For NSW, it was a win everywhere but the scoreboard.
In almost every facet and major statistic, the Blues were all over Queensland on Wednesday night in State of Origin II at ANZ Stadium.
Yet, still, this champion Maroons team found a way when they had no right to.
NSW's forwards were once again the more-dominant pack - running for 1486 metres to 1317.
Queensland made more errors - eight to seven - and had to come up with more tackles - 312 to 278. They also missed 10 more tackles.
Coming into the game, so much of the focus was trained on Andrew Fifita and Queensland's need to quell his influence after his game-turning performance in game one.
However, with the Maroons holding the Cronulla prop well, it was the rest of the Blues' pack who stood up.
Josh Jackson turned in a tradesman-like performance, the type which might not have caught the eye but his teammates would have marvelled at. He was a deserved man of the match.
Tyson Frizell targeted Johnathan Thurston all night and was the reason why the champion playmaker spent much of the game with his arm dangling by his side after his injured right shoulder was given a thorough working over.
Wade Graham gave the Blues an added dimension - twice, they ran it on the last and he grubbered it and pinned the Maroons down their end.
David Klemmer was just immense, running for 163 metres and making 14 tackles.
Queensland's pack spent the bulk of the game on the back foot. Their starting forwards of Jarrod Wallace and Dylan Napa made 22 metres and 21 metres respectively from two runs each in the first half.
Napa did finish the game with 116 metres from 14 runs.
The Queenslanders also failed to play to the conditions - on four occasions, they flirted with the sidelines and were bundled out.
Their kicking game - which has traditionally been faultless - was conspicuously off.
Thurston on several occasions took the wrong option - kicking too early or too short or out on the full.
However, the Maroons still managed to pull it out of the fire. Their fabled never-say-die attitude came to the fore as Michael Morgan produced a magical flick pass to send Dane Gagai over in the 77th minute and the series to a decider in three weeks.
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