State of Origin game two live blog: Footy fans slam ‘has-been’ opening act Wolfmother: ‘They sound like a bunch of dads’

By SHAYNE BUGDEN FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 09:32 BST, 18 June 2025 | Updated: 11:08 BST, 18 June 2025

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Follow Daily Mail Australia’s live blog for all the updates and scores from the first game of this year’s State of Origin series as the Cane Toads look to get past the scandal surrounding coach Billy Slater and level the series. 

 

Blast from the past for the pre-match entertainment – and fans are not impressed

Wolfmother are providing the pre-match entertainment with their (checks notes) 2005 hit Joker and the Thief.

Was West Aussie hit-maker Tame Impala booked out tonight?

At least we haven’t got into the way, wayback machine and gone for Chisel.

Moments away now…

The Welcome to Country is done, so is the anthem.

The teams run out

It’s a pretty strong reception for the Blues as they smash through their ‘Made for more’ banner.

Hard to be sure but it sounds like there are a few more boos for the Maroons.

Darren Lockyer reckons NSW have the edge in support in Perth – and that’s exactly what Queensland want.

Starting them young

The last word from Loz

Blues coach Laurie Daley just told Nine, ‘We’ve really built on what we achieved in game one. We know what we’re coming up against, [Queensland are] very desperate, very emotional and we’ve got to front-load our energy.’

Front-load our energy. You wouldn’t have heard that one when Loz was playing.

Nine gets hold of Billy Slater… and drops the ball

Emma Lawrence just managed to grab the Maroons boss in the sheds and didn’t ask him a single thing about the Paul Green issue.

Phil Gould makes a huge call on Haas

Gus has just said the Blues prop is the ‘greatest front rower of all time’ – statistically speaking.

‘His body of work is unsurpassed,’ the Dogs boss told Channel Nine.

Fans of legends like Artie Beetson, Glenn Lazarus, Steve Roach and Petero Civoniceva might have something to say about that.

Queensland win the toss

The Maroons will kick off – but sadly, not to Spencer Leniu, who is coming off the bench.

How Queensland will run out

There was plenty of speculation about late changes, but the Maroons are as named…

How NSW will run out

No late changes for the Blues..

The Blues have arrived

Nathan Cleary has just spoken to Nine after getting off the team bus, stressing the importance of the kicking game tonight – and with Mitch Moses out through injury, more of that responsibility will fall on his shoulders.

An Origin intro with a difference

No sitting behind a desk for Nine’s James Bracey tonight – he just kicked off the coverage hooked up to a safety harness on the roof of Optus Stadium.

The first fans are rocking up

Damning record paints a bleak picture for Billy if the Maroons lose

No Queensland coach has kept his job after taking the Cane Toads to two series defeats in a row.

The last Maroons boss to record that unwanted mark was Kevin Walters in 2018-19.

Billy Slater gets legend’s backing after Paul Green comments

Slater has been smashed from pillar to post since his bombshell yesterday afternoon – but Queensland icon Mal Meninga is squarely in his corner.

The incoming Perth Bears coach said ‘I’m in Billy’s boat here’ as he blasted Aaron Woods for the ‘grub’ insult that started the scandal, describing it as a ‘personal attack’.

Queensland’s cheeky reason for giving away part of their game plan

Queensland were accused of chickening out by not kicking off to Blues enforcer Spencer Leniu (pictured) so he could take a run from the back fence in game one – so Maroons assistant coach Josh Hannay found a funny way of turning the tables earlier today.

‘We’re going to kick off right, by the way, so the Blues can put whoever they want on that side of the field,’ he joked.

It was heavily rumoured that the Maroons were going to target Leniu in the first match after his sideline clash with Johnathan Thurston earlier this year, but the confrontation never really eventuated, despite the Roosters star giving it to the crowd before kickoff.

Looking for a skillful, fast-flowing game? We have some bad news…

There’s a 90 per cent chance of rain in Perth at kickoff time, and a quick look at the rain radar just showed pockets of downpours coursing over the city.

This year’s first Origin match was deservedly panned for being a low-quality affair full of handling errors and poor discipline, making it more like a club game than footy’s biggest attraction – and now there are decent odds the second rubber will be a dour and conservative affair due to the weather.

Paul Green’s family break their silence

Green’s brother Rick has spoken out after Billy Slater called the late coach’s wife Amanda (pictured together, below) to apologise ‘for any hurt’ his comments caused the family.

‘The family regrets that Paul’s name was brought into the current narrative and the manner this has been done,’ Rick Green told the Sydney Morning Herald.

‘The family wants to reiterate that we love Queensland and its team. We also bear great respect for the person charged with the team’s performance.

‘It was unfortunate that Mr Slater made the reference that he did, but he has responded appropriately and apologised without reservation.

‘We sincerely wish him the best in his role as the coach of our state team.’

A look back at the biggest story of Origin so far

It was one of the quietest and safest build-ups to Origin for years – until Billy Slater brought footy legend Paul Green’s tragic death into it as he hit back at Aaron Woods.

The former NSW star had branded Slater a grub – and despite having a week to prepare his comeback, the Queensland coach got it horribly wrong on Tuesday afternoon.

By this morning he was issuing a public apology after calling Green’s widow to apologise for any hurt he’d caused the family.

The view from Perth

This shot was taken not too long ago at Optus Stadium, with all 60,000 seats sold out for tonight’s match.

G’day and welcome

Thanks for joining Daily Mail Australia’s coverage of game two of this year’s Origin series.

NSW are just 80 minutes away from sewing up their second straight series victory and they’re clear favourites with the bookies.

But Queensland are just where they want to be – backs to the wall, absolute underdogs. And we’ve all seen what happens when the Maroons get written off.

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State of Origin game two live blog: Footy fans slam ‘has-been’ opening act Wolfmother: ‘They sound like a bunch of dads’

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