The NSW under 18s Origin side, including Eels representatives Tyrell Fuimaono and Alex Twal, have put on a try-scoring clinic to defeat the Maroons 24-10 at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night.
While the young Maroons were quick out of the gate courtesy of prop Lindsay Collins, the baby Blues’ back line put on a display of athleticism to rack up three tries and seal a 12-point lead at halftime.
Tom Trbojevic planted a perfect ball under pressure alongside the corner post to open the Blues’ account after 13 minutes, while Matthew Dufty showed off his own finishing credentials with his own four-pointer in the opposite corner.
Not to be outdone, winger Latrell Mitchell grounded the ball in the 21st minute, and with his Roosters teammate Jackson Hastings adding the extras, the young NSW side headed back to the sheds up 12 points.
The hometown side didn’t let up on the pressure after the break, as halfback Lachlan Croker burst into space, running 60 metres to score as tensions escalated between the Origin rivals.
Dufty followed it up with a brilliant effort to make it a double, giving the baby Blues a comfortable 20-point lead with 15 minutes on the clock.
And with their feet firmly on the Maroons throats, the Blues continued to push until the niggle overflowed, resulting in Eels forward Alex Tawl and Queensland's Samuelu Lavea being sent to the sin bin for the final minutes of the game.
And while Kieran Duffin snuck in a late try for the Maroons to narrow the scoreline, it was too little too late to run down the barnstorming Blues.
U18 Blues - 24 (Dufty 2, Trbojevic, Mitchell, Croker. Hastings: 2/5)
U18 Maroons - 10 (Collins, Duffin. Bambling: 1/2)
