Queensland have enjoyed nights like that in the past, where every pass seemed to find its mark and every tackle stuck like glue. In game one, they were on the opposite end as the stars aligned for NSW in a near-perfect 80 minutes of football.
Maroons captain Cameron Smith believes that has set the benchmark for this year's series and that's the level to which Queensland must rise if they are to send the series to a decider at Suncorp Stadium.
![On a mission: Maroons captain Cameron Smith.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170801215121im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/w/q/h/9/j/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gwqfjm.png/1497349009721.jpg)
Smith said there was no thought of treating the NSW game one performance as a one-off and believes Blues coach Laurie Daley will be selling the same message as he musters his players into camp.
A number of Blues players had career-best nights in Brisbane and Smith said the Maroons were expecting nothing less at ANZ Stadium next Wednesday.
"Absolutely. And I think that will be their conversation as well. I think Laurie will speak to them and say 'that was the best game we've played for quite a number of years but that's our standard now. You can't drop under that'," Smith said.
"A lot of their players probably played the best games of their career ... But everyone else backed that up as well. That's where we need to be better.
"Every bloke that goes out there next Wednesday needs to be better."
The Maroons have already watching a painful series of replays, many focusing on poor defensive plays and reads under a sustained pounding from a dominant NSW pack.
But Smith said the confidence had already rebounded as the Maroons gathered in camp, while game one served as a rude awakening for a group that should have been ready for the onslaught.
"I wouldn't say that. I wouldn't say the confidence took a beating. It was more of a wake-up call of what's required at this level. You can't expect things to happen at this level. You need to make them happen.
"As far as confidence goes, I haven't lost any confidence in our side to go down to Sydney and play well. I think we've got every chance of winning, to be honest. But we know it's a very difficult thing to go down there and win. But we've done it before."
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