Look away, NSW fans. This is going to hurt.
If anyone told you Queensland was going to win the series at halftime in Game 2, you'd probably declare them barking mad.
But, as we've seen year after year, Queensland has a remarkable ability to pull a rabbit out of its hat at the perfect time. The Maroons looked dangerous from the get-go, placing pressure on Laurie Daley's men in front of a parochial home crowd.
Here are seven huge talking points from the decider at Suncorp Stadium.
GUS ERUPTS AT 'ILLEGAL' CRONK MOVE
NSW veteran Jarryd Hayne was prevented from going after a high ball in the second half after Queensland halfback Cooper Cronk batted him out of the way.
The Maroons veteran knocked Hayne to the ground and NSW icon Phil Gould wasn't impressed.
"It is terrible the way blockers do that these days," he said from the commentary box.
"They didn't give the chasers any chance whatsoever. That's just illegal but they let it go all the time."
A similar incident came in the third minute of the decider when NSW winger Brett Morris was blocked from challenging a bomb from James Maloney. However, Peter Sterling said in that instance Will Chambers did nothing wrong because he stood his ground and didn't move into Morris' path.
The incidents came after referees declared they would be cracking down on defenders blocking players chasing kicks in Origin III, sparking the anger of disgruntled fans who demanded the refs tighten their stance.
'NSW DESERVES BETTER, LAURIE DESERVES BETTER'
A defeated James Maloney gave a brutally honest interview with NSW legend Brad Fittler after the match, admitting his state deserved better than his side's deflating performance on Wednesday night.
"Mate, as a team, to put a performance like that on an occasion like this is horrible," he said. "You're never going to win a game of footy playing like that (and) to do it at a moment like this is horrible, mate.
"NSW deserve better. Laurie deserves better. The coaching staff (deserves better). We haven't leaked 22 points all series, and we leaked it now."
The five-eighth admitted his side felt momentum tip in its favour as Josh Dugan ran over after the halftime break to bring the Blues within six points of the home side. But a horrible completion rate had the Blues in a state of disrepair.
"I think we completed about 65 per cent, which is like playing reserve grade," Maloney said. "It was just across the board, you know, as a group. We needed to be better."
NSW'S BIG RISK BACKFIRES
Blues skipper Boyd Cordner was in doubt for the decider over the past week with a calf injury but was cleared to play Game 3.
The 25-year-old forward reduced his training load to ensure he was right come July 12, but it looks like the decision to include him backfired, hard.
Cordner ran strongly in attack for the Blues all night but appeared to mistime a number of his runs as NSW frantically tried to resurrect a horror first half.
A dropped ball early in the second half only added to his woes. As if it couldn't get any worse for the struggling skipper, debutant Cameron Munster ran around him and set up Valentine Holmes for his third try of the night.
"Munster was able to step around Boyd Cordner there," Phil Gould said. "Who, I've got to be honest, seems to be struggling right from his opening run in the game. He was under doubt coming into this game. To me he doesn't look 100 per cent. He was just wrong-footed and brushed aside there."
FREAK SMITH STUNS NSW
Cameron Smith once again proved just how devastating he can be on a footy field, running rings around NSW and leaving players in sky blue jerseys scratching their heads after a one-sided first half.
The 42-game veteran made an astonishing 23 tackles by the halftime break and ran for 41m to help Queensland burst through the Blues' defence on multiple occasions.
"He's the most influential player in our game," Peter Sterling said.
Only one notable blunder from the Maroons skipper - an attempted offload that was ruled forward when he dummied and went himself with an easy overlap on offer - prevented him from having a perfect first half of football.
The Immortal was rewarded for his huge effort with the man of the match accolade as he raised the shield in yet another Queensland victory.
Cooper Cronk had Queensland fans screaming for joy when he showed off kicking skills more widely seen in AFL than rugby league.
The veteran halfback punted a perfect cross-field kick that went barely five metres off the ground to set up Valentine Holmes on the wing in the first half. The trajectory of the kick ensured no NSW defender was able to challenge for the ball as it landed safely in the 21-year-old's hands to gift Queensland its second try of the night.
The commentary box was left with its jaw on the floor as Channel Nine presenters struggled to find words for what they'd just seen.
"That was one of the great Origin tries," Ray Warren said.
MUNSTER'S KILLER DEBUT
Kevin Walters took an almighty gamble debuting Storm five-eighth Cameron Munster over the in-form Daly Cherry-Evans, but boy did it pay off.
The 22-year-old had an incredible first game in the Maroons jumper, running 122 metres, making five tackle busts and pulling off two try assists.
A breathtaking pass to set up Valentine Holmes' second try had NRL greats in awe, particularly QLD legend Wally Lewis.
"I thought he had a sensational game for debut," he said after the match. "I thought he was the Man of the Match. The creativity he displayed for a debutant has been matched by very few people in the history of State of Origin."
Munster had opposition players in a daze. NSW center Jarryd Hayne admitted he underestimated the young star ahead of the match.
"I thought he was probably the second or third choice five-eighth for Queensland," he told ACB Grandstand after the match. "He was unbelievable tonight. He definitely looked very comfortable out there."
DANE GAGAI MAKES HISTORY
He may not be winning many awards playing for NRL wooden spooners the Newcastle Knights, but Dane Gagai is a certified Origin weapon.
The young Maroons star had a blinder of a series, making a remarkable 577m across three games and bringing his try total in the state jumper to seven from six games.
He became the first winger in Origin history to claim the man of the series accolade, a huge feat considering the heroics of veterans Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk throughout the series.
'PERFECTION, ABSOLUTE PERFECTION': CRONK'S 'UNBELIEVABLE' PLAY
Cooper Cronk had Queensland fans screaming for joy when he showed off kicking skills more widely seen in AFL than rugby league.
The veteran halfback punted a perfect cross-field kick that went barely five metres off the ground to set up Valentine Holmes on the wing in the first half. The trajectory of the kick ensured no NSW defender was able to challenge for the ball as it landed safely in the 21-year-old's hands to gift Queensland its second try of the night.
The commentary box was left with its jaw on the floor as Channel Nine presenters struggled to find words for what they'd just seen.
"That was one of the great Origin tries," Ray Warren said.
MUNSTER'S KILLER DEBUT
Kevin Walters took an almighty gamble debuting Storm five-eighth Cameron Munster over the in-form Daly Cherry-Evans, but boy did it pay off.
The 22-year-old had an incredible first game in the Maroons jumper, running 122 metres, making five tackle busts and pulling off two try assists.
A breathtaking pass to set up Valentine Holmes' second try had NRL greats in awe, particularly QLD legend Wally Lewis.
"I thought he had a sensational game for debut," he said after the match. "I thought he was the Man of the Match. The creativity he displayed for a debutant has been matched by very few people in the history of State of Origin."
Munster had opposition players in a daze. NSW center Jarryd Hayne admitted he underestimated the young star ahead of the match.
"I thought he was probably the second or third choice five-eighth for Queensland," he told ACB Grandstand after the match. "He was unbelievable tonight. He definitely looked very comfortable out there."
DANE GAGAI MAKES HISTORY
He may not be winning many awards playing for NRL wooden spooners the Newcastle Knights, but Dane Gagai is a certified Origin weapon.
The young Maroons star had a blinder of a series, making a remarkable 577m across three games and bringing his try total in the state jumper to seven from six games.
He became the first winger in Origin history to claim the man of the series accolade, a huge feat considering the heroics of veterans Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk throughout the series.
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