How New South Wales supersub Connor Watson learned to become a State of Origin matchwinner
Connor Watson still isn't quite sure of how the pass happened, he's just glad that it did.
The New South Wales utility put his stamp on another Origin as he latched onto a Zac Lomax pass close to the line, twisted his way through four Queensland defenders to pop a miracle ball up for Dylan Edwards to score the try that wrapped up Game I for the Blues on Wednesday night.
It was a great show of skill and desire, albeit one Watson didn't get to see finished given he was trapped under a pile of Maroons defenders as Edwards crashed over but the noise was unmistakable.
"When I threw that ball I didn't know what was going to happen and then I heard everyone cheering — far out, no way that just came off," Watson said.
"It was a bit of a fluke — Lowy (Zac Lomax) got me the ball, the line was so close even though I knew I wouldn't get there myself.
"I just tried to throw it up and Dyl, being a great fullback, was in support got it across the line."
It's the second Lang Park match in a row where Watson has come on fresh in the final stages of the match with the game in the balance and come up with a key play to steer the Blues home.
In last year's decider, when he also came on with 15 to go and the match in the balance, he dribbled an offload to Jarome Luai deep in his own half that gave the New South Wales five-eighth the space to take on the Queensland defence, slice through and find Bradman Best for the breakout try of the game.
Watson's versatility opened the door for him to become part of the New South Wales side but through three games it's his impact late in matches that's come to the fore.
In 30 minutes of game time combined across his last two matches, the Roosters hooker has made more of an impact than some players do in their Origin careers.
It isn't easy to sit on the bench for over an hour and wait for your number to be called.
It takes a lot of patience, both to ride it out and to not be too frantic when you come on in an effort to make the most of it.
The latter was something Watson struggled with in the early stages of his career but has now mastered, especially for New South Wales.
Like all good bench matchwinners, Watson understands that 15 minutes can be more than enough time to find a winning play.
"Early in my career, and I had this conversation with some of the younger guys at the Roosters this year, I'd chase it almost too much because when you get little time you want to make as much of an impact as possible," Watson said.
"But bring energy, putting yourself in different positions and those opportunities will come, you don't need to force them.
"When I was young I'd go on and try to go crazy, but you can burn out doing that.
"Coming on with 15 minutes to go is still plenty of time to make an impact, you just have to trust that opportunity will come.
"I was itching to get out there and it can take a while but it's worth the wait.
"I focus on my defence and in attack I just push, do that and things will be alright."
After winning their first Lang Park decider in 30 years last series, making further history of their own was a focus for Laurie Daley's side in the lead up to Game I.
They've now won back-to-back games at Lang Park for the first time in over a quarter-century and a win in Perth in three weeks' time would be their fourth consecutive victory and give the state it's longest winning streak since 1996-97.
With Watson and his cohorts getting more and more acclimatised to the Origin furnace, it would take a brave punter to back against them doing so.
"Every Origin game I've played the physicality and the intensity of the contact stands out, that's what separates it from the NRL," Watson said.
"The ruck is a bit slower but the speed of the ball moving is higher, defences and attack moves faster. The more you play it, the more you understand what it's like.
"It's great to get a win up here, but there's still two games to go yet."
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