What becomes of the broken-hearted? Mourning Cameron Munster leads Maroons to glory

Cameron Munster lost his father this week, but emotion carried his Queensland team to a stunning 24-12 triumph over NSW to win the State of Origin series.

Josh Papalii of the Maroons comforts victorious captain Cam Munster after claiming the Origin series at Accor Stadium, Sydney, on Wednesday night . Picture: AAP

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What are wins? What are losses? All astonishingly important. All unspeakably unimportant in the final analysis and breath.

Queensland captain Cam Munster’s heart was broken into a million pieces when his 58-year-old father, Steven, as proud of his son as any man could be, looking forward to the State of Origin ­decider as feverishly as the rest of us, passed away on Saturday.

Beautifully, boldly Munster had more joyful blood thundering from his ventricles to atriums when the Maroons clinched the series with a stunning 24-12 triumph. “Thank you to everyone who’s reached out,” he said.

More power to Munster when he tries to get his head around all this. He lost his Dad then won an Origin decider in the space of four chaotic days. As a New South Welshman, you wouldn’t wish his personal tragedy on your worst Queenslander.

He’s an enigmatic, majestic, brilliant, passionate, entertaining footballer, adored in a brotherly fashion by his teammates, feared and respected by the Blues, and no matter how fervently a home supporter might have wanted a win for Isaah Yeo’s men, no onlooker with a soul could approach kick-off without thinking, “Poor Cam Munster.” He put on his bravest face. Thrust forward his chest ­before 82,000 at Sydney’s Accor Stadium during the national ­anthem and matter-of-factly told his team, “Let’s go, eh?”

Tom Dearden Try Celebration during game three of the Men's State Of Origin Picture: NRL Imagery

The result emulated Damien Oliver’s win in the 2002 Melbourne Cup, eh? Oliver blew ­kisses to the sky after winning the great race on Media Puzzle shortly after the passing of his brother, Jason. South Sydney’s John Sattler famously won the 1970 grand final with a broken jaw. Well, Munster, “brave and courageous to be out there”, according to Maroons coach Billy Slater, got up with a fractured heart. He fell to his haunches and wept.

Tom Dearden of the QLD Maroons celebrates a try. Picture: NRL Images

Munster’s Maroons snuck to an 8-0 lead when Xavier Coates squirrelled over to score in the corner; they roared to a 14-0 advantage when Tom Dearden ran like the wind to cross the stripe; they held a stunning 20-0 halftime lead when Harry Grant pinballed off three hapless NSW defenders and the goalpost and wrestled the ball to the ground.

The Blues didn’t get on the scoreboard until long-striding Stephen Crichton bolted clear like a thoroughbred. Too little, too late. The outstanding Dearden scored his second try and the lionheart skipper won.

Outwardly, Munster was a powerhouse. Inwardly, the hidden Cam must have ridden the most confusing, sobering and intimidating of emotional rollercoasters. You lose your father and nothing seems real.

All you can do is put one foot in front of the other and Munster, who was in the thick of it, barking orders and directing traffic, and doing his jersey proud, was astonishingly, unspeakably inspirational. What became of the broken-hearted? He won Origin.