As Queensland Maroons had already won the 2023 State of Origin series, the only thing left to play for in the third and final game of the series was pride. Pride for Queensland in securing the first whitewash since 2010, and pride for the New South Wales Blues to deny them and avoid a three-game series defeat.

While Queensland made just two changes to their line up with Horsburgh and Dearden replacing Walsh and Flegler, there were wholesale changes for the Blues with Brad Fittler bringing in eight new faces in the form of; Best, Gutherson, Walker, Saifiti, Jake Trbojevic, Kolomatangi, Campbell-Gillard and Drinkwater.

The bookies were erring on the side of a Queensland whitewash, New South Wales with a two-point start on the coupon as the Accor Stadium in Sydney held its breath.

The Blues had a try ruled out as early as the second minute for an offside in the build-up, but they had made their early intentions clear, they weren’t going to die wondering.

But on eleven minutes it was the Maroons who grabbed the first points of the game David Fifita collecting a tap back of a Cam Munster high kick to the line, to go in from close. Valentine Holmes found the target with his first kick of the game, normal SOO 2023 service resumed with a Queensland lead.

Three minutes later the Blues got in on the act when they moved the ball right on the last play of the set with Brian To’o taking the final pass and diving to score one-handed by the right corner flag. Stephen Crichton was just wide with his conversion attempt, the Blues still trailing by two.

Crichton got another opportunity on eighteen when he slotted over a penalty kick from thirty metres to level the scores.

On twenty the Blues hit the front with a moment of magic from Addo-Carr as he chased his own kick from the thirty-metre line to collect on the Queensland line and ground. Crichton missed another kick, but the ‘home’ side had the lead.

New South Wales were on fire on twenty-three as they crossed for their third try, devastating down the left side of attack, with Bradman Best taking the final pass and shrugging off two tackles in a ten-metre run to ground. This time Crichton added the goal, fifty percent in the game, for a 16-6 lead.

Everything was coming off for the Blues, very little for the Maroons.

Four minutes before the interval the Maroons eased themselves back into the game Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow with a half break on the forty before he put in a grubber which he chased down himself and collected to score in a single movement. Holmes was unable to convert but heading onto the interval the difference between the sides was just a converted try.

The Blues weren´t done and after a Crichton intercept on the halfway line, they were awarded a set restart and then a penalty with Crichton kicking the goal with seconds left to the hooter for an 18-10 half time lead.

The second half deadlock was broken on sixty-five as the two sides started to tire after a war of attrition. James Tedesco broke the Queensland defence and sprinted forty metres before finding Best to go the last thirty metres, showing Xavier Coates a clean pair of heels, to score by the sticks. Crichton was on target again for a 24-10 lead, the game looked over for Queensland.

They were to be the only points of a competitive second half as New South Wales shut Queensland out and kept them scoreless.

The Blues played their best footie of the series as they avoided the whitewash with a commanding performance in front of their vociferous crowd. At times they rode their luck, and they were assisted by a number of errors, but they fully deserved their victory and some minor consolation for Brad Fittler’s men.

New South Wales: Tedesco, To’o (T), Crichton (4G), Best (2T), Addo-Carr (T), Walker, Moses, Trbojevic J, Cook, Campbell-Gillard, Martin, Kolomatangi, Murray. Subs: Yeo, Saifiti, Robson, Gutherson. 18th Man: Drinkwater.

Queensland:  Brimson, Coates, Holmes (G), Tabuai-Fidow (T), Taulagi, Munster, Cherry-Evans, Fa’asuamaleaui, Hunt, Cotter, Fifita (T), Nanai, Carrigan.  Subs: Collins, Hunt, Horsburgh, Fotuaika. 18th Man: Dearden.

Half-Time: 18-10.

Full-Time: 24-10.

Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 4-6, 6-6, 10-6, 14-6, 16-6, 16-10, 18-10 : HT: 22-10, 24-10 : FT.

Lead Exchanges: QLD – Square - NSW.

Referee: Ashley Klein.

Attendance: .