State of Origin II AS IT HAPPENED: Queensland force a decider with 'epic victory as Blues comeback falls short

Thanks for joining us for tonight's coverage!

Queensland claim the 26-24 win and send the series to a decider.

We'll see you back here in a few weeks for the biggest game of the year.

Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga speaks to Nine's Danika Mason after the game.

"The heart rate was pretty high," he said.

"I was pretty nervous, to be honest. I was obviously trying to stay present and in the moment but with so much on the line, it's hard not to get the heart racing.

"There's going to be so many moments in that second half that we'll want back, but at the end of the day, both teams weren't perfect.

"Our response was pretty good throughout the whole game but yeah, we need to be better obviously in game three."

NSW scored five tries to four - but a penalty goal from the Maroons and some missed attempts out wide from Lomax proved to be the difference.

"In the end, they have been beaten by goalkicking," Phil Gould said on Nine.

"Both sides are gonna walk away really disappointed with aspects of their game."

With 20 seconds left on the clock, Edwards knocks the ball on coming out of trouble.

Queensland survive and hold on to win it 26-24 and force a decider!

"It's another epic origin and the Munster era is underway with a victory," Mat Thompson said after the full-time siren.

Haas takes a strong carry but an even stronger tackle from Capewell and Munster forces the ball free and Queensland look like they will survive!

NSW look to shift from inside their own half and Toia knocks it down, stopping a likely linebreak that could have set things up nicely.

Luai goes aerial for Lomax to chase through and Ponga knocks it on.

Queensland opt to challenge it but they are turned down, with the Bunker claiming it travelled forwards into the arm of Lomax.

"The ball is travelling backwards out of his possession into Lomax," Cameron Smith said on the Nine broadcast.

A butchered pass out of dummy-half from Watson rolls along the ground and Lomax can't reel it back in as Cam Smith describes it as a "strange sequence" from NSW.

"There was no overlap, there was no numbers," Andrew Johns said on Nine.

Latrell comes up with a one-on-one strip to get the Blues the ball back immediately.

They attack the left-edge again and this time Luai places a pinpoint grubber kick ahead for Angus Crichton, who sprints through and plants it down.

"That is some kick in these conditions with the game on the line," Johns said.

"Can you believe it?"

Blues trail by two with six minutes to go.

Young makes an error inside his own half and Queensland get a chance to seal it.

However, a poor last-tackle option from Dearden ends with a forward pass, letting the Blues off the hook and keeping the game alive.

"He looked a bit nervous there," Andrew Johns said on Nine.

Haas makes a half break from the kick off before being dragged to the ground.

Queensland make a half break on last tackle and Toia boots it ahead, forcing Edwards to turn around and chase it - but the Blues fullback is up to the task.

Luai hits a banana kick from inside his own 20 metres and it looks like Tabuai-Fidow would have taken it with ease, but an awkward bounce forces a knock-on.

NSW get a full attacking set in good-ball territory and once again, that lethal left-edge comes into play as Latrell throws the final pass to To'o, who completes his hat-trick.

Lomax misses his third kick of the night and the Blues trail by eight points.

Coates is penalised for a mid-air tackle on Lomax after a captain's challenge from NSW.

"I really don't know what Xavier Coates could have done in that situation," Andrew Johns said on the Nine broadcast.

Blues force a repeat set as Munster is trapped in-goal, sparking another brief melee before Klein separates the small contingent of players.

The extra field position pays off as Crichton gets the ball one-on-one with Holmes and completely stands him up, forcing his way over the line to score.

Lomax misses another tough sideline conversion and the Blues trail by 12 points.

"This game was never over at half time and Queensland just haven't come out with the same intent," Darren Lockyer said on Nine.