Game III
New South Wales arrived at Lang Park for game III having never won a decider there to claim a series. The Queensland crowd's sentiment was focussed on farewelling their hero Mal Meninga in his last Origin and record 38th appearance in a Queensland jumper.
| June 20, 1994 | New South Wales | 27–12 | Queensland | Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 40,665 Referee/s: Bill Harrigan Man of the Match: Ben Elias |
| Bradley Clyde (4 - 1 t) Laurie Daley (4 - 1 t) Brett Mullins (4 - 1 t) Brad Fittler (5 - 1 t, 1 fg) Tim Brasher (8 - 4 g) Ben Elias (2 - 2 fg) |
(Report) | (4 - 1 t) Andrew Gee (4 - 1 t) Steve Renouf (4 - 1 t) Julian O'Neill (4 - 2 g) |
New South Wales built an early lead with tries to the Canberra trio of Bradley Clyde, Laurie Daley and Brett Mullins who along with half-back Ricky Stuart were out to spoil the occasion for their club captain and friend Meninga. Queensland's nervousness supplied two vital intercepts to allow the tries. The first was taken by hooker Ben Elias off Langer and quickly given to Clyde who scored. The second came when Steve Renouf threw a diabolical pass towards winger Willie Carne. Mullins, then one of the fastest men in the game swooped on the ball and raced 40 metres to score. Daley chipped in with his own gilt-edged contribution, a try in which he sidestepped and swerved his way past five would-be tacklers from 15 metres out.
A try to Queensland forward Andrew Gee cut the lead back to 18-6 at the break. With serious injuries suffered by Jason Smith and Willie Carne there was to be no trademark Queensland revival. Smith suffered a broken jaw following a head clash with Ian Roberts and Carne was carried from the field on a stretcher. Elias kicked a field-goal in the second-half give New South Wales a comfortable buffer even after Steve Renouf's try made the score 19-12 after 55 minutes. In what would be his own final Origin match after 19 career appearances Elias booted the second of three field goals two minutes from full time, ensuring at least his farewell rather than Mal Meninga's, would be a victor's.
It was a courageous series effort by New South Wales who for the first time in their Origin history came back from a Game I loss to clinch the series and for the first time ever claimed three successive series victories.
Read more about this topic: 1994 State Of Origin Series
Famous quotes containing the words game and/or iii:
“Lyke as a huntsman after weary chace,
Seeing the game from him escapt away,
Sits downe to rest him in some shady place,”
—Edmund Spenser (1552?–1599)
“Knavery seems to be so much a the striking feature of its inhabitants that it may not in the end be an evil that they will become aliens to this kingdom.”
—George III (1738–1820)