AAA<\/p>\n
We rate the performances of every player who took the field in Wednesday night\u2019s State of Origin decider at Brisbane\u2019s Suncorp Stadium.<\/p>\n
New South Wales<\/p>\n
1. James Tedesco 2. Jack Bostock 3. Bradman Best 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase 6. Mitchell Moses 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Payne Haas 9. Reece Robson 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Hudson Young 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Cameron Murray 15. Addin Fonua-Blake 16. Haumole Olakau\u2019atu 17. Blayke Brailey 18. Ethan Strange 19. Tolutau Koula Queensland<\/p>\n 1. Kalyn Ponga<\/p>\n The Maroons\u2019 most dangerous player with the Steeden in the first half, despite being flattened in a heavy tackle by Young midway through the half. Crucial miss on a runaway Bradman Best as the Blues extended their lead in the second half. 6.5\/10<\/p>\n 2. Selwyn Cobbo 3. Robert Toia 4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 5. Jojo Fifita 6. Cameron Munster 7. Sam Walker 8. Thomas Flegler 9. Harry Grant 10. Tino Fa\u2019asuamaleaui 11. Briton Nikora 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Max Plath 15. Patrick Carrigan 16. Jeremiah Nanai 17. Trent Loiero<\/p>\n Entered the fray in the 17th minute and while he didn\u2019t put a foot wrong, was overshadowed by the Blues back-rowers. 5.5<\/p>\n 18. Reece Walsh Related Article 19. Murray Taulagi More Origin III coverageSave<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n
Led the Blues\u2019 go-forward with a combination of kick returns, dummy-half scoots and old-fashioned hit-ups \u2013 then copped a head clash with Briton Nikora<\/a> at the end of the first half and failed his HIA. 7\/10<\/p>\n
A mixed night for the Origin debutant, who spilled an early chance with the tryline wide open, and dropped a bomb late in the first half (and possibly knocked on in the lead-up to Best\u2019s try). Also had a great escape from his in-goal. Went off after a head knock in the final 20 minutes. 5.5<\/p>\n
Was beaten a couple of times defending Robert Toia early on but more than made up for it with a 95-metre solo try, outpacing then palming off teammate Kalyn Ponga on the way to the line. 7.5<\/p>\n
Made the line break that led to Cleary\u2019s second try, and forced a dropout with a classy grubber. Couldn\u2019t stop Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow on the way to the tryline but otherwise defended well. 6.5<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Missed a tricky try-scoring chance when he couldn\u2019t grab a Nathan Cleary kick one-handed, then threw a lovely pass for Cleary\u2019s second try. Made a couple of errors defusing kicks in the second half. 6<\/p>\n
Showed why his long kicking is the best in the business with a series of booming clearances, getting the Blues out of trouble when they were camped down their own end early. Racked up an enormous 650 kick metres. 7<\/p>\n
Silenced the packed crowd with the game\u2019s first try, stepping past two defenders to score with a strong solo effort. Then finished a sweeping team try to score his second. Made a one-on-one strip ahead of Cam Murray\u2019s try, kicked five goals, and also had a couple of dangerous bombs that forced Queensland errors. 9<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Made some big carries through the middle to give NSW the momentum ahead of Cleary\u2019s first try, then started bouncing off defenders for fun. His offloads caused real problems for the Maroons. 8.5<\/p>\n
A sharper performance than the opening two games, with decent service and four good dummy-half darts. 7<\/p>\n
Took the opening hit-up and was the Blues\u2019 busiest forward in the early stages, and returned late to finish off the game well. 7<\/p>\n
Gave away the game\u2019s first two penalties, with a lifting tackle and a high shot, but worked hard and was the first NSW forward to pass 100 run metres. Scored a bonus try as the final siren sounded. 8<\/p>\n
A welcome return to the Origin stage. Made a strong charge and offload to Crichton to help set up Cleary\u2019s second, flattened Toia with a crunching tackle, and was strong throughout. 8<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Did the little things right as always \u2013 ran hard, led the tackle count, and had the quickest play-the-balls of the Blues\u2019 starting big men. 7<\/p>\n
Again provided spark off the bench, offloading after his first carry of the game, and showed great strength to score the Blues\u2019 third try. 8<\/p>\n
Came on after half an hour and made some strong carries and quick play-the-balls, setting up a line break for Best. 6.5<\/p>\n
Unused.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Came on for the final half hour. Error-free but unable to make a significant impact. 5<\/p>\n
Replaced Jack Bostock after a head knock in the final 20 minutes but had limited involvement. 5<\/p>\n
Replaced Tedesco at fullback in the final minute of the first half. Made some nice runs but couldn\u2019t defuse the kick that led to Selwyn Cobbo\u2019s try and let a bomb bounce that almost led to a Robert Toia try. 5<\/p>\n
Came back to earth with a thud after a dream start to the series. Made several crucial first-half errors, including having the ball stripped by Nathan Cleary before the Blues\u2019 third try. Redeemed himself a little with a fortuitous second-half try. 5<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Reasonably quiet in the first half but made some telling contributions in the second, including a try-saving tackle on Mitch Moses before laying on a try for Jojo Fifita and having his own four-pointer disallowed. 6.5<\/p>\n
Came to life just before half-time, scoring the Maroons\u2019 lone try that cut the deficit to 18-4. Quiet second half. 5.5<\/p>\n
Knocked on a difficult Cleary first-half bomb but otherwise solid and scored his second Origin try. 5.5<\/p>\n
Great first long kick put his team on the front foot, but made an uncustomary miss on a hard-running Liam Martin in the lead-up to Cleary\u2019s second try. 6<\/p>\n
Quietest match of the series. Would love to have a few of his kicks over again, including a poor clearing effort straight to Tedesco. Missed part of the second half due to a HIA. 6<\/p>\n
Helped contain Payne Haas early on before coming off for a rest after 17 minutes. Returned in the 51st minute and toiled manfully. 5.5<\/p>\n
Branded a cheat by Phil Gould during the week<\/a>, but the Maroons wouldn\u2019t swap him for any other No.9. 6.5<\/p>\n
Tried hard but was well contained by the Blues pack in his two stints on the field. 6<\/p>\n
Poleaxed Tedesco in a head clash, then gave him a gobful, but otherwise fairly inconspicuous. 5<\/p>\n
Not his best Origin match. Cleary slipped past him easily for the opening try, and he knocked on twice early in the second half before being subbed. 5<\/p>\n
Typically solid, despite a rare simple handing error inside his half after 11 minutes. 6<\/p>\n
Came on in the 23rd minute and played the remainder of the match, but didn\u2019t make the same impact as he did in Origin II. 5.5<\/p>\n
Unused.<\/p>\n
Played the last 30 minutes, but apart from headbutting a Mitchell Moses kick was another Maroon who didn\u2019t make much of a mark. 5<\/p>\n
Introduced in the 54th minute and looked lively but didn\u2019t have the impact the Maroons would have hoped. 5<\/p>\n![\"Nathan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783519270_123_96c4cbc1b9cd047f1fbd441f6ab50807af0c9eb9.jpeg\")
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Unused.<\/p>\n