Three plays that cost NSW Origin according to Matty Johns Mitchell Pearce has unquestionable courage but his ability to dominate at Origin level has fallen just short according to some. NSW Coach Laurie Daley with Mitchell Pearce. IT was a 10-minute period in the second half which cost us the match and the series and has typified the main difference between the two teams for too many series now. It's the 51st minute, Queensland clinging to an 8-4 lead, they have come out of the shed looking tired and vulnerable through the centre field after the Blues inflicted a relentless middle third assault on the Maroons for the previous 30 minutes. Last tackle. The Blues are a metre out and James Maloney calls for the football. The play needed here is to dribble the ball into the in-goal, a repeat set will heap further misery and pressure on the Queenslanders. Maloney rejects the simple and obvious and instead, goes for the all or nothing play, a cut out pass to Michael Jennings, who's under pressure and knocks on. Queensland let off the hook. James Maloney goes head-to-head with Johnathan Thurston. The Maroons however still struggle for yardage, leg weary, still displaying vulnerability and as a result moments later, the Blues find themselves in a similar scenario. Last tackle, 10m out, Mitchell Pearce has the ball in his hands, the Queenslanders are sitting on their heels, trying to buy time, their defensive line in pieces. Again a ball in the in-goal is like gold, you can feel this champion Maroons defence is about to crack. Pearce tries a little bit of everything - he runs at a hole, considers a pass and then finally, when finding he had run himself into a dead-end, he tries for the kick - he fluffs it. Queensland take possession. This time Queensland find some energy in their legs, start to get some dominance in their yardage and a set or two later find themselves in an attacking position. It's last tackle, the 60th minute and Cooper Cronk is in the identical position that Maloney and Pearce have been unable to take advantage of. Cronk calls for the football, he does the simple, the obvious, better than anyone. He shapes to grubber the ball into the in-goal and at the last moment notices a Blues defender has rushed him from the outside, in. So instead he passes short to Justin Hodges who strolls over to give the Maroons an eight-point lead which NSW can't peg back. State of Origin III - the match: Justin Hodges about to score what turned out to be Queensland's winning try in the 61st minute. Composure and coming up with the right play at the right moment from the playmakers has once again proven the difference between NSW and this record breaking Queensland side, which now is not only considered the greatest State of Origin team of all time, but one of the greatest teams rugby league has ever seen - fullstop. Laurie Daley came up with a strong game plan and should be commended for his tactics in Origin III. The Blues began the game appearing to play too sideways, when suddenly tactics changed, with NSW blasting through the Queensland middle, with inside balls, footwork and short passing in and around the ruck. In attacking positions the tactic of running plays at the defensive combination of Johnathan Thurston and Greg Inglis was a terrific one. NSW came up with a try and were unlucky not to score another couple, with Thurston and Inglis coming in under pressure. In the second half, Laurie switched the attacking pressure towards Hodges and although they couldn't accrue points, they broke the line consistently and came so close to gaining the lead. So close ... the story of the past how many series? Effort great. Game plan great. Execution poor. A lot of the blame has been levelled at Pearce, but that's the life of a halfback, heroes in victory, maligned in defeat. It's a position where effort is not enough and that was Pearce's greatest contribution to the team - his effort. His execution however fell well short and he will be the first to acknowledge that. Who were the Blues' best in 2013? Josh Dugan and Andrew Fifita. Dugan might have missed our lone victory but he was sensational, and if he can keep his life and career on the rails, he should be in the Blues team for a long time to come. Fifita was the series' biggest surprise. He is the most improved player in the country and was our most damaging runner throughout the series. Big things to come for Fifita. The Player of the Series was without doubt, Cameron Smith. I've stated many times I consider him the best big game player of all time. He has won eight out of 10 Origin series, the two losses when he was a rookie. He now stands, at least the equal of Wally Lewis as far as influence on State of Origin football goes.