The code was already pushing its luck in Perth, with local bosses barring it from the VIP lounge of mainstream sport. The poor old Bears, who don’t start in Perth for another two years: haven’t won a thing since 1922 and they’re already up against it. As former national cricket captain Greg Chappell likes to say: Great place, Perth, pity it’s not in Australia. And yet, out of loyalty, defiance or curiosity, 60,000 committed spectators swam through a river of rain to Optus Stadium. For the first half, AFL fans found a game that they would easily recognise. Just like in the AFL, players were successfully avoiding getting tackled while holding the ball. Barely the threat of an oncoming defender was enough to bring on the dropsies. And Queensland’s team, the Brisbane Lions, are AFL champions, so the Aussie rules types would have recognised that, too. For the first half of the game it was raining dropped balls, it was raining rain, but most importantly it was raining penalties for Queensland – and penalties led to tries. An 8-0 penalty count before half-time is a tide no team can survive in today’s NRL. In the first match in Brisbane three weeks ago, the balance had gone the other way, exaggerating NSW’s superiority. In Perth, referee Ashley Klein was also, on top of the penalties, giving the Maroons all the tackle restarts they needed until they could score. After making their own share of errors they duly crossed the line four times, with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (twice), Cameron Munster and Kurt Capewell going over. Nathan Cleary appeared to respond with a four-pointer for NSW, but an obstruction meant that it was not a try, just another penalty to Queensland.