New South Wales delivered one of the greatest State of Origin boilovers on Wednesday night, defeating Queensland 30-12 at Suncorp Stadium to win the series 2-1. Despite being outplayed in Sydney and smashed in Melbourne, the Blues silenced the hostile Brisbane crowd with a five-try performance that sealed the Origin shield.
Cleary leads Blues to victory
Nathan Cleary was the hero for NSW, scoring two tries and kicking five goals from five attempts to win the Wally Lewis Medal as Man of the Series. The Penrith halfback had a one-word strategy for the decider: “Control.” After missing an Origin record 10 tackles in game two, Cleary steered the ship in the first half, calling the shots and keeping Queensland at bay.
Cleary opened the scoring in the 14th minute, stepping Kurt Capewell and surging through three Maroons to score under the posts. He added his second try in the 28th minute after a brilliant setup from Stephen Crichton and Mark Nawaqanitawase, putting NSW up 12-0.
Blues dominate first half
NSW controlled the first half, with Mitchell Moses repeatedly kicking 60 metres downfield to pin Queensland in their own territory. Liam Martin and Hudson Young brought controlled violence in defence, while Payne Haas and Mitch Barnett made strong runs off Reece Robson's passing. Cameron Murray added a third try just before halftime, smashing through three defenders to make it 18-0.
Queensland finally got on the board in the 34th minute when Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow finished a Munster-inspired move, crashing into the corner for his 14th Origin try. But the Maroons trailed 18-6 at the break.
Second half drama
In the second half, Queensland coach Billy Slater sent on Reece Walsh for a groggy Sam Walker. Walsh immediately sparked the Maroons, setting up Selwyn Cobbo to score and bring the crowd to life. But the Blues responded when Bradman Best scooped up a contentious aerial contest and raced 80 metres to score, despite replays showing the ball clipping Jack Bostock's hand and going forward. The try was upheld, making it 24-8.
Queensland fought back again, with Jojo Fifita scoring in the corner after a mongrel pass from Walker. However, Walker missed the conversion, leaving the score at 24-12. The Maroons thought they had scored again when Toia hit a bomb and sped away, but the bunker found Max Plath offside, ruling out the try.
Cleary seals the series
Iceman Cleary then kicked a penalty goal to make it 26-12, effectively ending Queensland's hopes. The Blues held on for a famous victory, with Cleary's control and composure proving decisive. According to match reports, Cleary's performance cemented his legacy in Origin, finally owning the arena after years of scrutiny.
