![Hope renewed: Boyd Cordner's Blues are suddenly huge favourites to win the series.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170623160538im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/w/x/n/1/z/image.related.landscape.460x307.gwxc9y.png/1498228967043.jpg)
How NSW went from no-hopers to no-brainers
No Johnathan Thurston, no hope. That was certainly the case in game one when the Blues humiliated the Maroons in their own backyard to take a 1-0 series lead.
Michael Chammas is a sports reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald
No Johnathan Thurston, no hope. That was certainly the case in game one when the Blues humiliated the Maroons in their own backyard to take a 1-0 series lead.
Johnathan Thurston will be robbed of his State of Origin farewell with a shoulder injury set to rule the Maroons No.6 out of next month's decider and potentially the rest of the season.
NSW prop Andrew Fifita believes relocating from The Star to Kingscliff will provide the Blues with the ideal launching pad into the Origin decider.
The NSW Blues say they were left dumbfounded by some of the decisions made by the referees in Origin II, accusing the officials of treating the Maroons as "protected species".
NSW prop Andrew Fifita has revealed a verbal tirade from the Queenslanders after full-time will be stored in the memory bank as motivation as the Blues head to Suncorp Stadium for a decider.
Just when it looked like Mitchell Pearce would get his day in the sun, Johnathan Thurston does it again.
Wayne Pearce is reluctant to talk about his son. Always has been. He didn't want to do it before Origin I, and didn't want to do it in the aftermath of the comprehensive win at Suncorp Stadium three weeks ago.
Blues coach Laurie Daley has labelled this year's NSW team better than the 2014 drought breakers but insists "we've done nothing yet".
Bevan French saw the writing on the wall weeks ago. He knew his position at fullback for Parramatta was under threat when he watched Clint Gutherson fire from the back in his absence through injury.
The NSW Blues have implored the referees not to allow the contest to be dragged down by Queensland's wrestling tactics as they look to wrap up the series in Sydney on Wednesday night.
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