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ORIGIN’S KING’S RECLAIM THEIR CROWN IN STYLE

EVERY question raised about this champion Queensland team was emphatically answered in State of Origin III, as the Maroons destroyed NSW 52-6 at Suncorp Stadium to reclaim their crown and cap the decade with their ninth series win.

Use any superlative you like to describe Queensland’s performance in the 2015 series decider, but it is unlikely you will find any combination to do it justice, with the Maroons producing their most ruthless and complete performance of at least the last 10 years, if not in Origin history.

Led by a mercurial performance from man of the match Jonathan Thurston, who reached the previously uncharted end waters of 200 Origin points with a faultless nine from nine kicks at goal, the Maroons were unstoppable and issued an emphatic reminder of where Origin’s power base remains.

Defending the shield they won last year, NSW went into the game full of confidence after their solid performance in Game Two at the MCG, with their players being touted south of the border as Origin’s new kings on the cusp of an era of dominance.

Conversely, the Queenslanders were criticised – in some sections, ridiculed – for being a team on the wane, past its use-by-date and with old, tired legs not up to executing a game plan built on old ideas.

As usual in Origin, all the talk in the world meant nothing come game time. It was about who could stand and deliver. The Maroons stood tall, and delivered a performance for the ages.

The records speak for themselves: 52 points is the biggest Origin score ever by Queensland, passing the 43 points scored in Game 3 of 1983; Thurston’s nine goals from nine attempts is the most ever for a Maroon, and he also equalled Lote Tuqiri’s points record in one match with his haul of 18; the 46-point margin is the biggest win ever in Origin, beating the 40 points NSW won by in their 56-16 win in 2000; Greg Inglis set a new Origin record for career linebreaks with 28.

It was also a new record crowd for Suncorp Stadium – with not a single seat left spare in a capacity 52,500 throng of Maroon faithful.

It was some night.

Thurston was man of the match, and Corey Parker a deserved Wally Lewis Medal winner as man of the series, but you would be hard pressed to find any player that did not contribute greatly to the most sublime performance seen in Origin.

Greg Inglis at fullback was at his best in a brilliant mixture of skill and menace; Dane Gagai on debut was cool and composed, capping a wonderful debut with a try; Cooper Cronk returned to direct proceedings as only he can; Matt Scott and Nate Myles were enormous; Sam Thaiday and Aidan Guerra at their rampaging best, and the great Cameron Smith – a man under incredible pressure – played like Cameron Smith.

The bench, maligned after being overshadowed by the Blues interchange players in Game Two, were unbelievable.

Jacob Lillyman in particular, a comparative no-name in a team dripping with superstars, must have been close to pipping Thurston for man of the match.

He played the game of his life, just when Queensland needed him too.

And then of course there is the wily veteran Justin Hodges, who started the game with an error and finished it a legend.

It was a striking parallel to his entire Origin career – coming back from that horrible debut to finish it as one of the finest centres to have graced the Origin arena.

It was vintage Hodges in Origin III – tough, uncompromising, sprinkled with moments of brilliance like his unforgettable tap-back over the deadball line for Matt Gillett’s try.

But that appraisal sums up the team’s performance as well. Every player did their job to the best of their ability, and the results were absolutely devastating.

It was the ultimate display of two teams showing their true colours.

The Maroons were brilliant and surgical in their ruthless mindset.

The Blues by comparison, who spent much of the series trying to pressure referees by calling Queensland “grubs” and “dirty”, finished with abject humiliation on the scoreboard and three players – Beau Scott, Trent Merrin and James Tamou – on report for foul play.

Fittingly, the final words should go to Meninga – the man who has masterminded a decade of dominance never before seen in the toughest, closest and most bitter rivalry in world sport.

In 1980, Meninga played in the very first Origin game on his 20th birthday, kicking seven from seven to start an Origin legend.

Exactly 35 years later, on his 55th birthday, Big Mal celebrated with a magic nine out of 10 series wins as Maroons coach.

“It was the best birthday present ever,” Meninga said.

“It was an outstanding effort, coming from great intent, great attitude in defence and we sent out Hodgo the way he deserved.”

QLD 52 (Gagai, Papalii, Inglis, Gillett, Morgan, Boyd, Chambers, Guerra tries, Thurston 9 goals, Hodges goal), NSW 6 (Jennings try, Hodkinson goal)

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