Blues Left Gutted as Maroons Win Origin II in a Thriller
Well, what a rollercoaster Game II was in the 2025 State of Origin series. If you were watching, you probably still haven’t caught your breath. New South Wales Blues coach Laurie Daley has openly accepted responsibility for their narrow 26-24 loss to the Queensland Maroons in Perth — and honestly, you have to respect the accountability. The Blues showed incredible heart in the second half, but they simply gave themselves too much to do after a sluggish and error-riddled opening 40 minutes.
The Blues started strong, drawing first blood with an early try, but then it all unravelled. Eight penalties conceded, a shocking 56% set completion, and 22 missed tackles in just the first half — those numbers tell the story. Queensland didn’t hesitate to pounce on that chaos. They ran in four tries before the break and were up 26-6 by halftime, putting the game almost out of reach.
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To their credit, the Blues mounted a fierce comeback. Four unanswered tries in the second half brought them back within a whisker of a miracle victory. But it wasn’t to be. Zac Lomax, unfortunately, had a nightmare night with the boot, missing three crucial conversions that ultimately proved costly.
Daley didn’t shy away from the blame post-match. He admitted something wasn’t right with how the team prepared and that he needs to look at what went wrong. That level of honesty is refreshing, especially in high-pressure environments like Origin. He stood by his players, noting that the team has what it takes — they just didn’t give themselves a real chance by starting so poorly.
Adding to the Blues’ woes was Nathan Cleary's fitness cloud. The star halfback played through groin tightness and wasn’t at his best, only handling general-play kicking in the second half. With Mitch Moses already ruled out for the decider, Cleary’s health is now crucial. Daley said Cleary never considered sitting out, and while his toughness isn’t in doubt, his performance was clearly limited.
So, here we are again. It’s 1-1 in the series, and everything now hinges on Game III in Sydney on July 9. That’s Origin for you — unpredictable, dramatic, and always setting the stage for a classic decider.
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