13:30

Final thoughts

What a brilliant game; one to cap a brilliant series.

This one will be spoken about for a while. Both sides engineered opportunities to claim the shield, but NSW was ultimately just in front. Not that anyone would have ventured that with two minutes to go in game three.

I wrote earlier that NSW were comfortable in the chaos, while QLD craved control. The Blues were able to create some chaos in the second half, and ultimately profited with a long-range try to seal the game, and enter Origin folklore with it.

Earlier, QLD had surged back into the game with two tries in 10 minutes to even the ledger. The 4 million strong audience would have collectively thought it was another QLD fairytale come to life, but Tedesco’s on-the-bell try drove a stake through the mythology, giving NSW the series.

The match had everything, and in the wash-up, it won’t be cheesy to say that both sides threw absolutely everything at it. As Kevin Walters said, the first half was QLDs best forty minutes in the series – some statement after what they produced in game one. However NSW were able to capitalise on some fatigue once the referees stopped blowing penalties, allowing them to take a seemingly unassailable 12 point lead with 10 minutes left. ‘Seemingly’, the operative word.

What do you say about Queensland - who roared back to life with 10 minutes to go when they were absolutely spent? Where do they find that belief and resilience? If you’re not from there, I guess you’ll never know.

That reality made Tedesco’s on-the-bell try all the more special. Make no mistake, this joins the ranks of great Origin moments. It may not jolt Mark Coyne’s effort from the pantheon, but it may well go down as the most dramatic try in Blues history to date, scored by someone well on the way to greatness.

If you’ve joined us at any point through the series, a big thank you. It was a pleasure doing the MBM on this tonight. It was League’s great showcase - and once the referees got out of the way, it delivered in spades.

Until next time.