State of Origin 2016: A case of what might have been for the Blues

If only this NSW team had played the entire State of Origin series the outcome could have been different.

Not because of the way the Blues performed in their last-gasp 18-14 win, in which NSW did what Queensland have done so many times after Michael Jennings scored an 80th minute try to snatch victory after Darius Boyd appeared to have done so for the Maroons in the 75th minute, but because you could see they would be better in the next game – if there was one – for having played together.

Up front: Aaron Woods collides with Matt Scott.Credit: Getty Images

Sure NSW may have been given a leg up by some favourable refereeing calls, but the inclusion of James Tedesco at fullback, Matt Moylan at five-eighth, Josh Dugan in the centres and Tyson Frizell and Wade Graham in the back row offered more strike in attack.

It was just the finishing by the new combinations that let them down – and the ill-discipline of interchange forward Andrew Fifita, who demonstrated why NSW officials had been reluctant to pick him at the start of the series when he ran more than 10 metres to pull Gavin Cooper out of a Maroons huddle celebrating his 53rd minute try and was sent to the sin bin.

Rake's progress: Cameron Smith goes low on Robbie Farah.Credit: Getty Images

The new-look Blues made seven line breaks and 29 tackle breaks but managed just three tries against a Queensland team that appeared set to complete a series clean sweep until Jennings scored after a Tedesco break to send captain Paul Gallen out a winner in his 24th and last Origin match.

Tedesco ran for 224 metres from fullback, while Moylan was a revelation playing out of position at five-eighth and Frizell confirmed in his second Blues appearance that he has a long Origin career ahead.

However, the unfamiliar combinations created shortcomings in the NSW attack that were highlighted by the fact they were unable to score while Cooper Cronk was in the sin bin before half-time after being penalised for pulling Wade Graham back in the chase for a James Maloney grubber kick.

Queensland had to defend 32tackles within 20 metres of their try line compared to just six by the Blues but NSW's only try came when Frizell crashed over off a Gallen offload in the 22nd minute. On most occasions, the Blues appeared too eager to spread the ball sideways early on the tackle count rather than using their middle forwards.

The 9-1 penalty count, six consecutive sets on their line and playing with 12 men appeared set to take its toll on the Maroons early in the second half when Fifita scored a controversial 42nd minute try after hooker Robbie Farah toed ahead a ball that had been knocked on by Dane Gagai.

With the Blues boasting a 58 per cent share of possession, Queensland had been forced to make 200 tackles to 132 by NSW in the opening 40 minutes but Fifita's ill-discipline allowed them back into the game.

Fortunately for him the Maroons did not score in his absence and NSW were able to bounce back from the tries by Cooper and Boyd to finish on top.