LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
NSW have taken the State of Origin series to a thrilling decider after a dominant performance saw them demolish Queensland in Melbourne.
The Blues were on fire, scoring seven tries in their 38-18 win over the Maroons, leveling the series at one apiece.
The match, played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, saw NSW make history with a record-breaking first half.
They ran in six tries in a stunning opening 40 minutes, leaving Queensland shell-shocked as they went into halftime with a commanding 34-0 lead.
Liam Martin, Brian To'o (2), Zac Lomax (2), and Latrell Mitchell were all on the scoresheet for the Blues.
Tensions simmered during the second half, with both Martin and Pat Carrigan being sin-binned.
Queensland showed some fight with tries from Jeremiah Nanai and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, but it was debutant Dylan Edwards who sealed the victory for NSW with a seventh try.
Murray Taulagi grabbed a late consolation try for the Maroons.
With the series now level, all eyes turn to the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane for the decider on July 17.
Maroons coach Billy Slater acknowledged the tough first half, emphasizing the need for his team to regroup and come back stronger for the final clash.
It's sure to be a blockbuster showdown as these two fierce rivals battle it out for State of Origin glory.