Temora certainly got around their juniors starring on the State Of Origin stage.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
For those who weren't at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday night, the Temora Bowling Club became the place to be to watch the game after their initiative to support Liam Martin and Zac Lomax paid off.
Just as they did in game one earlier this month, when Lomax scored in his State Of Origin debut, bar manager Nathan Clark was ready to slash prices for the remainder of the game if one of the pair crossed for a try.
Martin set the tone for a dominant NSW win when he scored in the 10th minute.
The club soon had an influx of patrons.
"It worked out well actually," Clark said.
"We literally had about nine people in the bar and then he scored and about 40 people showed up."
Clark believes it's a sign of how proud the town are to have two juniors in the side this year.
While Martin got the beers flowing, it was Lomax who stole the show despite carrying an injury concern into the game.
Lomax had to have fluid drained from his knee leading into his second Origin game.
It didn't stop him from scoring two of the Blues' sevens tries, and converting five of them in the 38-18 victory over Queensland to level the series.
His 18-point haul is the equal third amount of points scored by an individual in an Origin game, behind Ryan Girdler's 32 in 2000 and Nathan Cleary, who scored 24 in 2022.
The Temora junior shrugged off the injury after the game.
"I've got a bit of a bursa that swelled up, and have got some bruising around it, but that's footy, that's the way it goes," the 24-year-old told AAP.
"I got it drained through the week, but it's not too bad."
One of Lomax's highlights was his high-flying take over Queensland winger Murray Taulagi to score his first try.
Lomax paid tribute to NSW halfback Mitchell Moses for setting up his "speccy".
"Mitch just put it on the spot, so I guess he did his job, I decided to do my job,'' he said.
"You're filled with adrenalin once you come back down with it, but I was pumped I guess - to score an Origin try is pretty cool.
"It happens pretty quick, and you just sort of don't think about it too much.
"Thankfully we got the win, so we're super stoked."
Courtney Rees
Courtney is a sports journalist from The Daily Advertiser focusing on Group Nine, Southern Inland, cricket, harness racing and greyhound racing.
Courtney is a sports journalist from The Daily Advertiser focusing on Group Nine, Southern Inland, cricket, harness racing and greyhound racing.
