The Intrust Super NSW Residents have put on an absolute clinic at ANZ Stadium, carving their Queensland counterparts up 36-20.
Sean O’Sullivan was simply outstanding for NSW, setting up three tries and scoring one himself before the half-time whistle, while Dean Britt was in a try-scoring mood on the edge. It is, however, unfair to only single out a couple of players in what was an almost perfect team performance.
A Queensland error followed by a conceded penalty gave the Blues the first attacking opportunity of the game, and they took advantage through some clever play by two Newtown young-guns. The awareness of Blayke Brailey saw him put in a crafty grubber into the in-goal, and Kyle Flanagan won the race and planted it down just short of the dead ball line.
Britt charged the ball down on halfway and re-gathered to give NSW their next chance, and he actually finished the set by crossing the line, but an obstruction was called in the lead-up.
Britt wouldn’t be denied the next time he crossed the line. Queensland were only a fingertip away from scoring down the other end of the field, but a 20-metre re-start saw the Blues enter good field position. Sean O’Sullivan summed up the situation perfectly, throwing a great ball to Britt, who strolled over untouched.
Britt simply couldn’t stop finding the line, scoring his second try in quick succession to the first off the back of some great work by Caleb Aekins, who found space down the middle of the field, before O’Sullivan threw the final pass once again.
O’Sullivan replicated his earlier efforts soon after, but this time on the other half of the field. Luke Garner – who just hasn’t stopped scoring tries in 2018 – charged onto an O’Sullivan ball and streaked away to the line to take the lead out to 24-0.
After setting up so many tries, O’Sullivan decided that it was his turn to get in on the action, stepping off his left foot and weaving his way through the defence to create a five-try lead at half-time.
Queensland scored first in the second half thanks to a wonderful put-down by Kalifa Faifai Loa before his opposition winger Tony Satini hit straight back. Satini is no stranger to scoring a try at ANZ Stadium, scoring four in the Intrust Super State Championship last year, and he finished off a back-line shift to tick off another one.
Maika Sivo pulled off an enormous hit while Queensland were on the attack, but they got the ball away and Blake Leary took advantage of an overlap to decrease their deficit to 36-10, before Scott Drinkwater capped off a great game for Queensland with a try of his own.
Faifai Loa finished a late run of tries for Queensland with two minutes remaining, making the final score 36-20 to NSW.
