From the QRL website
A PHENOMENAL 70m try to Shannon Walker stole the show as Queensland Residents snapped a three-year losing streak against New South Wales Residents, burying the Blues 52-28 at Suncorp Stadium.
In the main curtain-raiser to Origin III, the Queensland side played with unbridled aggression and flair to post the highest total by any side in interstate Residents clashes.
Late inclusion Walker set the tone for the match 29 minutes in, breaking a 12-all deadlock with a try only he could score.
Rated by some as the fastest player currently in league, the Tweed Heads teenager was put into clear space courtesy of a Mick Roberts cut-out to the wings, well inside his own half. Showing the pace for which he is famous, Walker sped down the flanks before the cover converged.
For all money the diminutive youngster looked wrapped up, but stepped twice to his right and broke a succession of tackles. He then quickly changed direction and headed left again, scorching his remaining rivals over 30m.
Suncorp Stadium erupted and from there Queensland scored five straight tries to seal the outcome.
Namesake Chris Walker was next to follow, handed a signature righthand flick pass from centre Nick Emmett to make it 24-12 at halftime. Then directly after the break the home side cut loose, flooding in three tries in four minutes.
The most spectacular of those came after super sub Ben Black ran at the line, jinked and offered a sharp ball, virtually unsighted to rampaging prop Dave Taylor on his right. Taylor pounded his way to the fullback, then with an inch-perfect pass switched play the other way to Nick Parfitt who ran 50m to score.
Parfitt himself was superb, safe all day and converting the first seven tries from across the park. Burleigh teammate Black not only set up tries, but also scored two of his own.
At one stage Queensland was also heading for the highest winning margin by a Maroon Residents team, but with less than 30 seconds left conceded a try to Tony Caine.
Earlier in the match, Queensland had opened the game in the best fashion possible. New South Wales Joel Reddy knocked-on the first kick-off, with the ball bouncing into the arms of Aspley hulk Taylor. Seconds later Taylor backed up to charge onto a Roberts pass from dummy-half, crashing through the tryline defence.
New South Wales was up to the challenge however and it pressured the Maroons for the next 10 minutes. A 40-20 kick put the clamps on, a dropped ball and a penalty tightened the screws and when Queensland was taken into touch on its own line, the Blues struck.
Classy hooker Stuart Flanagan looked up, assessed the situation and with powerful drive thrust aside opposite man Roberts to plant the ball.
Queensland didnt stop to ponder and less than two minutes later Chris Walker was diving outstretched for the Queenslanders, trying to ground a rolling grubber. He missed narrowly, but Shannon Walker made amends shortly after, posting his first try off a good pass from Jordan Atkins.
Atkins had been one of the most contentious selections, too ill to play in the XXXX City Country selection trial 10 days beforehand. But he too was brilliant and ran strongly all night, particularly with scoots from inside his own half.
On the NSW Residents side backrower Weller Hauraki of Parramatta and winger Akuila Uate were clear standouts, unlucky not to create more scoring opportunities for their side.
Driving the nail into the coffin in the final moments, powerful Queensland centre Emmett steamrolled over three men from 10m out, literally rubbing the NSW defences nose in the dirt.
QLD RESIDENTS 52 (Shannon Walker 2, Ben Black 2, Jordan Atkins, Chris Walker, Nick Parfitt,, Nick Emmett, David Taylor tries; Nick Parfitt 8 goals) d NSW RESIDENTS 28 (Tony Caine 2, Stuart Flanagan, Charlie Leaeno, Kris Keating tries; David McLean 3, Alan Rothery goals) at Suncorp Stadium.
