State of Origin player ratings: How the Blues and Maroons fared in game three
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They say there’s no dead rubber in State of Origin, but which players stood tallest in the final game of the 2023 series? Here are our ratings for the first half of Wednesday night’s clash in Sydney.
Bradman Best celebrates his first Origin try.Credit: Getty
New South Wales – First-half ratings
Dominic Brock
1. James Tedesco – 6.5
Under the most pressure in his Origin career, Tedesco did the little things right without making a real impression in attack in the first half.
2. Brian To’o – 6.5
Couldn’t defuse the bomb that led to David Fifita’s opening try but soon made up for it with a try of his own with a strong dive for the corner. Couldn’t find the pace to stop Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow’s try.
3. Stephen Crichton – 6.5
Drove Fifita backwards with a strong early tackle, sent To’o over for the Blues’ first try, and took a sharp intercept. Surprisingly took goal-kicking duties ahead of Mitch Moses, but struggled a little with two from four.
4. Bradman Best – 7.5
Had a try disallowed just two minutes into his Origin debut but crossed midway through the half. Looked threatening down the left edge, running off Cody Walker.
5. Josh Addo-Carr – 9
Scored an electrifying solo try to put the Blues in front, running into space and chipping over AJ Brimson to score. Also made a break in the lead-up to To’os try and made a great escape from his own in goal.
6. Cody Walker – 8
The wily playmaker made an instant impact, with a grubber kick from his first touch that almost led to the game’s opening try, then sent Best over with a trademark cutout pass.
7. Mitchell Moses – 6
Had a strong first half in game two but was quieter here, although with his team dominating territory his long-kicking game wasn’t call upon much.
8. Jake Trbojevic – 6
Steady as ever in his return to the Origin scene with a 27-minute first-half stint.
9. Damien Cook – 7
Back in the starting side and had his team rolling forward quickly, giving plenty of ball to Souths teammates Walker and Cameron Murray. Didn’t miss a tackle in the first half.
10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard – 7
Hard to believe this was just the 29-year-old’s third Origin game, with a couple of tackle busts among his strong charges through the middle.
11. Liam Martin – 6
NSW’s best across the series made four tackles in the opening set of the game but didn’t really get going in attack, spilling a tough Cody Walker pass.
12. Keaon Koloamatangi – 7
Delivered a great tap-on pass in the lead-up to NSW’s opening try, and ran strongly with five hit-ups for 50 metres.
13. Cameron Murray – 8
Made an immediate impact in his return to the starting side as the chief metre-eater of the NSW pack, with 73 metres.
14. Isaah Yeo – 6
Earned a penalty with one of his first charges off the interchange.
15. Jacob Saifiti – 5
Came off the bench late in the half and yet to make a significant impact.
16. Reece Robson – N/A
Back to the bench after starting in game one and yet to enter the game at half-time.
17. Clint Gutherson – N/A
The bench utility didn’t take the field in the first half.
Maroons five-eighth Cameron Munster.Credit: Getty
Queensland – First-half ratings
Nick Wright
1. AJ Brimson – 3
Few opportunities early to get involved. When he did get put into open field, a poor pass attempting to draw Tedesco landed on the ground and coughed up possession in attacking territory.
2. Xavier Coates – 2
Misread his assignment in defence to give Addo-Carr breathing space down the touchline and the Blues score off the following play. Rushed in and left Addo-Carr free again in the lead up to the Blues winger’s brilliant solo try. Very few chances with the ball.
3. Valentine Holmes – 3
A missed tackle on Addo-Carr while he was trapped in goal cost a repeat set. He and Coates misread a couple of situations to enable Addo-Carr to fly down the wing. Another misread in defence opened the gates for Best to score the Blues third try.
4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow – 8
Safe take on a dangerous bomb under threat, with a penalty drawn as a result. Limited chances early but looked threatening. Came up with the bat back for Fifita’s opening try, and produced a moment of absolute brilliance – grubber kicking for himself at the end of a scrappy backline movement to score his fifth Origin try.
5. Murray Tualagi – 5
A few strong carries with limited early chances to attack. A rare try this series conceded down his flank, however was left out numbered by the men inside him.
6. Cameron Munster – 7
Pinpoint kick to heap pressure on the Blues’ right edge which led to the opening try. Looked threatening with his couple of runs. Very clever short kick off along the ground after the Blues had gained all the momentum to give his side a chance to breathe and attack.
7. Daly Cherry-Evans – 5
Hasn’t put a foot wrong, but hasn’t taken the game by the scruff of the neck yet.
8. Reuben Cotter – 6
Typically talismanic effort once again – ran hard and tackled hard, without causing too much damage. Shifted to the edge once again mid-way through the half. Came up with the final pass, after a bobble, to give Tabuai-Fidow the space to shine.
9. Harry Grant – 5
A mixed bag thus far. Gave away a penalty in the ruck, and another for tackling Moses in the air. Went close to a 40/20 early in another showcase of his ever-developing game to earn a start over Ben Hunt. His running game looked dangerous, which included a break through the middle to have Brimson in open field only for the play to break down. Rushed a pass which led to an intercept late in the half, before giving away another penalty that gave the Blues an eight-point lead.
10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui – 7
Very strong early carries to cause headaches for the defence. Plenty of post-contact metres in an attempt to build momentum for his side throughout his first stint.
11. David Fifita – 8
Has looked strong with each carry and was on hand to cross for the opening try and his first in Origin. He was taken off 22 minutes in.
12. Jeremiah Nanai – 3
Gave away an early inside the 10m penalty from Queensland’s first tackle. Was regularly caught ball watching as Cody Walker engaged the line. Came close to outleaping Tedesco but could not quite grasp it.
13. Pat Carrigan – 5
Has looked solid with the ball without dominating through the middle.
14. Ben Hunt – 6
Has looked dangerous around the ruck since being injected, with his move onto the field seeming to ignite Queensland’s attack and briefly turn the tide.
15. Lindsay Collins – 6
Continuing to demonstrate he is made for this arena. Looked to intimidate on and off the ball.
16. Moeaki Fotuaika – 5
A few strong carries in his limited opening half stint to try and gain some momentum for his team.
17. Corey Horsburgh – N/A
Yet to take the field at half-time.
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