Updated ,first published
Debutant Blues winger Jack Bostock has rejected a belated ruling from the NRL that he knocked the ball on before Bradman Best’s match-sealing try at Suncorp Stadium, saying: “I didn’t touch it.”
A turbulent night in Brisbane appeared to end, effectively, when Best raced 97 metres for a Blues try in the 57th minute, taking the lead over Queensland from 18-8 to 24-8.
As the Maroons mounted a mini-fightback and the entry of Reece Walsh began to enliven the subdued crowd, the Broncos fullback lobbed a cross-kick on the Blues’ line to the eastern side.
A pack of Jack Bostock, Jojo Fifita and Rob Toia soared, but the ball ricocheted out, and Best collected the ball and took off upfield, with his Newcastle teammate Kalyn Ponga giving chase.
Best was too quick – or just quick enough – and after a desperate dive to try and bring down his Blues rival, Ponga missed and Best raced in to score. It was the second crucial try in a decider from Best at Suncorp Stadium, after the recalled centre had done likewise in the drought-breaking third game in 2024, won by NSW.
Maroons players rushed to referee Ashley Klein, arguing Blues winger Bostock had knocked it on, way back on the NSW line.
As Nathan Cleary waited for the all-clear to convert the try, replays on the television broadcast were unclear and appeared to give hope to both sets of fans.
The green light was eventually given, leading to a chorus of boos and a gobsmacked Queensland legend Cameron Smith arguing on the Nine broadcast that justice had not been served.
“That’s gone … forward … we can’t get that wrong, I’m sorry … there was a clear touch by Bostock,” Smith said.
Blues great and fellow Nine commentator Brad Fittler provided an explanation moments later, however. Fittler was told by officials on the sideline that the Bunker had used unseen footage from a camera in the corner post to determine Bostock had not touched it.
Queensland later had a try disallowed when Max Plath was ruled offside by a small amount, and with hope of another fightback gone, the Blues went on to seal the win and the series.
But the Best try took a shock twist about an hour after the game when the NRL released a statement saying the original decision on Bostock was, in fact, wrong.
“After reviewing all available angles, the Bunker did not believe there was sufficient evidence to overturn the on-field decision,” the NRL statement said.
“Upon detailed review after the match, the NRL believes that while it was an extremely tight decision, the ball appeared to be touched.”
Speaking on Nine after the game, a fuming Smith said the Bunker should come under serious scrutiny.
“If that [is proven it] has touched his hand … we need a serious review of the bunker. I’m disappointed that Queensland lost. Would that have changed the result? Probably not. But it was at a pretty crucial point in the game,” Smith said.
But standing in the Blues sheds after the game, surrounded by teammates, family and friends, Bostock shook his head when he was informed of the NRL’s statement.
“It’s too late for that,” Bostock said. “If I did touch it, I would have felt it, and I didn’t feel anything.
“There was no touch mate. It was all clean, it was all off them, and ‘Braddy’ [Best] picked it up and went the length. I was so happy for him, he had the legs and a good fend so it was a good try. You never know [what the Bunker will rule], they looked at it a fair bit. But it turned out well for us.”
It was that sort of night for Queensland, in a game where the baying Suncorp Stadium hordes were kept quiet by a mix of uncharacteristic Maroons mistakes, aggressive Blues dominance and – in the end – the second straight defeat in a decider on home soil.
Having not won a game three in the intimidating surrounds of Suncorp Stadium in 19 years, the Blues threw the monkey off the back in 2024, and they did it again on their very next opportunity.
Where Queensland were sharp and near-perfect in the second half in Melbourne, the first half in Brisbane was a disaster zone.
The Maroons fans, who’d been drinking pre-emptive celebratory beers on Caxton Street before the game, could only sit in silence as errors piled up in the opening half-hour. Three straight mistakes and a missed tackle gave Nathan Cleary his first try, and then four missed tackles gave the Penrith star his second.
When Selwyn Cobbo charged out of his own quarter soon after, an accidental slip saw Hudson Young collect the winger on the head with his shin. Cobbo was shell-shocked, but showing ruthless intent, Cleary got up, stole the ball in a strip from the Queenslander and Cameron Murray surged over for a third straight try.
The Blues were up 18-0 and the game, amazingly, was on its way to being over. Queensland didn’t know what had hit them.
Iain Payten is a senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
