League: NSW force Origin decider

Will Hopoate of the Blues scores in Origin II. Photo / Getty Images

NSW 18 QUEENSLAND 8
New South Wales tasted victory at home for the first time since 2008 to force a game three Origin decider after beating Queensland in game two on Wednesday night.

Anthony Minichiello, playing in his first Origin game since 2007, capped off the 18-8 victory with a try in the 77th minute to ensure the series will be decided on July 6 in Brisbane.

Only minutes earlier Greg Inglis dropped the ball deep inside his own half, with Queensland trailing 12-8, with an empty field in front of him. A try would have set up another Queensland series win - their sixth in a row.

New South Wales trailed for the opening 49 minutes before debutant Will Hopoate scored in the lefthand corner to give the home side a 12-8 lead.

A tiring Queensland lead 8-6 at halftime following a tough opening 40 minutes at ANZ Stadium.

Queensland looked comfortably placed at 8-0 after hooker Cameron Smith burrowed over for a controversial try awarded by the video referee in the 24th minute.

Halfback Johnathan Thurston, who opened the scoring with a simple penalty after just two minutes, then converted Smith's try.

Recap: Play by play of State of Origin II

But the big crowd, including several fans decked out in blue at the southern end of the stadium, came alive when replacement utility Luke Lewis scored off a Mitchell Pearce chip in the 29th minute.

Halfback Jamie Soward, whose 39-metre penalty attempt in the 13th minute struck the left upright, slotted the conversion from the touchline to cut Queensland's lead to 8-6.

Lewis's first Origin try in seven appearances for NSW turned the momentum with Queensland forced to hang on desperately as Blues winger Akuila Uate went close to scoring late in the half.

Blues hooker Michael Ennis, who harassed Queensland skipper Darren Lockyer after each kick and left forward Corey Parker dazed with a high shot, looked unhappy when he was replaced by NSW coach Ricky Stuart in the 23rd minute.

Blues captain Paul Gallen got his wish with the opening hit-up off the clash, charging back into the teeth of Queensland props Petero Civoniceva and Matt Scott before Sam Thaiday joined in.

Two early holding down penalties, the first against NSW forward Tim Mannah in the second minute and against Queensland lock Ashley Harrison seemed to suggest referees Shayne Hayne and Ben Cummins were going to heavily police the ruck.

But both sides were allowed slow down the play-the-ball with the tempo at times even slower than the first game in Brisbane.

NSW rookie Will Hopoate impressed with some powerful runs out of dummy half, one of them paving the way for Lewis's try.

Lewis scored after halfback Pearce put a running chip kick into the left corner with Queensland winger Jharal Yow Yeh too slow to react.

- AAP/HERALD ONLINE