Vito’s bellringer leaves NSW juniors battered and blue
A CRUNCHING tackle from Gold Coast product Vito Sula-Siaosi sealed a thrilling 20-18 win for the Queensland under-16 team in the Origin curtain-raiser last night.
Sula-Siaosi, who was Gold Coast White’s best and fairest player in this year’s Cyril Connell Cup, pulled off the hit with less than two minutes to go to clinch victory for the Maroons.
Queensland trailed 12-8 at the half-time break but took the lead with eight minutes to go and hung on for a memorable win.
Sula-Siaosi was strong off the bench for the Maroons while fellow Gold Coast representative Brent Woolf was scheming from dummy-half throughout the close encounter at Suncorp Stadium.
Hulking forward Syd Smith opened scoring for the Queenslanders but the Blues hit back with tries to Cameron Murray and Sione Hopoate to take the lead.
Maroons centre Jason Chapman scored late in the first half to keep Queensland within striking distance at the break.
Queensland came out firing in the second half with tries to Sato Ketia Opo and Enari Tuala giving the home team a 20-12 lead.
Katoni Staggs scored with three minutes left on the clock to set up a grandstand finish but Sula-Siaosi’s tackle off the restart proved to be the deciding play, robbing NSW of a last chance to steal victory.
The Gold Coast had four representatives in the contest with big boppers Jack Peacock and Ethan Paikea hailing from the region.
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