Billy Slater 7
More dangerous than a Moran family barbecue despite limited chances. Cleaned up when needed and is still the game's top number one.


Darius Boyd 6
Le's call his game "resolute" instead of "average". Did what he needed to do and helped out a tired pack when required.


Greg Inglis 8
The only thing stopping him from getting a perfect 10 was that little moment where Trent Barrett punched a hole in his face. Looked like a hurricane in the first 21 minutes before Barrett ended his night.


Willie Tonga 7
Cleaved David Williams in twain on a number of occasions but didn't threaten with the ball a great deal. Good on him though. He's a top kid.


Israel Folau 8
When Robbie Farah gave him open passage to the tryline, it was like the Red Sea opening up for Moses. His name is Israel, after all.


Darren Lockyer 8
They say he can't tackle. They say he's getting old. I say he's one of the game's immortals. His kicking game at the death put the pressure right back on NSW and he went all night, despite being crook.


Johnathan Thurston 9
Simply sublime once again. It's hard to see NSW winning a series so long as Thurston is running the show for Queensland.


Steve Price 8
A late chargedown on the pleasantly hopeless Peter Wallace was vital. Him and Petero are so good it's like they are out of that movie Cocoon.


Cameron Smith 7
If this series has proven anything, it's that Farah's challenge to Smith as the country's top rake is a pretence. Watch and learn, Robbie – Origin isn't about tricky passing, it's about heart and pride.


Petero Civoniceva 8
Another one of Queensland's walking wounded, Civoniceva did the job once again. Why do the Blues always assume he is over the hill? It's idiotic. Play forever and ever. Amen.


Ashley Harrison 8
Harrison has been Queensland's best forward through two games but typically, will never get a look in for Australia while the Paul Gallens and Glenn Stewarts continue to carry big reputations. That's a travesty.


Sam Thaiday 9
Was going rubbish. Had a blinder. Thaiday had clearly been reading up on Queensland Origin Fairytales for Dummies.


Dallas Johnson 7
Was on a drip all day, only to leap from his sick bed to smash Blues all over the ... hang on, I've heard this somewhere before.


Interchange
Ben Hannant 8
Has shown he only needs one leg to be a better prop than anyone NSW has to offer. More guts than Kim Beazley.


Karmichael Hunt 6
Was a little quiet but gee, he's not a bad replacement when you lose a Greg Inglis. Possibly won't get the same job satisfaction in Japanese rugby.


Nate Myles 7
Another one of Queensland's fully sick contingent, Myles once again stepped up to the plate. Should seriously consider ending that charade at the Roosters and become a three-games-per-year Origin specialist.


Michael Crocker 7
Ran hard. Got into a fight. Mission accomplished.

Heroic halves Darren Lockyer and Johnathan Thurston branded last night’s victory of almost unprecedented grit the high point of their careers, while Maroons legends universally described the Queensland side of the late noughties the greatest in State of Origin history.

Two years the wrong side of 30, Lockyer has won Origin series before, not to mention half a dozen premierships, as well as having the honour of leading his country bestowed upon him to cap off a lengthy Test career.

Thurston, arguably the world's best player, does not have a bad CV either.

But as the enormity of a landmark fourth Origin series victory began to sink in last night, it was clear that the events of June 24, 2009, were destined to headline their respective show reels.

''This is as high as it gets,'' said Lockyer, who missed last year’s series as a result of injury.

''They're not easy to win, individual Origin games, so to win four series in a row is a great effort.

''We knew we were on the tip of history. When you look back to see what we've achieved over the last four years, it's just great to be a part of it.''

Thurston, excellent even though the Blues' containment of him meant there was nothing of the ''show and go'' variety, concurred.

''Definitely,'' the halfback replied when asked if wrapping up the Origin four-peat was the pinnacle of his lofty existence in league.

''I was just thinking before 'That's history'. There have been great players that have played our game before us – Wally Lewis, Alfie (Langer) and all those blokes. And we've won four Origin series in a row so it's something special.''

Lewis and Langer were but two of the procession of state greats getting around in the Queensland dressing sheds in the bowels of the ground last night.

Fronted by those two and featuring other greats like Mal Meninga and Gene Miles, the late-eighties edition of Queensland has been regarded quite rightly as Origin’s best team, with Phil Gould's hat-trick winning Blues of the early nineties earning a high distinction.

They are now ready to pass on the baton.

''I hate comparing. There was a bloke called Wally running around and big Mal and Gene Miles, Fatty, Bobby Lindner,'' said Trevor Gillmeister, now an assistant to Queensland coach Meninga. ''But, honestly, the talent that's across the whole board here, not just in the backs, but in the forwards, makes it hard to beat.''

