NSW gains momentum through controlled restarts, strong marking, and tactical kicking. Kalyn Ponga creates attacking impact with high-ball skill, while Nathan Cleary uses field position to execute a no-look grubber that leads to a try. Queensland’s efforts to break through with hand play are disrupted, and NSW repeatedly recovers before conceding. Tedesco handles high kicks effectively, marking and rebounding to prevent line breaks. NSW also benefits from penalties won through disciplined play, including a call for running into a defender. Overall, NSW’s composure and maturity in key moments shift the game’s balance.
"Queensland again make a mess trying to expand through hands but recover before they can be punished then Walker kicks long and handsomely into the open space to turn Tedesco on his heels and steady his side down. That was such a mature intervention from the debutant. He is to the manor born."
"With decent field position for the first time all night Cleary shows his class, waiting for the Queensland defence to rush up to smother him then dabbing a no-look grubber for Young sprint on to and touch down just before he runs out of space. That Strange tackle may well have been worth 12 points. Cleary makes light work of the extra two points."
"Grant snipes from dummy-half to take his side to halfway, then some risky possession somehow avoids the worst with Tabuai-Fidow juggling the ball safely to Ponga. The kick is again high to Tedesco who does magnificently to mark and rebound, almost breaking the defence line until Walker gets enough of the fullback's jersey."
"NSW are solid with the restart set and we now have a game on our hands. Crichton runs hard, Strange is dynamic, and halfway is passed for the first time in an age. The kick goes up on the last, Cobbo marks it, but Tedesco buys a penalty for running into the back of a Queensland defender and Klein gives NSW a lifeline."
Read at www.theguardian.com
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