Cleary Silences Doubters with Origin Performance for the Ages • The Western Weekender
- On Wednesday, July 8, 2026, New South Wales defeated Queensland 30-12 at Suncorp Stadium to claim the State of Origin series, with halfback Nathan Cleary starring in the decisive third game.
- Entering the decider, New South Wales coach Laurie Daley faced heavy scrutiny following an unconvincing Game 1 victory and Queensland's overwhelming 44-24 Game 2 win.
- Cleary helped the Blues establish an 18-0 lead with two first-half tries, while centre Bradman Best raced 95 metres to score before a sell-out crowd of 52,452 fans.
- Queensland hooker Harry Grant admitted the side 'saved some of our worst for last' as the Blues weathered backline injuries to veteran fullback James Tedesco and debutant Jack Bostock.
- Cleary secured the Wally Lewis Medal as the series' best player, marking New South Wales' 18th State of Origin triumph and cementing his legacy among the game's greats.
24 Articles
24 Articles
Cleary silences doubters with Origin performance for the ages • The Western Weekender
Nathan Cleary has forever put to bed questions over his ability at the top level, producing a standout performance in the State of Origin decider to guide New South Wales to an unlikely series victory. They say you should never doubt a champion. And Cleary left his critics red-faced with a man-of-the-match performance in which he surpassed the all-time Blues point-scoring record, eclipsing Michael O’Connor. Mary Fowler and Nathan Cleary post-gam…
Nathan Cleary stars as New South Wales seal State of Origin decider
Nathan Cleary starred as he won his first ever State of Origin decider at the fourth attempt with New South Wales winning 30-12 to secure the series victory. Cleary, widely regarded as the sport’s best player, has often been criticised about his lack of clutch moments in the State of Origin sphere but he silenced […] The post Nathan Cleary stars as New South Wales seal State of Origin decider appeared first on Serious About Rugby League.
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