The New South Wales Blues made seven changes for the third and final game of the 2023 State of Origin series, and it worked a treat for Brad Fittler's side as they managed to avoid becoming just the eighth team to be swept.
Only two clean sweeps have occurred since the turn of the century, with the Blues doing the job in 2000, and the Maroons in 2010.
Both sides have squandered opportunities to lift the shield after a win since then, before Queensland travelled to Sydney for Game 3 this year on the back of their Game 2 thrashing of New South Wales.
But it wasn't to be, with Fittler's seven changes before the dead rubber doing the trick.
The Blues dominated field position and possession of the football for much of the contest, and while they themselves weren't perfect, their attack flowed far better than it did in either the first or second game, with lots of that being down to Cameron Murray playing lock, and the inclusion of Cody Walker at five-eighth.
The Blues left-edge attack was dominant, and almost crossed for the first try in the opening minutes, only to be overruled by the bunker with Bradman Best ruled offside.
Despite continuing to control the action, a Stephen Crichton penalty minutes later would allow the Maroons to march back up the other end to score their sixth try of the series off a kick, with Cameron Munster chipping for Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, who tapped it back to the unstoppable David Fifita.
It was all the Blues from there though, with three tries scored in nine minutes. The first of those saw Brian To'o cross on the right-hand side, before Josh Addo-Carr scored one of the all-time Origin tries, making a break before chipping over AJ Brimson for himself.
The third of those tries was to Bradman Best off a Cody Walker short ball.
The Maroons would find a second try shortly before halftime through Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow with a magical effort on a chip of his own, but the lead remained eight points at halftime through a penalty goal.
The second half was far more tight, with neither team willing to give an inch, but the Maroons remained eight points behind, before a break from James Tedesco in the 64th minute put Bradman Best over for the match clinching try.
The Maroons would have some late opportunities, but couldn't capitalise, with the Blues sealing a win to avoid the whitewash.
Match summary
NSW Blues 24 (Tries: Brian To'o, Josh Addo-Carr, Bradman Best [2]; Conversions: Stephen Crichton 2/4; Penalty Goals: Stephen Crichton 2/2) defeat Queensland Maroons 10 (Tries: David Fifita, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow; Conversions: Valentine Holmes 1/2)
