MAROONS PLAYER RATINGS FOR STATE OF ORIGIN I:
1. MICHAEL MORGAN – Safe at the back, finishing with 169 metres. Struggled to inject himself in attack. 6
2. VALENTINE HOLMES – Good read on Maloney’s pass for his 90m intercept try, which contributed to his team-high 212 metres. 7
3. GREG INGLIS (C) – Tried to lift his team with a number of jolting shots through the match, including bell-ringers on Tom Trbojevic in the first half, and Cleary in the second. Busted a team-high six tackles 8.5
4. WILL CHAMBERS – Might have finally met his match in his duel with Latrell Mitchell, missing a worrying eight tackles. 6
5. DANE GAGAI – Showed no ill-effects of a busted finger suffered on game eve, scoring a try off a Hunt grubber but was otherwise limited in opportunities with the ball. 6.5
6. CAMERON MUNSTER – Posed a threat with every run in the first half but was contained in the second. 6.5
7. BEN HUNT – Forced a number of line dropouts with his outstanding short kicking game, including a neat grubber for Gagai’s second-half try. Produced another opportunity with a second-half 40-20. 7.5
8. DYLAN NAPA – Maroons pack leader managed just 26m in his first stint but rebounded in his second to finish with 94m. Outplayed by counterpart Klemmer. 6
9. ANDREW McCULLOUGH – Neat service out of dummy half and came up with a team-high 48 tackles, but was outshone by his opposite in Cook. 6.5
10. JARROD WALLACE – Limited to just 16m in his first stint and finished with just 26m for the match in an almost invisible performance. 5
11. GAVIN COOPER – Didn’t put a foot wrong in defence but was not a threat in attack. 5.5
12. FELISE KAUFUSI – Went searching for the ball but was well-contained by the rushing Blues defence, and also missed eight tackles as the Maroons right edge defence was worked over. 6
13. JOSH McGUIRE – Tried hard to lift his team, making more metres than any other Queensland forward but needed more help from his pack. 7
INTERCHANGE:
14. JOSH PAPALII – Lifted the Maroons when he came on midway through the first half, with most of his runs coming over the advantage line. Arguably the Maroons’ best forward. 7.5
15. COEN HESS – His power game was dented by being used in the middle. 5.5
16. JAI ARROW – Got overpowered by the Blues’ relentless pressure in the middle of the field, making little impact. 5.5
17. ANTHONY MILFORD – Came on midway through the second half but had no influence. N/A