Updated ,first published
Blues winger Jack Bostock has rejected a delayed ruling from the NRL that he kicked the ball before Bradman Best’s try to score at Suncorp Stadium, saying: “I didn’t touch it.”
A turbulent night in Brisbane appeared to be over, effectively, when Best ran 97 meters for a try for the Blues in the 57th minute, putting Queensland ahead 18-8 to 24-8.
As the Maroons mounted a mini-fight and the introduction of Reece Walsh began to galvanize the subdued crowd, the Broncos full-back lobbed a cross into the Blues line towards the east end.
The pack of Jack Bostock, Jojo Fifita and Rob Toia went up, but the ball went wide, and Best collected the ball and went up the field, with Newcastle team-mate Kalyn Ponga running on.
Best was too quick – or quick enough – and after a desperate dive to try to bring down his Blues opponent, Ponga missed and Best raced over to score. It was the second important try in a top scorer from Best at Suncorp Stadium, after the returning center did the same in the third game to break the drought in 2024, which NSW won.
Maroons players ran to referee Ashley Klein, arguing that Blues winger Bostock had hit, right back on the NSW line.
With Nathan Cleary awaiting the results of the test, replays on the television broadcasts were vague and seemed to offer hope to both sets of fans.
The green light was eventually given, prompting a chorus of boos and Queensland legend Cameron Smith to argue on the Nine broadcasts that justice had not been done.
“That’s gone … forward … we can’t make a mistake, sorry … there was a clear touch by Bostock,” Smith said.
Blues great and fellow Nine commentator Brad Fittler gave an explanation shortly afterwards, however. Fittler was told by the side officials that Bunker had used invisible footage from a camera at the corner post to determine Bostock had not touched it.
Queensland later had a try disallowed when Max Plath was ruled slightly offside, and with the hope of another fight over, the Blues went on to win the series.
But Best’s trial took a hit an hour after the game when the NRL issued a statement saying the initial decision on Bostock was incorrect.
“After reviewing all available angles, Bunker did not believe there was sufficient evidence to overturn the on-field decision,” an NRL statement said.
“After a thorough post-match review, the NRL believes that although it was a very difficult decision, the ball appeared to have been touched.”
Speaking on Nine after the game, an angry Smith said Bunker should be thoroughly investigated.
“If that (proven) has touched his hand … we need a thorough review of the bedroom. I’m disappointed that Queensland lost. Would that have changed the result? Maybe not. But it was at a very important stage in the game,” Smith said.
But standing in the Blues dugout after the game, surrounded by teammates, family and friends, Bostock shook his head when informed of the NRL’s statement.
“It’s too late for that,” Bostock said. “If I had touched it, I would have felt it, and I felt nothing.
“There was no dear to touch. It was clean, it was all outside them, and ‘Braddy’ (Best) took it and went long. I was very happy for him, he had good feet and a good fend so it was a good try. You never know (what Bunker will rule), they looked at it a little bit. But it turned out well for us.
It was that kind of night for Queensland, in a game where the baying Suncorp Stadium crowd was silenced by a combination of uncharacteristic Maroons mistakes, Blues dominance and – in the end – a second consecutive home defeat.
Having not won a third game in the dreary surroundings of Suncorp Stadium for 19 years, the Blues threw the monkey off their back in 2024, and did so again in their next opportunity.
Where Queensland were sharp and near-perfect in the second half in Melbourne, the first half in Brisbane was a disaster zone.
Maroons fans, who had been drinking early celebratory beers on Caxton Street before the game, could only sit quietly as the offense piled up in the opening half hour. Three straight fouls and a missed pass gave Nathan Cleary his first try, and then four missed tackles gave the Penrith star his second.
When Selwyn Cobbo came off the mark shortly after, an unfortunate slip saw Hudson Young collect the winger on the head with his shin. Cobbo was shocked, but showing bad intentions, Cleary rose, stole the ball on the line from the Queenslander and Cameron Murray pounced for a third successive try.
The Blues were leading 18-0 and the game, ironically, was coming to an end. Queensland did not know what had hit them.
Iain Payten is a senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect through X or email address.
