Bradman Best of the Blues poses with the State of Origin Shield after winning the series 2-1 in Brisbane. Photo /Getty Images
How the players rated in State of Origin III where New South Wales beat Queensland 14-4 in a brutal decider.
1 Dylan Edwards - 8
Ran for a game-high 238 metres in a game dominated by forwards. Despite being afforded little opportunity to show the attacking incisiveness he displayed in his Origin II debut, played a key role in keeping Queensland try-less and NSW on the front foot with ball in hand.
2 Brian To’o - 7
Ran hard but was unable to replicate the try-scoring form of his game II brace. A crunching tackle on Dane Gagai cut short a Queensland attacking play as they sought to get back into the game in the closing stages.
3 Bradman Best - 9.5
Was a revelation after missing the first two games of the series due to injury, scoring the opening try after somehow fending off Gagai while juggling the ball and avoiding the touchline, not to mention muscling up in defence throughout the game, and wearing the marks of his labours on his battered and bloody face.
4 Stephen Crichton - 7.5
Looked to have opened the scoring late in the second half but lost possession short of the line after a try-saving tackle from Tom Dearden, got his side back on the front foot with a leaping catch and linebreak straight off a Queensland restart after NSW’s second try.
5 Zac Lomax - 9
One of the best players of the opening two games was again a stand-out for NSW, a constant threat in aerial duels and showed great footballing intelligence to wait for Reece Walsh to rise off the ground before driving him into touch and pile the pressure on the Maroons. Also impressed with his kicking in a low-scoring game, including two goals from the touchline.
6 Jarome Luai - 9
Showed his ability running the ball by breaking Queensland’s right edge defensive line before finding Best on his outside to set up the opening try of the game. Got under the skin of opposite half Daly Cherry-Evans whose frustration boiled over in a melee with the Blues five-eighth in the opening half that resulted in two players sin-binned.
7 Mitchell Moses - 8.5
Took his time to imprint himself on the game after a man-of-the-match performance in game II but stood up to seal the game with a phenomenal solo try, also made a try-saving tackle on a flying Walsh earlier in the game to keep the pressure on Queensland.
8 Jake Trbojevic - 5
Was this the most anonymous series a triumphant Origin captain has ever had? The Manly forward once again saw little minutes in a winning side but was typically solid in defence for the 22 minutes he spent on the field.
9 Reece Robson - 6
Gave away a cheap penalty for a high tackle on Harry Grant that gave Queensland their second goal and a 4-2 lead late in the game, but was bailed out by his teammates. Made 24 tackles and missed three.
10 Payne Haas - 8
Was one of NSW’s strongest ball carriers in a physical game, setting the tone from the kick off with his strong running, totalling 106 metres and two offloads.
11 Liam Martin - 7.5
Billed in the lead-up as public enemy No.1 north of the border, the Penrith second-rower got under Queensland’s skin with his crunching tackles and fiery attitude but also made three errors and missed five tackles.
12 Angus Crichton - 8
Copped a Reece Walsh elbow to the face in the opening minutes but passed his HIA and recovered to run for 137 metres and gave his side invaluable second phase play opportunities with six offloads.
13 Cameron Murray - 7
Forced a drop out by dragging Selwyn Cobbo in-goal but was sin-binned after running into a melee from the bench. It was hard to shake the feeling he was scape-goated for his innocuous contribution to the fracas, made a solid if not outstanding impact, chipping in with 33 tackles - the most for his side.
14 Connor Watson - 6
Featured for just 16 minutes in his sophomore Origin appearance, making five runs and four tackles in his cameo
15 Isaah Yeo - 8
Played a big role off the bench, running for 165 metres - the most of any NSW forward - and showing important leadership when skipper Jake Trbojevic was off the field.
16 Mitchell Barnett - 8.5
The Origin debutant instantly looked in his element from his introduction in the third minute while Angus Crichton was undergoing an HIA, produced a monster hit on Selwyn Cobbo to fight back against a physical Queensland side on hostile turf.
