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Message: [QUOTE="Big Pete, post: 2431173, member: 1899"] Great thread Jeba. 06 was probably the most emotional series of all time. Going in it felt like careers were on the line & if we couldn't win here, perhaps the future of Origin would be called into question. Lots of expectation heading into Game 1, if I recall, we were actually favourite, especially after Gower was replaced and yet we dished up one of the worst 40 minute performances in Origin football. We were just so nervous and tentative, nobody had any confidence & it was only through some guts that we were able to make a game of it. From there it's history. Queensland tear up Game 2 but on the eve of Game 3 lose three of their best players in Hodges, Hunt & Bell. Their positions are given to three players who all had short-lived stints for the Maroons in Shifcofske, Hannany & Wesser, shifting the favouritism over to NSW. 1st half is as even as it gets, 4 all after Mogg miraculously grounds a cheeky JT cross field chip & Grothe Jr. swoops on a JT pass and runs the length of the field. Everyone was nervous as both teams came out in the second half but that all seemed to dissipate when the Maroons looked to have scored through TC as a Blue lost the football. Upstairs we go: NO TRY. It seems like a tough call against Steve Price, but there's plenty of time to go. Blues make their way down the other end & heap a lot of pressure on the Maroons. After being awarded possession on the back of another 50/50 call the Blues make the most of it with a try to the ever imposing Matt King. As a Queenslander you're feeling a little hard done by, but the boys should be fired up. Another set, another Blues try but this one is shrouded in controversy. Gower puts in a monster of a kick that bamboozles Schifcofske and somehow finds it's way into the hands of Grothe Jr. who makes it a double. Nobody is really sure what happened here but the replay clearly shows Hodgeson got a touch and propelled the ball forward. However, for some ungodly reason, the video referee decides to give NSW another try & suddenly things are beginning to feel a lot like the past couple of series and every passionate Queenslander who dared to get their hopes up are feeling egg on their face. The Maroons finally get a chance to respond but nothing is coming off for them. The Blues know the score & are focussing all their attention on their defence which is just impenetrable. Queensland just can't find a way over the line or sustain any momentum in their set & begin to get flustered. Forwards are kicking the ball, wingers are finding space for hookers down the sideline, it just isn't happening. But then an opportunity arises, Tahu goes down with an injury, forcing veteren Menzies to be shuffled up against the speedster Brent Tate. Queensland exploits this almost straight away, Schifcofske makes another fighting run from dummy half, attracting the attention of four defenders before offloading to JT. Thurston reads the situation perfectly stepping past O'Donnell into the space Bailey once occupied before sending Tate down the sideline. In a try reminiscent of one he scored against Manly only a month or so prior Tate beats the cover defence and nearly gives everyone a heart-attack when he refuses to ground the ball until he can slam it down under the up-rights. Schifcofske converts, Qld trail by 4. The Maroons are back now & respond with a great set that includes another great run from Schifcofske who makes a valuable 15m through the middle. Lockyer does the right thing and boots the ball deep into the Blues corner. The next play, is apart of Origin history. Blues were slow to get back, Hodgson throws a loose pass, it's intercepted by Lockyer who shrugs off Bailey and scores! They couldn't take that one from him & the captain, the man who wasn't good enough to lead his state, wasn't good enough to be a half, wasn't an Origin player puts the Maroons infront with a deserved try. Schifcofske makes no mistake Queensland 16-14. The final moments are almost like a blur. NSW nearly hit back when Wesser loses it but thankfully the rule was changed in the eve of the series, then Mogg nearly repays the favour after a fantastic chase off a Smith kick. NSW nearly get the ball back of a drop out but Hornby loses it & the Maroons try and wind the clock down as long as possible giving NSW only 20 seconds to pull off a miracle. They go wide, to the man they claimed was the best centre of all time, Mark Gasnier and he's collected by Tate who's possessed to tackle anything at this point and even tackles Hornby at dummy half who has to fling a desperate pass. It's hot potato stuff from the Blues but when Grothe's only option is a kick, it's all over as the ball trickles over the sideline & the course of history is changed forever. Blues are denied their history, the Maroons begin theirs & the true believers who held firm, who never gave in were given their chance to proudly and loudly chant: QUEENSLANDER. We waited 3 years for it & finally it was ours. Lockyer held the shield up beeming as he immortalised himself as the hero he deserved to be remembered as.... Oh I got lost there, 06 can do that to me. My favourite series is actually 02, 11 is also very big too...I might ramble about them later. :rockon: [/QUOTE]

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