Munster monsters Blues to keep the shield north

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Queensland v New South Wales

An impressive performance in the halves from debutant Cameron Munster alongside a hat-trick from Valentine Holmes has sent the shield to Queensland for the 11th time in 12 seasons on a 22-6 scoreline in front of a sold out Suncorp Stadium.

Queensland scored twice in each half to blow away a downtrodden Blues 22-6 side to retain the shield for the eleventh time in twelve seasons in Jonathan Thurston's final series as a Maroon.

It was a vintage performance from Queensland. From the opening minute they were on top of the Blues, the spirit from the final quarter of game two, has helped them ambush the Blues here. 

Valentine Holmes playing his first game in Queensland had a night to remember, a hat-trick including a marvellous grab for his third outlined that the Maroons were just that step above all night and the 12-nil half-time score flattered the Blues. 

To be honest, Queensland should've been out of sight but for some pushed passes the Blues still remained in the contest. A gutsy grab from Josh Dugan just after the break helped to reduce the deficit to six but that was the closest the Blues looked all night. 

Despite being his debut, Cameron Munster looked like an old hand as he terrorised the Blues defense with his running game and laid on the cherry on top when his miracle pass fell into the lap of Jarrod Wallace for a rare origin four-pointer. 

Much of the talk throughout the series has been about the players that Queensland had been missing but the spine of the team which mirrored the Storm one propelled them across the line. Cameron of the Smith variety busted the Blues up through the middle several times.

Slater also looked his spritely self as he laid on the opener for Holmes then was safe under the high ball all night. He also linked well down the right with his Melbourne team-mates as a makeshift Blues backline had no answers.

Turning to New South Wales, it is an all too familiar feeling, losing an origin series. The last 20 minutes of game two will be nightmare fodder as they wonder what could've been despite naming an unchanged side for all three games.