PLAYER RATINGS: See who starred and who flopped as NSW smashed Queensland to even the series

After a tight first half punctuated by a controversial sin bin, the NSW Blues turned on the afterburners to blitz Queensland in the second 40 minutes, led by dynamite games from half Nathan Cleary and James Tedesco.  

It was a bleak night for the Maroons at Perth‘s Optus Stadium as they crumbled under the relentless NSW attack and displayed some uncharacteristically soft defence in the later stages.

Here’s how the players fared… 

Nathan Cleary is somewhere under this avalanche of celebrating Blues players after scoring one of his two tries during the NSW triumph

NSW

JAMES TEDESCO 8.5

BRIAN TO’O 7.5

MATT BURTON 8

STEPHEN CRICHTON 4 

DANIEL TUPOU 7.5

JAROME LUAI 6

NATHAN CLEARY 9

PAYNE HAAS 6.5

APISAI KOROISAU 5

JAKE TRBOJEVIC 8

CAMERON MURRAY 7 

LIAM MARTIN 6.5

ISAAH YEO 7.5

DAMIEN COOK 5 

ANGUS CRICHTON 7

JUNIOR PAULO 7.5

SIOSIFA TALAKAI 5

Stephen Crichton is ecstatic after his Penrith teammate Jarome Luai scored in the 58th minute

The look on Patrick Carrigan’s face says it all. He was one of Queensland’s best but the Maroons were never really in the hunt after halftime

QUEENSLAND

KALYN PONGA 5

Mixed bag. Laid on the pass for the first try, set up the second and stood up to the test of wicked high balls from Burton. Let the team down on the defensive end with some lazy swipes that led to tries.

SELWYN COBBO 1 

A horror night for the young talent with four crucial errors in the face of the rushing NSW defensive line and incredible kicking from Cleary and Burton.

VALENTINE HOLMES 4 

Gave away an escort in the lead-up to a crucial Blues try and didn’t come close to the form he showed in game 1. Limited time in possession meant he rarely got to launch an attacking raid but he tried all night.

DANE GAGAI 1

Missed eight tackles again and could be fighting to save his Origin career. Had a half-chance to score a try early but was escorted over the sideline by the NSW defence

MURRAY TAULAGI 2 

Tormented by towering bombs on debut and never really got a chance in attack with the Maroons on the back foot most of the night.

CAMERON MUNSTER 6 

His first two kicks were charged down but he was elusive and slippery again for most of the night. Saved a certain try in the second half with incredible skill. Toiled all night but was smothered in defence.

DALY CHERRY-EVANS 4

Never took the game by the scruff of the neck, nor was he given a chance to control it behind a smashed forward pack.

LINDSAY COLLINS 3

Forced from the field in the first half for an HIA but was able to return. Like most of the forwards, his numbers were not acceptable for a starting forward

BEN HUNT 3

Didn’t do a lot wrong, didn’t have the chance to do a lot right. Mopped up the early tackles before Harry Grant was injected and went to the bench having achieved nothing remarkable.

JOSH PAPALII 3 

The good news for fans of the big Queensland unit was he played eight minutes more than his game-one cameo. The bad news was he was bashed for most of those minutes by the Blues.

KURT CAPEWELL 3

Only 30 metres gained and missed four tackles. Totally outplayed by his opposite numbers. Like all the forwards, he just couldn’t match the energy of the NSW pack.

FELISE KAUFUSI 3

Scored the opening try but was sin-binned for repeated team indiscretions just before halftime. While the decision was questionable, his absence proved costly for the Maroons. Let Nathan Cleary run straight over him for a try.

TINO FA’ASUAMALEAUI 4

Led the forwards early but was mysteriously kept on the bench for far too long as the Blues ran riot. A learning experience for coach Billy Slater as well, big Tino should have been used more.

HARRY GRANT 3

Like most of the Queenslanders was on the back foot most of the night and had little chance to show what he can do in attack. Mopped up a ton of tackles but missed far too many as well.

JAI ARROW 2

There were questions over his selection and they will only get louder. Couldn’t even crack the 50-metre mark and missed three tackles.

PATRICK CARRIGAN 6 

Toiled hard off the bench and was the only Queensland forward to notch up over 100 running metres. Should be elevated to the starting side and was a shining light in a forward pack that got belted.

JEREMIAH NANAI 2 

Let Jerome Luai skip through his fingers resulting in the try that broke open the game. Not given many opportunities in attack after being injected during the second half.