As the Queensland players ran on to a hostile Accor Stadium, Channel Nine commentator Matt Thompson said Cameron Munster was ‘playing with a broken heart’.
But for the next 80 minutes the grieving Queensland captain was all heart inspiring his Maroons teammates to an epic series-clinching win, 24-12.
A statistically perfect first half was followed by an outstanding second-half defensive performance, as Queensland repelled wave after wave of desperate New South Wales attack and a glut of Blues possession.
The dam was eventually broken when Blues centre Stephen Crichton crossed in the 56th minute and Zac Lomax converted to make the score 20-6.
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But any thought of a similar Blues comeback to Game II in Perth was snuffed out as Billy Slater’s Maroons re-set to deliver a stunning result, capped by a 73rd minute try to outstanding Queensland halfback, Tom Dearden.
“They’re just giving NSW absolutely nothing, it’s a maroon wall,” Andrew Johns said of a remarkable Queensland performance that followed a tragic week.
“I just want to say thank you to the whole rugby league community,” Cameron Munster told Darren Lockyer post-match on Channel Nine.
“Family is more important than anything and the stars aligned for me tonight.”