State of Origin pitch invaders make it past 22 security guards to momentarily stop play

Two pitch invaders momentarily stopped play in the closing stages of New South Wales’ 24-10 win over Queensland in the State of Origin finale.

Security at Accor Stadium in Sydney were left red-faced as the two intruders – one of them wearing a New South Wales jersey – briefly interrupted the game in the second  half as they ran onto the field.

One of the invaders appeared to get very close to Blues star Jake Trbojevic before being wrestled to the ground by security.

The incident was met with disbelief on social media, where one fan tweeted a picture containing 22 security guards pitch-side and wondered how the two invaders managed to evade them all.

‘Twenty-two security guards in this photo…pitch invader ran past them all,’ the supporter tweeted.

One of the two invaders wore a New South Wales jersey and was stopped by security

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‘Most of them didn’t move a muscle. Stop hiring battlers.’

Some supporters, meanwhile, jokingly suggested the two invaders had seen more action than Clint Gutherson.

The Parramatta captain was surprisingly selected as the bench utility role for Game III, despite having last played for the Blues three years ago.

Gutherson had to wait until the 77th minute to come onto the field, leading to some supporters suggesting tongue-in-cheek he had a taken a leaf out of the invaders’ book.

‘Is Gutho the pitch invader? Trying to get on?,’ one fan tweeted, while another added: ‘Pretty sure that pitch invader was Gutho… was that keen just to get some time on the paddock

Another remarked the two invaders were on the pitch longer than the  Eels skipper: ‘Pitch invader got more time than Gutho,’ a Twitter post read.

Speaking ahead of Origin III, New South Wales coach Brad Fittler admitted his decision to pick Gutherson was not motivated by a particular tactical plan. 

Fittler suggested the Eels captain had been picked because of his versatility and his ability to cover any position in the backline. 

Some fans on social media joked the invaders had seen more action than Clint Gutherson

The Parramatta skipper was on the bench until the final three minutes of Origin III

Fans on social media suggested the pitch invaders had seen more action than Gutherson

‘Well, to be fair, I haven’t got a plan [for Gutherson],’ Fittler told SEN 1170 The Run Home.

‘When you’re picking that last position and we had two hookers […] given our luck in the first two games from the point of view from some of our injuries, they’ve been in the outside backs.

‘In nearly most games, we’ve had an injury in the outside backs, so Gutho covers anywhere from five-eighth to fullback but there’s no plan [for him].’

A spectator noted the invaders had evaded 22 security guards to arrive on the pitch

Gutherson wasn’t required as Cody Walker stole the show and Josh Addo-Carr scored one of the great State of Origin tries with New South Wales avoiding a whitewash in the series finale.

The Blues ran out comfortable 24-10 winners in Sydney on Wednesday night, with Walker dominating proceedings in his first game back for the Blues since 2020 as debutant Bradman Best scored a double on debut.

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow kept up his impressive record of scoring in each of his Origin  appearance with a superb solo try, but the Maroons did not have enough to complete a first series sweep since 2010.

Queensland, however, can console themselves with a third series win in four years. 

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