Apisai Koroisau’s second State of Origin try came in controversial circumstances after the Blues hit the lead in the 44th minute.
The crafty hooker managed to disrupt an offload from Valentine Holmes in his own 20 metres, knocking the ball down before picking up Rueben Cotter’s deflection and scoring to make it 12-10 after the conversion.
Despite the Maroons protests, Ashley Klein awarded the try before awaiting confirmation from the Bunker.
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Upon reviewing footage, Origin legends Cameron Smith and Andrew Johns weren’t definitive on the decision.
“Does the ball go backwards off Koroisau and then ricochet back?,” Johns asked on Nine’s coverage.
“It looked like a knock on then… this is one of those 50/50 (calls).”
Smith: “This could go either way.”
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The Bunker then confirmed the decision to hand the Blues the lead, going “against the run of play”, according to Johns.
“We’ve seen those calls, sometimes 50-50,” Smith said.
“It was an unnecessary offload from Val Holmes, inside his own 20 (metre line), with plenty of Blues jerseys around.
“You don’t get those right, you pay the price.”
Fellow Origin great Paul Gallen agreed errors let down the Maroons, as had been the case with NSW earlier in the game.
“Discipline for both sides tonight, it’s really let them down at times,” he said.
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