Defeated Maroons vow to rally to deny Blues clean sweep

However, soon after getting in front, they made an error that was instantly pounced on by the hungry Blues, with Jess Sergis surging to score what proved to be the match-winner in the end.

“I think it would be really crucial for this group,” Upton said of winning Game Three at the Gold Coast's Cbus Super Stadium. 

“Obviously, it's been two tight matches which we haven't been able to seal and to be honest, that's my job as a leader, so I'll wear that.

“Speaking about the young girls that we have, they're honestly incredible and none of them should have their head down in that room over there, because they're outstanding on this stage.

“To be some of the first games of the year and come out and do what they did against a pretty established side … it's on us as leaders to wear the final result, but I just want those young girls in our team to have all the confidence in the world.”

For coach Nathan Cross, it was a game of “moments, millimetres” that didn’t fall the team’s way.

“That's Origin footy, we had our chances and we just couldn't quite get it done,” Cross said.

“Errors killed us tonight.

“I think we were 16 errors, 57 percent completion; you just can't win games of footy like that.

“But again, we were millimetres off actually snatching it late … but we just made it too hard on ourselves for most of the night and to be fair, most of the series so far.

“That to me, that's been the most disappointing part.”

Like last year, the Maroons enter the final game of the series playing for pride. Cross was also finding positives in the performances of his relatively young and inexperienced side, with the likes of four gamer Rory Owen and series debutant Chantay Kiria-Ratu impressing, despite their young age.

“I think as a coach, I think I've shown that with my time at the Dragons and now in Origin that I'm not afraid of people's ages,” Cross said.

“I'm prepared to back young players if I feel like they're the best people to wear the jersey and I firmly believe that the teams that we've been picking – they've earned it.

“I'll continue to do that, and I know I've got the support of Meeks [Tamika Upton] and Loz [Lauren Brown] around that.

“I'm really proud of how the young girls have come along.

“Look, the series is done now, but they'll be so much better for the experience this year and that's what we'll be looking to take out of it.”

In order to prevent New Souths Wales from securing the first series clean sweep by winning two games in Queensland since 1996, Cross had a simple plan of attack.

“Holding the ball would be good …,” Cross said.

“(But) all jokes aside, if we can give ourselves a chance and hold the footy and show the glimpses the second part of that first half … I think everyone can see there's a real good footy team there.

“We just got to stop beating ourselves.

“Full credit to New South Wales, but I sit here and I don't feel we got blown away by a heaps better footy team, I feel like that was a real game, that was a real series, I think we've shown that.

“But for us to take that next step … we have got to stop beating ourselves and that'll be our focus going into Game Three.”

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