will be free to play Game 3 and for their clubs.

HAMMER TIME

The Blues lungs would have been burning such was the longevity of this set up but the patience from QLD paid off and it’s Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow over the line for their first try.

“Very patient, that was the best bit about it,” Billy Slater said. “We didn’t push the pass, we got the chocolates thanks to patience.

“It’s greasy out there and the first few sets we made errors. They will happen in this weather.”

Moments later, with the Maroons handling the soggy conditions infinitely better than their rivals, Tabuai-Fidow was over again off an outstanding feed from Dearden. His 11th try in nine games.

“Height was perfect, any higher and Latrell is all over it,” Brad Fittler said.

A double conversion from Val Holmes secured advantage Maroons 25 minutes into the first half.

HAMMER BLOW

The two-try scorer had an absolute howler of a moment with 13 minutes to go and it will go down as the biggest turning point of the game.

A knock on from Hammer from a kick and hope moment from Luai gifted the Blues an opportunity. And To’o snatched with to secure his hat-trick carving through three Maroons defenders.

Not 20 minutes before this NSW were dead and buried.

That's the first Origin hat-trick since Turbo in 2021.

HOW INJURED IS CLEARY?

Heavily strapped on his right leg the Panthers superstar failed to take any long kicks for the Blues throughout the contest sparking speculation about the severity of a possible injury.

Cleary was not the kicker for the opening try from NSW and it emerged midway through the first half that he was not able to kick during the captain’s run.

“That leg is not 100% for me, he’s shanked that kick, done no long kicking,” Phil Gould said on Channel 9.

"There is a problem without a doubt but he's the ultimate professional, he's doing everything he can. Let's hope a little break for him calms it down," Brad Fittler said of the injury.

CAN ANYONE SEE?

“My goodness I’m surprised the players can see everything with the smoke from fireworks failing to clear,” Gould said.

As the match restarted players, fans and viewers at home would be forgiven for wondering what was on fire at Optus Stadium.

With heavy rain falling the smoke from the half-time fireworks was struggling to rise and clear making the visibility very hard for all involved.

“We can tell the wind is dropping because the smoke from half-time is lingering around,” Andrew Johns said.

WHAT GRUBGATE?

It’s dominated the news for a good week and been one of the only stories to ignite any kind of buzz around Origin Game 2, but you wouldn’t know it from Channel 9’s coverage.

Not a grub mention in site throughout their broadcast despite the number of big names in their team.

The closest it came to mentioning the saga was Laurie Daley saying his team were looking forward to taking advantage of an “emotional and desperate” Queensland side.

PANTHERS POWER

With 12 points the difference there was something of a reunion for NSW to get the side back in.

Nathan Cleary to Jarome Luai to Dylan Edwards to Stephen Crichton…all current or former Panthers players one by one ensuring the Blues were back in contention.

Crichton beat three Maroons defenders to get the ball down.