Game 2 in the State of Origin series is arguably the most important match of the series for the NSW Blues and Queensland Maroons.
It's the game where everything is on the line equally for both states: seal the series, or hit back and force everything into a sudden-death Game 3 decider.
Momentum shifts, pressure peaks, and the biggest moments arrive.
Over the years, Game 2 has delivered chaos, comebacks and dynasty-breaking performances.
These are the five that stand above the rest.
3. Game 2, 2014 – Rain finally falls in the land of Blue!
Game 2 in 2014 felt like a slow suffocation… until it didn't.
Queensland had dominated the Origin landscape for eight long years. NSW had already won Game 1, but nothing was guaranteed heading into Game 2. One slip, and it was another year added to a dry and depressing drought.
The match itself was tense and low scoring, with the only points in the first half coming from two penalty goals to Johnathan Thurston. Those conversions also saw him overtake his coach Mal Meninga as the highest point scorer in State of Origin history.
Near halftime, Josh Reynolds produced a huge defensive moment, kicking the ball away from a certain Maroons try on the tryline after a desperate attack.
The game stayed locked deep into the second half with only seven minutes remaining and NSW 4-0 down.
Trent Hodkinson shaped as if to pass, held the line just long enough, and then sliced straight through untouched. A clean play at the perfect time. It was the moment that stopped a dynasty in motion.
Queensland had one final set. Chris McQueen kicked in desperation in the final seconds as he was being taken over the sideline, hoping for something, anything.
But Jarryd Hayne secured the ball, ran it dead, and launched into the crowd in the iconic Hayne Plane celebration.
NSW won 6–4 in Sydney, finally ending an eight-year drought and breaking Queensland's dominance.
