A Dane Gagai hat-trick has seen Queensland wrap up their 10th State of Origin series in the past 11 years with a 26-16 win at Suncorp Stadium.
It was typically tense opening to the contest, both teams picking up from where they left off in Game One with some staunch defense offering minimal opportunities for either attack.
After trading a couple of penalties each the try-scoring deadlock was finally broken in the 32nd minute, Gagai snatching a fumbled NSW pass out of the air and sprinting 80 metres down the right flank to score in the corner to give Queensland a 10-4 lead at the break.
Six minutes into the second stanza Gagai had his brace, Darius Boyd taking advantage of some weak defense to draw and lob an overhead pass for the winger to cross untouched out wide.
The Blues responded with their first try of the match soon afterwards, Adam Reynolds drawing two defenders before offloading in the tackle to a streaking Tyson Frizzell to go in behind the posts.
In the 63rd minute the hosts extended their advantage, Johnathan Thurston putting an inch-perfect grubber into the corner for Gagai to bring up his hat-trick, the first for a Queenslander since Matt Sing in 2003.
The reply was immediate for NSW, James Maloney intercepting a pass in his own red-zone and going 90 metres to bring the scoreline to 20-16 with 12 minutes remaining.
NSW were denied a try to Michael Jennings after the video referee spotted a slight knock-on, before towering winger Corey Oates finished a well-worked move to dive and dot in the corner and seal the win and the series for Queensland.
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