QLD Maroons pull off stunning Origin I comeback win

Queensland Maroons have once again defied the doubters, staging yet another remarkable State of Origin comeback to down New South Wales 18-14 in the opening match at the Adelaide Oval.

PNG International Xaviour Coates scoring a try for the Maroons. Photo: NRL.com 

Trailing 10-0 at halftime, the Maroons were a different side after the break, and when they finally opened their account in the 50th minute, the points flowed.

The Maroons scored 18 unanswered points to dominate a second half in which NSW rarely played the ball inside Queensland's 20-metre zone.

Capewell, Gagai, hooker Jake Friend and utility Ben Hunt were the stars of the Queensland win but Bennett had praise for all of his players.

"I wasn't worried about their self-belief, I just thought that they put a Maroon jersey on and they know the expectation that comes with it," he said.

"They trained excellently for 10 days and I didn't think self-belief was going to be a problem.

The Blues were first to score through Damien Cook. The Blues extended their lead after fullback James Tedesco chimed into the backline and combined with centre Clint Gutherson to create an overlap for winger Josh Addo-Carr to score in the 21st minute.

However, a 10-0 half-time lead was never going to be enough in Origin and the Maroons over-ran their NSW opponents in a high paced second half to score 18 unanswered points after the interval.

Kurt Capewell sparked Queensland's comeback with a tackle on Addo-Carr that forced Blues halfback Nathan Cleary to kick from inside his own 20-metre zone, before laying on a 50th-minute try for fullback AJ Brimson.

Rushing past Gutherson after receiving an off-load from Munster, Capewell kicked ahead for Brimson who caught the ball on the bounce and crossed untouched to put the Maroons back in the game.

Coates scored three minutes later to put Queensland ahead for the first time in the match after Gagai pushed off his centre opposite Jack Wighton and raced into the clear before drawing in Tedesco with a dummy and passing to his unmarked winger.

Captain Daly Cherry-Evans, who had missed an earlier penalty goal, converted from out wide to give the Maroons a 12-10 lead and Munster put them further ahead in the 66th minute after toeing ahead a loose pass from NSW winger Daniel Tupou and regathering to score.

Yet NSW refused to yield and Addo-Carr scored in the 76th minute to set up an epic finish to the match, which ended with Kaufusi in the sin-bin for a professional foul and Capewell watching from the sideline after aggravating a thigh injury.​

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