ULTIMATELY, the only surprising thing about Queensland’s epic win in State of Origin II was that it was considered a surprise at all.

How many times have we seen this script play out in nearly 40 years of Origin football?

The Maroons: on the rack, past their prime, ripe for the picking. The Blues: On the verge of a dynasty, unstoppable, too many good players.

And yet Queensland always finds a way.

Heading into Origin II at ANZ Stadium, all the same old themes were there.

The Maroons had made too many changes, were too inexperienced, had too many players injured, too many champions on old legs, and it was just too big a job to save a series in Sydney.

The Blues, admittedly brilliant in Origin I, had Queensland’s measure. The Maroon dynasty was over. NSW players were already talking about taking Test jerseys off Queenslanders at the end-of-year World Cup.

Once again, the Blues had starting preparing for the future, without paying enough respect to the past.

At ANZ Stadium, the Blues were within two minutes of sealing their second series win in 12 years.

But two minutes is an eternity in Origin footy, and it was more than enough for the Maroons to conjure a traditional Origin miracle.

Not just once, but twice.

First was the try to winger Dane Gagai, his second of the night, and adding to the tally of a man who collects Origin tries like a 10-year-old collects supermarket superhero tokens.

Gagai – Queensland’s best player in Origin I and breathtakingly good again in Sydney – leveled the scores at 16-all, meaning the weight of the world had come to rest on the dodgy shoulder of the world’s greatest player: Johnathan Thurston.

Thurston had fought bravely to just take the field after missing Origin I with his damaged shoulder, and then injuring his knee at training just days before the game.

Targeted as expected by the Blues, Thurston appeared to reinjure the shoulder 30 minutes into the game, his arm dropping limply to his side. But he would not surrender, and kept going because

Queensland needed him to.

With the game and series on the line, time almost up and a difficult kick to win the game, who else but Thurston would step up, put his injuries to one side and calmly slot the kick like he was shelling peas.

Thurston’s skill and tenacity left his captain in awe.

“He had nearly every joint in his body strapped up. He is a warrior,” Maroons skipper Cameron Smith said.

“Some of the things he has gone through and to play like that at this level is remarkable.

“I really don’t know how he gets up for these matches. It really is quite unbelievable. His body is not 100 per cent, there is no doubt, but he finds a way to make things happen.

“The play that got us the win was that goalkick. I don’t know how many other people could put that kick over.

“I just said to him before the kick, ‘You are the best. Go and kick it’.”

Smith was right on all fronts. Queensland won 18-16.

The question for Queensland now is whether Thurston’s damaged shoulder will heal in time for him to line-up in Game 3 in what the Cowboys champion has already declared will be his final Origin match.

An entire state will hold its breath. No one is ready to see the last of Johnathan Thurston in a Maroon jumper just yet.

He was the personification of a Queensland performance that produced heroes across the park.

Smith and Cooper Cronk were at their cool and calm best. Billy Slater looked right at home in his return to Origin football, Dylan Napa came of age as an Origin prop in the second half, while Josh McGuire was enormous in the middle of the park.

The debutants all stood tall, Darius Boyd was typically skilful in his first game as a centre and there were special touches right across the team.

It was a trademark Queensland win for the ages built on courage, determination and a refusal to ever give up.

We’ve seen it all before of course, but it’s still very sweet to get to see it again.

QLD 18 (D Gagai 2, V Holmes tries; J Thurston 3 goals) d NSW 16 (J Hayne, B Morris, M Pearce tries; J Maloney 2 goals) at ANZ Stadium.
Crowd: 82,259.