At a boisterous and euphoric Lang Park, Queensland defeated New South Wales 32-6 to claim the 2023 State of Origin series.

With an impressive 26–18 win in Adelaide three weeks earlier, the Maroons took the series lead, but their home effort to win it was complete domination from the get-go.

Despite having just 42% possession at the half, Queensland led 10–0, and they continued to run high in the second half, scoring four more tries to complete the blowout.

Valentine Holmes scored two tries as the Maroons overcame a very ineffective Blues squad. Murray Tolagi, Hamiso Tabui-Fido, Xavier Coates, and Jeremiah Nanai also scored.

In the 57th minute, Damien Cook crossed for the Blues’ lone try in a fragmented effort. Cook entered the game after two minutes after Tom Trbojevic pulled off with a pectoral injury.

Reece Walsh and Jerome Lewis were ejected from the game after a fight, while Josh Addo-Carr received a spin-off for throwing a flying punch at Walsh during a scuffle in the final seconds.

The victory gives Billy Slater his second consecutive series victory as a coach and increases the pressure on Brad Fittler, the head coach of the Blues, who will have to defend his team’s lineup and strategy after his squad was thoroughly outclassed by the tenacious Maroons.

Valentine Holmes scored two tries as the Maroons overcame a very ineffective Blues squad. Murray Tolagi, Hamiso Tabui-Fido, Xavier Coates, and Jeremiah Nanai also scored.

In the 57th minute, Damien Cook crossed for the Blues’ lone try in a fragmented effort. Cook entered the game after two minutes after Tom Trbojevic pulled off with a pectoral injury.

Reece Walsh and Jerome Lewis were ejected from the game after a fight, while Josh Addo-Carr received a spin-off for throwing a flying punch at Walsh during a scuffle in the final seconds.

Holmes’ first goal gave the Maroons the lead after only a couple of minutes, and despite leaving plenty of possession and territory, they never looked back.

The first try raised some controversy as Xavier Coates was knocked down while being tackled by Josh Addo-Carr, so no score was awarded on the pitch.

Queensland took the lead for the fourth time in as many Origin games when the bunker determined that the Queensland Flyer had not touched the ball and that Holmes had enough pressure on the ball with his fingertips downwind.

New South Wales, as in the first game, began to enjoy the majority of possession but were seemingly unable to do much with it when they got close to the Queensland line.

Lindsay Collins, the unstoppable player of the game for the Maroons, commanded a stout defense that appeared impenetrable. Even when the Blues had a golden opportunity to score, they were unable to do so due to the valiant efforts of a veteran.

Stephen Crichton scooped up a stray ball and started running down the wing with 90 meters of open space in front of him as the Maroons threatened the Blues’ right flank.

At Lang Park, 52,433 cheering Queensland fans supported Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans as he chased the Penrith center, dragging him 20 yards.

The second attempt would also have raised concerns if the Blues had any reason to be concerned about the first.

The Maroons shifted the ball to Murray Tolagi on the left, and it appeared that David Fifita had made a clear forward pass, but the officials failed to see it, and Queensland led 10–0 at the half.

After the break, the Blues needed a strong start, but Queensland crossed again, laying the ball straight to Holmes, who scooped it up and finished brilliantly in the corner.

The Maroons’ frantic defense was featured by Tolagi’s excellent try-saving tackle on Crichton when the Blues were able to score a set of penalties in the Maroons territory. The latter phase highlighted the Blues’ problems throughout the game.

The Maroons regained control of the ball after another errant rollout. After going up the field, Harry Grant and Cameron Munster launched a short-side sneak attack.

Taulagi received the ball and chipped it infield, where prop Payne Haas first seemed to have it covered but a poor bounce fell into Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow’s hands to score.

The Blues fouled Cook with 22 minutes left to play to offer hope to the Blues to maintain the pressure and controlled possession.

But Queensland quickly put an end to the challenge when Coates scored in the corner, once again touching impressively.

The Maroons’ last try, scored by Nanai, was an appropriately laughable NSW side. Cook took the leaping catch, but Edo-Carr dragged his feet, causing the ball to come loose and fall into the path of Nanai, sealing an easy win.

After dominant Blues wins in 2018 and 2019, the Maroons have now won three of the past four series.