State of Origin 3: A win for true believers

THERE’s only one thing sweeter than saying goodbye to legends — and that’s welcoming the champions of tomorrow. Queensland have done both in one of its proudest nights in the history of Origin football.

Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith embrace on the podium after winning game three of the State of Origin series. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

• Munster stars as Maroons triumph
• Player ratings: Who starred, who struggled
• Cronk’s kick a moment of magic
• Smith inspires sweetest win

THERE’s only one thing sweeter than saying goodbye to legends — and that’s welcoming the champions of tomorrow.

Queensland did both in one of its proudest nights in the history of Origin football with a dam-busting 22-6 defeat of NSW at Suncorp Stadium to win the series 2-1.

The misty-eyed nostalgia that swept Suncorp during an emotional farewell to great Johnathan Thurston was replaced by the joy at seeing his replacement Cameron Munster play with Thurston-like polish on debut.

Cameron Smith reacts with an emotional Johnathan Thurston following the Maroons’ State of Origin Game 3 win. Picture: AAP/Dave Hunt

Repeat. On debut. We must remind ourselves of that fact because he played as if it was his 20th game.

The crowd’s night became perfect when vision of Thurston laughing at Andrew Fifita dropping a ball was played on the big screen. Jerry Seinfeld has never got a bigger laugh.

Munster’s effort was in stark contrast to the bumbling NSW team who simply found the game too big.

Cameron Munster played with polish on his debut. Picture: AAP/Dan Peled

Like Munster, Thurston was overlooked by talent scouts as a youngster because he was deemed too small. But like Thurston, that only cast pellets of steel into his soul and gave him a fearless zest for the contest.

It was a poignant night for Queensland, a changing of the guard where youngsters like Valentine Holmes, Munster and Dane Gagai showed the poise and skills that can guide Queensland to more prosperous days after recording their 11th win in 12 series.

Munster was full of everything Wednesday night. He ran at the Blues pack time and again. His passing was bold and decisive and sometimes when cornered he would double back and rush back behind the pack like a cattle dog herding sheep. He split the line for the game-breaking second half try. He and the old warrior Cameron Smith were the spark plugs in a dynamic Queensland attacking performance.

Queensland take heart. The next crop are special as well.

Thurston said before the game that his first Maroon captains taught him the creed “don’t let down your state ... don’t let down your mate’’.

And they never did.