NSW have avoided the humiliation of a State of Origin whitewash, securing a 24-10 win over Queensland in the final game of the series.
Down 2-0 heading into Wednesday’s home clash at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, Brad Fittler’s Blues put some pride back in the jersey with a gutsy effort in front of 75,342 fans.
Cody Walker was the pick of the Blues’ performers and was named man of the match in a result which ensured NSW avoided becoming the first team in 13 years to be on the wrong end of a series clean sweep.
Queensland forward Reuben Cotter was named player of the series.
A 3-0 series loss would have placed Fittler under immense pressure to remain as Blues coach, but the NSW boss was vindicated in his seven selection changes for Origin III.
Debutant centre Bradman Best scored a double and recalled props Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Jake Trbojevic led the charge up front.
But it was Walker’s ingenuity and patience that secured the Blues victory as NSW scored more points than they had in the previous two games this series.
Queensland opened the scoring through David Fifita in the 12th minute but Walker’s guile turned the game on its head in a 10-minute spell midway through the first half.
“Cody made a massive difference and he came up with some really nice passes,” Fittler said.
“We had a plan and stuck to it and other than a try at the start we got urgent in the second half.
“It shows how hard it is to win three games.
First, NSW released Josh Addo-Carr down the left and while the lightning-quick winger was brought down after a 50-metre break, the Blues quickly shifted right for Brian To’o to touch down.
Walker sensed a vulnerability and went back to that same edge soon after by spreading the ball wide to Best, who tipped onto Addo-Carr.
The Canterbury winger was inside his own 40 metres but dashed down field, chipped over Queensland fullback AJ Brimson and regathered to score a sensational try.
Walker then sent Best over by delaying a well-weighted pass that bamboozled the Queensland defence for a try on his Origin debut.
Stephen Crichton added two penalties for the Blues but missed two of his three first-half conversions to keep the Maroons in the contest.
Queensland were sloppy and struggled for territory but a try courtesy of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow before the half-time break brought them to within eight points at the interval.
The Maroons were uncharacteristically ill-disciplined and rarely threatened the NSW line as they chased points in the second half.
Murray Taulagi worked his way past James Tedesco but after he was brought down, the Blues were able to scramble and the Maroons weren’t calm enough under pressure.
As the half wore on Queensland looked bereft of ideas and resorted to kicking high bombs.
The NSW back three handled that with ease and then went up the other end to put the game beyond doubt as Best profited from a vintage Tedesco break.
“My coach at the Melbourne Storm (Craig Bellamy) used to say, ‘you get what you deserve’, and I felt NSW deserved to win tonight,” said Queensland coach Billy Slater.
“I feel the (Queensland) team deserves the series.
“We just weren’t willing to earn what we earned in the first two games and we put a lot of pressure on ourselves.”
© AAP 2023
