The New South Wales Blues claimed the State of Origin series 2-1 after dismantling the Queensland Maroons 30-12 in Wednesday’s Game 3 decider. Nathan Cleary orchestrated a flawless first half at a hostile Suncorp Stadium to secure the victory.
Cleary crossed for two tries and set up another to build an 18-0 halftime lead, silencing a crowd hoping for a Maroons sweep. He walked away with both Player of the Match and the Wally Lewis Medal as player of the series.
Key Details
- NSW became the first team to win consecutive series deciders at Suncorp Stadium since 2024, marking only their fourth victory in 14 attempts at the venue.
- Coach Laurie Daley’s squad entered as underdogs following a 20-point collapse in Game 2 where they conceded 36 second-half points.
- A critical Bunker ruling disallowed a late try from Queensland’s Rob Toia due to offside, halting the Maroons’ second-half comeback momentum.
The Blues faced immediate adversity. Both veteran fullback James Tedesco and debutant winger Jack Bostock failed game-ending head injury assessments (HIAs). That forced coach Laurie Daley to activate 18th man Ethan Strange. Despite the reshuffled backline, the squad held together long enough to secure their fourth Suncorp decider win and weather the injury toll.
Queensland attempted a fightback after the break. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Selwyn Cobbo, and Jojo Fifita found the line, cutting the deficit to 24-12. But the disallowed Rob Toia try broke their spirit. Cleary then slotted a 71st-minute penalty goal to ice the game. Hudson Young scored after the siren, according to a live report by The Guardian detailing the exact timeline of tries and the official 30-12 final score.