Meninga's team manager Steve Walters, whose status as Queensland's greatest hooker is surely being given a work-over by Cameron Smith, also has little doubt the 2006-2009 Maroons are top of the pile.

''I think they’re the best ever. They’ve earned that,” Walters said.

Fourteen years ago only Paul Vautin’s heroes of 1995 prevented New South Wales from becoming the first state to string four series wins together. How times have changed.

''I didn't think you’d see it in this day and age, with the competition so close,,'' said Mark Coyne, a member of Vautin’s famous no-names.

''To get a team dominate like they have is extraordinary and a real credit to the work that Mal has done.

''It's pretty hard to argue with the statistics and the quality of players that are there so you’d have to so that they are the best Origin team that’s ever put the Maroon jersey on.''

Queensland is showing no sign of stopping at four. Lockyer, 32, Steve Price, 35, and Petero Civoniceva, 33, aren't getting any younger but offered no hint they would walk out on such a high note.

''I haven't thought about it,'' Lockyer said when quizzed if he may retire from Origin football after the now inconsequential third instalment of the series at Suncorp Stadium.

Price, the oldest player in the Maroons side but a tower of strength again on a night where he was one of few not injured or sick, also stuck by the 'if you’re young enough, you’re good enough' policy which has made him such an ageless forced.

''I’ve always said tha

Queensland captain Darren Lockyer says Mal Meninga stands among State of Origin's true legends after the former Maroons star-turned-coach crowned a record fourth consecutive series victory in Sydney.

Meninga, formerly a veteran centre of 32 Origin appearances, became the first coach to preside over four back-to-back series wins as Queensland defeated New South Wales 24-14 in Game II last night.

In front of 80,459 fans, the Maroons pounced on a series of rookie mistakes from the fledgling Blues outfit to take an 18-0 lead after 25 minutes and for all money a rout looked on the cards.

When Meninga took the job in 2006, Queensland had not won a series in five years and the credibility of State Origin as an even interstate duel was heavily in doubt.

The Maroons stung the Blues from behind for a miraculous Game III win in his first series, kick-starting the greatest winning run since the State of Origin concept began in 1980.

Meninga has been credited with a major overhaul of the Maroons' approach to Origin, from his loyalty policy at the selection table to the influence and advice of past players during camp.

His employment of Neil Henry as his right-hand man and chief tactician has allowed him to share his responsibilities and focus on the bigger picture of overseeing a new generation of Maroons stars.

Lockyer says Meninga deserves most, if not all, of the credit for ushering in an era of unprecedented success and triumph for Queensland.

"He's brought his values and qualities that he had as a player at the Origin level, and the success he had, and instilled it into this group," he said.

"He's got to take a major rap for what we've done and I think he's been the real difference for the Queensland side in the last few years.

"It's just been a great environment that he's created for us all. The players, particularly the younger ones but even the older ones as well, have learnt a lot from Mal."

Lockyer, criticised for his defence heading in to Game II but who did not miss a single tackle, hailed the tenacity of his champion side.

"To win four series in a row, we've made history," he said.

"[We] obviously tried not to talk about it too much, [we] just wanted to focus on each game.

"At half-time we knew we had the lead, 'just defend our hearts out for 40 minutes boys, that's all we got to do'."

Meninga said his players deserved to take the credit for a gutsy performance under pressure.

"I can't speak highly enough of them," he said.

"We lost Greg (Inglis) early and we lost a few other guys during the course of the second half. These guys just believe in each other and just keep on hanging in and come up with the result that we need."


'Backs to the wall'

Queensland hooker Cameron Smith described the historic series win as one of the greatest moments of his career.

Smith scored the winning try at Sydney's Olympic stadium when he pounced on the loose ball after Ben Hannant's rattling goal-line tackle on Luke O'Donnell.

Smith says it will take a while for him to fully appreciate the enormity of the win.

"It's something that a lot of people said we couldn't do," he said.

"We've done it with our backs against the wall, against a very good side, on their home turf so it's a very sweet victory for us."

The Queensland players celebrated jubilantly with their supporters after another tough encounter, following their 28-18 win in Game I.

"We're proud of the the supporters we've got and we hope we made them proud tonight," Lockyer said.

Lockyer said he thought Ashley Harrison's disallowed try in the first half was similar to Ben Creagh's in the first game after a floated pass back by Jarryd Hayne.

"Tonight I thought we had a couple of rough calls against us, so we did well against the odds," Lockyer said.

"When you think about it, I can't see it being any different to Hayne's [pass to Creagh] try in the first game."