State of Origin: Dynasty that won’t die

John­athan Thurston’s successor stole the show and the series as the Maroons prolonged the agony for NSW with a 22-6 victory | WATCH

Johnathan Thurston is chaired off. Picture: Brett Costello

The pre-match at Suncorp Stadium last night was all about John­athan Thurston. Once the game began, his successor stole the show and the series. Cameron Munster produced one of the most memorable State of Origin debuts in history as the Maroons prolonged the agony for NSW with a 22-6 victory, an 11th series win in 12 years yet again signalling celebrations north of the border.

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The dynasty goes on. Once again, the Blues will head home battered and beaten. They have some soul-searching to do. Change is afoot. Change is already upon Queensland but the more things change for the Maroons, the more they stay the same.

When the game was in the balance in the second half, Munster stepped up with two brilliant try assists to end the Blues’ fight. Thurston, watching in the coach’s box with a season-ending shoulder injury, would have beamed with pride.

He has left a legacy that will be hard to match, his standing such that he was called on stage by captain Cameron Smith to help lift the shield after the game.

Cameron Munster of the Maroons in action. Picture: Getty

Munster showed enough to suggest he may be the man to fill the breach. As good as he was, he wasn’t alone. Smith produced a first half that will live long in the memory and was named man of the match — coach Kevin Walters claimed afterwards it was the best 40 minutes in Origin history.

Cooper Cronk, potentially playing his last game, was brilliant. So too Billy Slater, who may also have made his Origin farewell. Winger Valentine Holmes finished with a hat-trick and could have had more.

Dane Gagai walked away with the Wally Lewis medal as player of the series. The Maroons won with style on a night that was an unadulterated disaster for the Blues. They were blown away in the first half and somehow went to the break only down by 12 points.

The series should have been over by then but the Maroons bombed as many tries as they scored. It wasn’t even a contest. NSW weren’t at the races, let alone Suncorp Stadium. Serious question marks once again reside over the Blues.

It is hard to see a scenario where coach Laurie Daley can stay given the ineptitude of their performance. He was already weighing up his future regardless but a fourth series defeat in five years is likely to spell the end.

Several players will also be under the gun. Halfback Mitchell Pearce was unable to leave his imprint on the game, constantly kicking the ball down the throat of Slater. Nor five-eighth James Maloney. Andrew Fifita was placed on a media ban during the week with the belief that it would allow him to find his Origin I form.

It didn’t work. Not much did. Asked whose responsibility it was for their misfiring performance, Daley — who looks certain to stand aside sooner rather than later — said: “I think it is the coaches.”

Captain Boyd Cordner then interjected. “I reckon it is the players,” Cordner said. “Laurie and the coaching staff have been nothing but great. It falls back on myself being the captains and the playing group as well. I’ll put my hand up there.”

The Blues must start again ... again. They threatened to climb back into the match eight minutes into the second half last night when Maloney produced a pinpoint bomb for Josh Dugan, who climbed above Holmes to score. The game was a contest again. It was out of reach again midway through the half as Munster’s magical debut continued. The Maroons No. 6 beat three defenders as he split open the NSW defence.

His pass to Holmes left a lot to be desired but the Queensland winger reached behind him, juggled the ball and then dragged it in. Then he hammered the final nail in the Blues’ coffin.

Munster ran the ball on the last and flung the ball back in field for Jarrod Wallace, who strolled over. The lead was 16 points and another series was in the bag. “What a great night for all Queenslanders,” Walters said.

Smith added: “This will be one of the more pleasing series victories I think for myself. We have had three different five-eighths this series, a couple of different fullbacks. They were unchanged the entire series. It was a special effort.”

The Maroons faithful were already fevered after sitting through an emotional tribute to Thurston before kick-off, the injured Queensland five-eighth walking onto a stage at the southern end of Suncorp Stadium where was greeted by his wife and children.

Munster had a telling early impact. Slater danced across field before off-loading to a stationary Munster. The Maroons debutant delivered a laser pass onto the chest of Michael Morgan, playing in an unfamiliar role in the centres.

Morgan got on the outside of Dugan and passed inside for Holmes, who was adjudged to have got the ball down by the video officials despite the attention of two NSW defenders.