Blues Dominate Origin Decider, but Controversial Try Sparks Debate

Jai Arrow is the only Queenslander to touch the State of Origin trophy as the Blues dominate the decider, but a NSW great questions a pivotal try.

AS IT HAPPENED: Blues win stunning Origin decider at Lang Park

ANALYSIS: Blues write a new fate in blood

BUNKER BLUNDER: NRL admits error in crucial Blues try

Here are your quick hits from the State of Origin decider.

1. Busted bunker

The Telstra outage wreaked havoc all across Australia, so the State of Origin decider was never going to escape unscathed.

Word came through just before kick-off that the bunker in Sydney wasn't getting any bars.

The NRL insisted it had "contingencies" in place and we soon learned those consisted of pulling referees' boss Jared Maxwell out of retirement and sticking him in a van with Gerard Sutton in the bowels of Lang Park.

Just like the good old days.

Let's hope the video referee isn't called on for any major decisive calls.

2. Arrow presents the shield

The first standing ovation on a night when Queenslanders didn't have much to cheer about came before the game started.

Recently married former Maroon Jai Arrow, sporting the cane toad hat that he has become synonymous with, was the first man to spark a reaction from the Lang Park crowd when they spied him in the tunnel holding the shield.

As he walked out and placed it on the display plinth, just about everyone left their seats to applaud the brave warrior in his continuing fight against MND.

It turned out to be the last time a Queenslander laid hands on the trophy.

3. Cleary breaks clear

Nathan Cleary's State of Origin record and performances have come under scrutiny.

For the consensus best player in the game, questions were raised about whether he'd truly "dominated" or "owned" Origin.

With two tries and a perfect 5/5 goals, the Blues halfback added 18 points all on his own, a record in a decider, and that took him past Michael O'Connor for the most by a New South Welshman in Origin.

It's been 35 years since O'Connor's career ended. And all those years later, it took an undeniable all-time great to surpass him.

Club and state teammate Liam Martin said he "silenced the critics" with his player-of-the-series performance.

4. Walker's off, Walsh's on

After New South Wales lost fullback James Tedesco to a concussion, the Maroons suffered a knock of their own when Sam Walker was blindsided by a teammate.

Unlike in Game II, when Cameron Munster left for an HIA in the first half and Billy Slater resisted the temptation to inject Reece Walsh, this time he reached for the livewire.

Already trailing 18-4, Queensland needed the sort of boost and miraculous comeback Walsh has become famous for.

So eager to see Walsh make an impact was Slater that even when Walker passed his assessment, he hooked Kalyn Ponga and left Walsh at fullback.

Walsh had his moments in attack, but couldn't pull off another miracle and at one point Slater pushed all his chips in, with Ponga, Walsh, Walker, Harry Grant and Cameron Munster all on the field at the same time.

It was as frantic as you'd expect.

5. Were Queensland 'ripped off'?

As Bradman Best streaked away for another famous moment in a State of Origin decider, just about every Queenslander's head dropped.

But, after the celebrations with Blatchy's Blues came some complaints from Maroons captain Cameron Munster, gesturing furiously back at the other end of the field where the play started in an aerial contest between Jack Bostock and Jojo Fifita.

Sure enough, replays hinted there may have been a touch from the NSW winger, and 17-Origin veteran Luke Lewis even took his blue cap off to call it out.

"I'm NSW and I think that comes off his hands," he said on ABC Sport through gritted teeth.

"You can see his fingers my move. I think Queensland was ripped off."

Regardless, the replays shown on TV were inconclusive and Nine broadcasters insisted there were clearer shots seen by the bunker in a van down by the river.