The rugby league world had been talking about it for three weeks—and the moment duly arrived in the 73rd minute of Origin II in Perth last night, with the game hanging in the balance.
Desperately clinging to a two-point lead, Queensland’s Valentine Holmes kicked off towards NSW reserve forward Spencer Leniu on the right side of the field, exactly as foreshadowed pre-game by Maroons assistant coach Josh Hannay.
The man dubbed ‘Back Fence Spence’ received the ball from Blues team-mate Jerome Luai and Optus Stadium held its breath.
Alas, having mistimed his run, Leniu only made the 10-metre line before being met in a strong but uneventful tackle by Rueben Cotter, Lindsay Collins and Harry Grant—it was all over in a matter of seconds.
MORE: State of Origin 2025 Game 2: New South Wales Blues player ratings
Whilst anticlimactic, the moment was three weeks in the making, following suggestions the Maroons pack had shied away from the physical contest in Game I at Suncorp Stadium.
Leniu himself had been quiet on the matter—placed on a media ban by NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley at the start of the series—but second rower Angus Crichton was happy to fill the void, mischievously declaring that avoiding Leniu was a pre-game plan for the Maroons in Brisbane.
“I know it was a deliberate decision,” Crichton said in the lead-up to Origin II, daring the Maroons to change tactics.
Leniu’s former Penrith Panthers team-mate and fellow Blues forward, Liam Martin, agreed.
“I love seeing him coming off the back fence,” Martin said.
“I’d love to see him get a full head of steam.”
Both Crichton and Martin had their wishes granted, albeit perhaps not with the impact they’d envisioned.