The Blues captain was booed on his home turf as fans abandoned the skipper following the decider.
If one thing summed up the woeful performance of NSW in State of Origin 3, it was the sight of Blues fans streaming out of Accor Stadium with 20 minutes left in the game. Queensland pulled the Blues’ pants down in the series decider, winning 24-12 in Sydney for a historic triumph.
It marks the first time in State of Origin history that a Maroons side has lost the first game at home before winning the second and third on the road. The NSW crowd was left shell-shocked on Wednesday night as Queensland raced out to a 20-0 half-time lead.
It created a hush around Accor Stadium that was more akin to a funeral than a State of Origin game, and it wasn’t long before NSW fans had seen enough. Some were so fed-up that they left with a whopping 20 minutes left in the game, despite the Blues reducing the margin to 20-6.
By the time Isaah Yeo delivered his runner-up speech, there were more Queensland fans in the stadium and the NSW captain was booed on his home turf. Even the famous ‘Blatchys Blues’ section of the crowd was half-empty when the game hadn’t yet finished, with just as many empty seats to be seen as blue wigs.
One person watching the game at their home at Olympic Park filmed hundreds of supporters streaming out of Accor and down the spiral ramp on the outside of the stadium. At that point there was only three minutes remaining, but it showed the level of disgust at the Blues’ performance.
Sitting at home as a non-NRL person and saw the crowd leaving the stadium thinking the game was over,” they wrote. “Turned on the TV to see there’s still minutes on the clock. Mustn’t be the result those there wanted.”
Queensland fans happily pointed out they’d never do the same at Suncorp, adding to years-long suggestions that NSW simply “don’t get Origin”.
Beer can thrown at NSW player Connor Watson
One person disgraced themselves when they threw a beer can towards NSW utility Connor Watson. The Blues player was making his way to see family and friends in the stands when the projectile narrowly missed him and struck a bystander in the shoulder.
I’ve had to go up there, my family and friends were up there,” Watson told The Daily Telegraph. “One of my mates is in a wheelchair, and he can’t come down the stairs, so I have walked up there to go see him.
As I’m walking, a can of Canadian Club lands right next to me and it’s like someone had thrown it at me. If they did throw it… the words I want to use for it… I can’t say right now.
“It’s disappointing to be honest. I’m just going up to visit my family and friends, I shouldn’t have to worry about someone throwing a can at me. If someone has done it, they should do something about it.”
