NSW star Angus Crichton shut down all hope of a Queensland comeback late in Origin II as the second-rower put a smashing hit on Valentine Holmes, in a play that led to a try to Dylan Edwards in the next set of six.
Off the back of a late Maroons resurgence, Crichton delivered a rattling hit on Holmes in a bid to push the Blues back into control of the match.
The tackle left Nine’s commentary team and Billy Slater’s men stunned, with an error putting NSW back on the attack and Mitchell Moses putting on his fourth try assist of the match.
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“That was an unbelievable tackle by Crichton,” Mat Thompson said in commentary for Nine.
“It was all legal,” league great Andrew Johns replied.
“It’s fair game. It all comes back on the inside. Valentine Holmes (is) looking at the ball and can not see what was on the inside.
“Angus Crichton just whacked (him). He has been so physical… (Holmes) needed a seatbelt there because that was just a whiplash.”
Moses opted to sweep play to the right before sending a perfect cut-out pass to a chasing Edwards, who skipped around Queensland’s outside defence to find the line on debut.
“He passes off-balance, you can see him organising his outside men … that is an absolute gem of a pass,” Johns said.
“Look at him demanding and communicating. He’s had a game and a half. That pass was amazing off that inside leg.”
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Speaking with Nine’s Emma Lawrence after the match, Crichton said the tackle defines the intensity of the Origin arena.
“That’s what Origin is about. Those big collisons and those big pressure moments,” he said.