17 Spencer Leniu - 7
Was characteristically hard to stop off the bench, running for 89 metres and 12 tackles, but gave away a penalty in the last minute of the first half to allow Queensland to take a lead into the break.
1 Reece Walsh - 6
Was once again unable to make a mark in a game where he was brutalised by NSW’s forwards, showed a brief glimpse of what he can do with the ball with a line-break at the start of the second half but was outsmarted by Zac Lomax who waited until he got back up to force him into touch.
2 Selwyn Cobbo - 5
Struggled to find the space to bring his pace into the game, ran for just 71 metres - the lowest haul of any outside back - and made two errors.
3 Dane Gagai - 5.5
Looked all of his 33 years, missing the tackle on Bradman Best that led to NSW’s opening try and was generally out-run by the opposition outside backs.
4 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow - 5
Failed to find an opportunity to inject his blistering pace into the game and derelicted his defensive duties by allowing Mitchell Moses to squeeze through the Queensland line and score NSW’s second try to seal the series.
5 Valentine Holmes - 6
Barely made an impact on the wing after his shift from centre but scored all of Queensland’s points with two straight-forward penalty goals.
6 Tom Dearden - 7.5
In a game short on attacking chances, his best moments came in defence, forcing a knock-on with a big hit on Blues enforcer Liam Martin and made a try-saving tackle on Stephen Crichton, but also showed his running ability with a smart line-break in the first half.
7 Daly Cherry-Evans - 6.5
His kicking game was unusually lacking, failing to come close with an attempted 40-20 early in the set and was unable to put NSW on the back foot. Wasn’t given the creative freedom he had in game I and his frustration boiled over in an off-the-ball run-in with Jarome Luai. Made an important ankle-tap on Best after an early line-break.
15 Moeaki Fotuaika - 7
Put his mark on the game with some early big hits but faded as NSW’s forward pack took the ascendancy as the game progressed, running for 72 metres and making 22 tackles.
14 Harry Grant - 6.5
The Melbourne skipper was below par in the first two games but was elevated to starting hooker ahead of veteran Ben Hunt. Put in a shift in defence but was also liable for Moses’s match-sealer.
16 Felise Kaufusi - 5
Barely featured. Was on the field for just 16 minutes, making five tackles and one solitary run.
11 Kurt Capewell - 6.5
Gave away two early penalties for tipping Stephen Crichton over the horizontal and a late tackle but also showed great physicality, including a crunching tackle on Dylan Edwards to set a brutal opening pace that would continue for much of the game.
8 Reuben Cotter - 7
Made less of an impact than other members of the Queensland forward pack with ball in hand but put in a mountain of work in defence, making 37 tackles.
13 Patrick Carrigan - 8.5
Came out of the sheds at Suncorp fired up but was unable to carry the Maroons to a series win on his broad shoulders alone. Made a game-high 45 tackles, many of which were as hard as you’ll see on a rugby league field, as well as running for 138 metres - the most by a Queenslander.
9 Ben Hunt - 5.5
Dropped to the bench before kick off, came on for Grant in the 24th minute before being sent for an HIA after copping an ugly knee to the head from a charging Spencer Leniu. Made 19 tackles but failed to make an impact in attack.
10 Lindsay Collins - 6.5
Another Queensland forward who muscled up in defence but was unable to make the big metres necessary with ball in hand to give his backs a platform to test the NSW try-line.
12 Jeremiah Nanai - 6
Sin-binned for running late into the melee sparked by his captain and Luai and was unable to replicate the attacking instinct that has helped him becoming the NRL’s top try-scoring forward with North Queensland.
17 Kalyn Ponga - 5
Subbed on in the 52nd minute after returning from a lengthy injury lay-off but despite attempting to inject some much-needed creativity into the Queensland attack came up short.
The first half will raise questions about the Kiwis' focus, preparation and environment.