Queensland set up a decider courtesy of a narrow 26-24 win in Perth on 18 June after New South Wales had won the first game 18-6 on 28 May.
Any ideas that the Blues would canter to victory in their own backyard in game three looked unlikely as Queensland swiftly took control in a sensational first half.
Origin debutant Gehamat Shibasaki beat New South Wales’ Zac Lomax in a battle to the line, before he offloaded to Coates who drove in at the corner.
Queensland’s second was even better with Robert Toia reacting quickly to keep the ball alive before he was hauled into touch, as the Maroons used their subsequent player advantage to send Dearden through.
Grant’s try came as he showed enormous power to beat three NSW defenders and went in at the post, stunning a vocal crowd in Sydney.
In the second half, Dearden put in a sensational try-saving tackle to deny To’o from racing in at the corner but NSW were on the board just minutes later when Crichton spotted a gap and raced through.
After Kurt Mann recovered the ball and won another set of six tackles less than a metre from the line, Queensland made sure of the win when they eventually fed the ball to Dearden who went in with ease for his second of the night, capping off an impressive performance.
To’o’s try, on the verge of full-time, was too little, too late for New South Wales, who rarely looked like challenging Queensland in the 80 minutes.
