New South Wales has reclaimed the State of Origin shield after defeating Queensland 30-12 in the series decider at Suncorp Stadium last night.

Superstar halfback Nathan Cleary delivered a match-winning performance, scoring two tries, kicking four conversions and adding a long-range penalty goal to lead the Blues to victory in front of a crowd of 52,452 in Brisbane.

The Blues raced to an 18-0 lead inside the opening 30 minutes, with Cleary crossing twice before Cameron Murray added another try. Queensland finally responded through Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow just before halftime to cut the deficit.

The Maroons showed plenty of fight after the break, with Selwyn Cobbo and Jojo Fifita scoring tries to keep the contest alive. However, Bradman Best’s length-of-the-field effort proved a crucial turning point as New South Wales maintained control.

Cleary’s outstanding display helped NSW overcome pre-series criticism and seal their 18th State of Origin series victory, while also securing a second series win at Queensland’s Suncorp Stadium in the past three years.

“We were written off. We came together as a group and rallied around each other,” Cleary said after the match.

Queensland hooker Harry Grant conceded the Blues were the better side on the night.

“We didn’t help ourselves and execute, but credit to New South Wales who played a really good game,” Grant said.

The match also saw a setback for NSW captain James Tedesco, who failed a head injury assessment after a heavy collision before halftime and did not return to the field.

The victory caps a remarkable series for New South Wales, who bounced back from Queensland’s Game Two success in Melbourne to claim the best-of-three series 2-1.