Here's what the NRL rulebook says on penalty tries..
"The Referee (or Review Officials) may award a penalty try if, in his opinion, a try would have been scored but for the unfair play of the defending team."
Pretty clear cut – doesn't say anything about 'definitely scoring' or 'being 100% sure'. It's really tough to argue against this call unless you're a. Wally Lewis or b. have the Queensland Maroons logo as your facebook profile picture.
Half Time: NSW 12, Queensland 10
As Munster's grubber is batted dead by Trbojevic, the siren goes and the Blues take a lead into the sheds – and are just 40 minutes from claiming the series.
Queensland started brightly and have been the better team for the most part, but one lapse in concentration by Dane Gagai and one brainfade by Ben Hunt have them trailing.
Hunt's shoulder on Boyd Cordner, which sent the Blues skipper crashing to the ground so emphatically that Neymar just nodded in approval (I assume he's watching in Russia), resulted in just the second penalty try in the history of State of Origin. Not even the most one-eyed Maroon could argue that Cordner would have got to the ball first, and it was a brave but correct call from the bunker.
The last chance of the half will go to Queensland
The Blues try a chip on the last but Mitchell and Cordner both leap for it and it's knocked on – Queensland start the set near halfway and it ends with a Munster grubber forcing a restart.
Just under a minute to go in the first half, can they retake the lead?
Queensland with a chance to hit back right away!
An error inside their own half from the Blues gives the Maroons an immediate chance to re-take the lead, but the cross-field kick from Munsteron the last is too deep for Gagai and bounces over the sideline for a scrum.
Four minutes to go until the break and the Blues are up 12-10.
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We have a penalty try!
What a brave call – Maloney grubbers in behind for Cordner who is shoulder charged on his run through by Ben Hunt.
Billy Slater was nowhere to be seen and it looked pretty clear to me that Cordner was going to be the first man to get the ball and the bunker has given the try!
The kick is from right in front and suddenly after 32 minutes, the Blues lead 12-10!
Gagai comes up with an error now!
In the last couple of minutes he's looked more like 'club footballer Dane Gagai' rather than 'State of Origin phenomenon Dane Gagai'.
Holmes drops a bomb backwards and dives on it, narrowly avoiding giving the ball back to NSW, before his wing partner tries to take it around Addo-Carr early in the count and this time is dragged into touch.
The Blues hit back!
What a pass from James Maloney – after a penalty put the Blues in good position, Addo-Carr gets one back on Gagai.
Maloney fires a cut-out ball across two men onto the chest of his winger who had no right to score, but steps off his left and breezes past Gagai before diving over the line. A sensational finish and out of nowhere the Blues are back in this!
Maloney just manages to squeeze the kick inside the left upright and after 26 minutes it's 10-6 to Queensland.
Gagai gets his try now!
Brilliant work again from Billy Slater. I mentioned before that he is popping up all over the field and this time he serves basically the same role that he did on the left side, but on the right.
He jinks across the line and feeds Chambers, who flicks it out to Gagai – the Rabbitohs winger brushes off the Addo-Carr tackle and dives over – no doubts on the grounding this time.
Holmes nails it from the sideline and after 19 minutes, it's 10-0 to Queensland!
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Addo-Carr is taken into touch as the Blues turn it over
Latrell Mitchell puts his winger into space but before he can turn an offload back on the inside, Josh Addo-Carr is forced over the sideline.
Queensland look a totally different team to game one so far.
Billy Slater proving the difference early on
Not exactly the most nuanced piece of analysis, but Billy Slater's return has clearly made a huge difference to Queensland's play already.
He's popping up in the line in attack on both sides of the field, taking pressure of the halves and creative overlaps basically every time the Maroons swing it wide.
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