Billy Slater sheds a tear as emotional scenes erupt after Maroons thump Blues to win State of Origin 2025
It came after it was revealed at the weekend that Cameron Munster's father, Steven, had suddenly passed away on Saturday night.
Munster had bravely insisted that he would lead the Maroons team out on Wednesday night and he did just that, subsequently receiving the plaudits from many including New South Wales captain Isaah Yeo.
'It's an incredibly brave effort, you did a brave job,' Yeo said to Muster following the match.
The pair shared a big embrace on the pitch at full-time with Munster also delivering his thanks to many of the Blues squad who sent their support to him at such a difficult time.
'I just want to say I really appreciate some of yous reaching out to me in the week,' Munster said after the match.
'It shows how good rugby league is. A testament to some of you as characters and I'm in awe of you guys.'
The Maroons skipper was also seen sharing a huge embrace with Queensland coach Billy Slater, who had lumped praise on the half-back this week, for his resilience.
Slater appeared to share a tear as he shared an emotional moment with the Melbourne Storm star.
'Cam's an inspiration to many people,' Slater had said on Tuesday.
'He's a hero to many in Queensland. I can imagine his dad was his first inspiration and hero.
'So, he'd be hurting right now, and that's why he needs us and his family.'
Munster, meanwhile, opened up on how the last few days have been for him, paying thanks to his team-mates, the NSW team and all those who have issued messages of support following the tragic news.
'It's a tough one,' he told Channel Nine.
'I think when someone loses someone, you forget about it sometimes, but then it brings back memories and obviously, I just want to say thank you to all the rugby league community.
'They've been outstanding. I've had so much support and text messages from not only obviously rugby league, but also the NSW team, so just shows what kind of character those guys are.
'Just forever grateful, and rugby league and that, I think family is more important than anything.
'And a lot of people showed that the last couple of days and really got behind me. So I want to say thank you to all those people.'
He later added: 'To my mum, sister and partner Bianca, thank you for getting behind me this week. And I know it's been a tough time but I guess at the end of the day that's life.
'I just want to say thank you to everyone that's gotten around me.'
In a state of chaos a month ago after losing game one, the Maroons were dominant at Accor Stadium on Wednesday night after also stunning NSW in Perth last month.
Halfback Tom Dearden was brilliant in both attack and defence in the biggest game of his life, scoring twice and having a hand in another.
Rookie centre Robert Toia was also among a cast of stars for the Maroons.
So disciplined were Queensland, the Maroons completed their first 30 sets and took a 20-0 halftime lead against a disappointing Blues.
Queensland's 1995 series whitewash with Paul Vautin's neville nobodies rightly holds top spot in famous backs-to-the-wall Maroons effort.
The 2020 victory with the so-called 'worst Queensland team in history' is a close second.
But the 2025 effort will also now rank alongside those.
Billy Slater's men looked shot after dropping the series opener, resulting in captain and halfback Daly Cherry-Evans being axed mid-series.
But in the weeks since they have become the first Maroons side to win back-to-back on the road after going 1-0 down at home.
'I wouldn't say we had the game in the bag,' Munster said.
'You know, guys like Nathan Cleary, Dylan Edwards, Jarome Luai with the ball in hand. Latrell Mitchell, Stephen Crichton. when they got the ball they can create anything, in those last five minutes I've seen them dominate grand finals, they've come back from big losses.
And yeah they did it in game two.'
'We made it work. You know the saying goes you work hard you get lucky.
'So it felt like our group worked really hard tonight. And yeah we've got those 5050s.'
Tino Fa'asuamaleaui was dominant up front early, while his veteran front-row partner Josh Papalii also held his own after being called out of Origin retirement.
Queensland's most unlikely bolter Gehamat Shibasaki laid on the Maroons' first try, after he brushed through a Zac Lomax tackle to put Xavier Coates over.
Then it was Toia's turn to have an impact, splitting the Blues defence in two when he flung an offload out the back as he was being pushed into touch.
That Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to burst into a gaping hole and put Dearden across in support play.
Dearden was again influential in the Maroons' next, poking his nose through before Harry Grant spun through four defenders out of dummy-half on the next play.
Toia and Dearden then produced the two biggest defensive moments of the second half, with try-savers on Angus Crichton and Brian To'o shortly after the break.
NSW eventually got on the board in the 54th minute through Stephen Crichton and Dearden and To'o traded tries late, but NSW attack was otherwise off as poor last-tackle options killed the hosts.
Nowhere was that more obvious than when Jarome Luai gave away a 20m tap with a kick that floated into the in-goal early, after a Blues attacking raid.
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