Maroons salvage pride to deny NSW whitewash

Post-match: After a huge showing in the series - in particular Game Two - Blues lock Olivia Kernick is crowned the Nellie Doherty Medal winner as player of the series. 

Queensland prop Jessika Elliston was named the player of Game Three. 

Proving how tough an arena State of Origin can be, both sides had a number of players sidelined during the game, with Queenslanders Destiny Brill (suspected rib injury), Shenae Ciesiolka (suspected knee injury) and Tavarna Papalii (HIA)  and Blues Kennedy Cherrington (knee) and Sala Togatuki (HIA) unable to finish the match. 

Securing a whitewash is notoriously difficult to do and it proved to be the case for the Blues who had been so dominant in the opening games. Spurred on by pride, the Maroons were able to summon a rousing effort to out-enthuse the Blues despite a hectic end to the second half as the Blues chased a winner.

Post-match press conferences

Blues

Maroons

Full-time: It was all happening at the end, with Lenarduzzi sent to the sin bin with only seconds remaining and giving the Blues one last crack to score - but they were denied, losing the ball on the deck for Ali Brigginshaw to pick it up and run it away from danger. The Maroons hold on to deny the Blues a whitewash with their 18-14 win. 

After coming into the starting side, Lenarduzzi was massive for the Maroons in helping them get onto the front foot early in the half, while winger Julia Robinson, who has been Queensland's most consistent performer all series, was again immense, with her running battle with equally powerful winger Jaime Chapman one of the game's highlights. 

65th min: Lenarduzzi is over for the Maroons to put them back in front. The powerful prop got her opportunity to start and made an impact in the first half, coming back in the second to again lift her side. Brown converts and it's 18-14 to the visitors. 

64th min: Queensland are coming hard against the Blues and force a knock on in their attacking 10 metres, but the Blues challenge. However, they are unsuccessful and the Maroons get an attacking scrum. 

63rd: A head clash sees Sala Togatuki and Tavarna Papalii both off the field for HIA assessments. 

54th min: After a few unlucky moments with her handling earlier in the game, Romy Teitzel gets an important try after chasing through on an Aiken kick. Brown adds the extras and its game on with the Maroons trailing 14-12. 

49th min: Fresh on the field, Jocelyn Kelleher goes over next to the posts through some tired Queensland defence off a dummy half rum. The play before, Olivia Kernick was held up by the Maroons defence, but they could not hold out any longer. Southwell makes the kick and it's 14-6 to the Blues. 

Injury update: Destiny Brill has come from the field clutching at her ribs. The was in distress earlier after being on the receiving end of a big tackle from Ellie Johnston.

47th min: The second half is being played at the same high intensity of the first with some big defence on show. Both sides are also being pressured into errors and despite a few breaks downfield, the defence has held true for now. 

Injury update: Bad new for both sides with Shenae Ciesiolka and Kenny Cherrington both both not returning for the second half with knee issues. Neither officially ruled out as yet, but unlikely to come back on.

Halftime: The entertaining half of the series so far with Queensland fired up to salvage some pride and the Blues determined to make history. The Maroons were on top early, before the Blues wrested back the momentum as the half wore on. Plenty of feeling in this one too, with a few flare ups across the field - a good old fashioned Origin grudge match. 

31st min: The Blues hit the front after an unfortunate error from Romy Teitzel in her own 10 as the attempted to dive on a ball, but loses it forward, giving possession to NSW. In the next plays, the ball gets into the hands of Southwell who unleashes a fantastic looping ball out to her far winger Fressard who goes in to score. The conversion is unsuccessful and the Blues lead 8-6.

22nd min: However, they don't have to wait long and Sergis is over on the other side of the field and makes no mistake. Jesse Southwell can't convert the try and Maroons remain in front 6-4. 

21st min: A huge error from Isabelle Kelly who fails to ground the ball as the Blues thought they were finally on the board after some excellent lead-up play. While her arm touched the ground, the ball never did so the score remains 6-0. 

17th min: Ali Brigginshaw is on the field, coming on as lock for Chelsea Lenarduzzi and is quickly called into action, producing a successful captain's challenge with the Bunker ruling Weale always had 'a squeeze of the ball' and didn't lose it. 

10th min: The Maroons are denied a quick second try with a remarkable try-saving tackle from Blues fullback Abbi Church. Emily Bass is first to a bouncing Brown kick, but as she tries to get to the tryline to get the ball down, she is wrapped up by Church who spins the ball away from the in-goal. 

8th min: Queensland finally get their first try after barging into the line for repeated sets, with Makenzie Weale opening the scoring for her side. The Maroons just kept running one out as NSW tried to defend their tryline before yielding. Lauren Brown coverts for an early 6-0 lead. 

6th min: The Maroons are denied a try with the Bunker ruling Sienna Lofipo's left fingertips touched the deadball line just before the ball touches down. Queensland thought they had the early advantage after Tarryn Aiken put in a deft kick for her forwards to chase. 

3rd min: Julia Robinson saves the day for the Maroons, just forcing Jaime Chapman out over the right sideline as she attempted to get the ball down for the opening try. Robinson has been on a mission early, coming up with a massive hit on Jessica Sergis that left her winded, but the star centre soon shook it off and continued to play. 

Kick off: A poor start for the Maroons, giving up a penalty from the kick-off. 

Pre-game update: With the changes to the team line up to start the game, five-eighth Tarryn Aiken will take on the captaincy duties.

Late Mail

Blues: No late changes for the Blues as they attempt to claim a clean sweep. For the third time this series, coach John Strange has named an unchanged 17 to take on the Maroons, with Game Two player of the match Olivia Kernick starting at lock. Olivia Higgins remains as the 18th player. 

Maroons: In a late changes on game day, coach Tahnee Norris has moved Chelsea Lenarduzzi into the starting 13 position with Ali Brigginshaw moving to a bench. Rory Owen has also been ruled out, bringing Emily Bass up from the reserves to the starting line-up. Jada Ferguson is the 18th player. Earlier, injuries forced multiple changes for the Maroons, with star fullback Tamika Upton out after she was unable to finish Origin II with a hip complaint. Hayley Maddick comes in for her debut. Lock Keilee Joseph is also out for medical reasons. Skipper Ali Brigginshaw was named to wear 13, with Lauren Brown moving from hooker to halfback. Destiny Brill returns to the starting lineup as dummy half. Sharks half Georgia Hannaway will also make her Origin debut and will come off the bench.

Pre-game preparations

Before the game, Maroons assist coach Dave Elliott outlined what his team needed to do to cause an upset:

At the Blues captain's run, coach John Strange spoke about his team's preparations:

Tonight's curtain raiser game is between RISE Group 3 V RISE Hunter. Watch the livestream below: