Wally Lewis was every Queenslander as the Maroons launched a famous comeback win in Wednesday night’s State of Origin series opener.
The rugby league immortal was commentating on Triple M radio at the Adelaide Oval and wasn’t quite able to keep it together as Maroons centre Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scored to give Queensland the lead with five minutes left to play.
With Queensland playing with 12 men on the field because of Thomas Flegler’s sin bin — as well as struggling to overcome injuries — many would have given the Maroons more than little chance to pinch the win.
Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
That’s exactly what happened, and Lewis could barely keep his excitement contained.
Video shared on Triple M NRL’s TikTok account has gone viral with more than 450,000 views and 50,000 likes.
The clip shows the normally mild-mannered Lewis jumping and waving his fists as Tabuai-Fidow brushed past James Tedesco to score his second try of the night.
Triple M caller Dan Ginnane was almost as excited as Lewis.
“This is another unbelievable State of Origin finish,” the popular caller said.
“This is one of the great nights in Queensland Origin history. How on earth have they won this game?”
Lewis was seen trying to compose himself and was fiddling with his earpiece equipment when the excitement inside the commentary box began to subside.
“And what an adventurous play it was,” Lewis said.
“Cameron Munster going to the left side and this is a finish. Boy, they only write this stuff, they make them up. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, the speed on him. A right handed palm to get rid of the cover defence coming through.”
Lewis was a little bit more composed when Munster scored the knockout blow in the 76th minute after Roosters forward Lindsay Collins took a spectacular grab over the top of Blues captain Tedesco.
“Wow. What a jump from Collins,” he said.
“He’ll be bragging it’s probably the only time he’s jumped for a high ball in his career. But hasn’t he been rewarded.
“Oh boy, that’s a moment that Lindsay Collins will never forget.”
Triple M colleague — and NSW great — Ryan Girdler was not feeling the excitement on the other side of the commentary box.
His frustrations were blatantly obvious and he at one point appeared to suggest Ginnane’s comments were getting on his nerves.
“I can’t believe it,” Girdler said.
The Panthers great did, however, agree with Ginnane’s declaration the Blues had “choked”.
Blues legend Andrew Johns did even less to hide his frustrations in the aftermath of the result.
After Queensland scored the match-winning try an exasperated Johns muttered in the back of the commentary box: “I can’t believe it”.
the rugby league Immortal gave an honest assessment of the Blues’ game-one performance.
“The attack was terrible, they had so much momentum, they had so much possession,” Johns said post-match on Channel 9.
“There was one really good try to Liam Martin when the halves got together, then Api Koroisau scores a dubious try and then Stephen Crichton scores off a kick.
“With all that field position and momentum and possession, you’ve got to score.
“Queensland’s scramble was sensational and they were courageous and defensively they held up a couple in the first half.
“But you’ve just got to be better. It was really poor, I thought NSW were really poor. Really poor.”
