According to the statistics from Origin I, NSW were outperforming the Maroons in many key indicators – but all those numbers can be thrown to the curb without the factor of intent.

Yes, NSW were down to 12. But enough of that narrative, let’s delve into the genuine performance of the Blues, who did everything but show purpose with the ball – which rules over everything.

Queensland dominated in one significant attacking area – they broke through the line seven times in comparison to NSW’s’ sole bust.

While it can be argued this was due to Suaalii’s absence, let’s not skip Queensland’s best try of the fixture – Ben Hunt’s first four-pointer. It was in the fifth minute, in a game with 26 players on the field – that demonstrated the power of intent, deception, playing on a whim and direct running.

On the fourth tackle of the set, Cherry-Evans straightened up the attack and passed the pill onto Jeremiah Nanai, the big man on his right hip.

How does he straighten up the attack? Well, for a half taking the ball off his edge forward from a block play, it can be easy to flow with lateral motion and drift with path of the ball.

Yet, when you are as experienced as Cherry-Evans, playing each tackle with a sense of awareness is what earns you kudos.

Mitchell Moses swamped by Maroons in 2021. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)[/caption]

Mitchell Moses is a short-side specialist. While he is not always a model of consistency, Moses must be at his impulsive best next Wednesday.

Otherwise, statistics say the Blues were winning the dogfight – 653 to 592 post contact metres, 81% completion rate compared to Queensland’s 71%, two forced dropouts to none, 14 to six offloads.

The Maroons also made five more errors and made nearly 40 more tackles.

In the end, the head of the player holds just as much value as the heart. In Origin, all that is talked about is how the heart governs the intensity of action – which is far greater in the state arena than in clubland.

But without a little bit of curiosity and a dose of intent, heart only gets you so far. Instead of Spencer Leniu trying to explode through a line to make holes, NSW need a thinker to stand up and create gaps to go with our impact players.

Unfortunately for Nicho Hynes and NSW, having a man down stripped away all dynamic thought and experiment.

It was over before the Suaalii hit, the Maroons started dominating from the first whistle, not the seventh minute.