“Learn from the past, but don’t dwell on it.”
It’s the simple mantra NSW will take into State of Origin II at ANZ Stadium on June 24, as they go in search of just their second series win in 13 years.
The Blues’ new era kick-started like a dream on Wednesday night. None of the rookies cracked under pressure while the more experienced players stood up when it mattered most in the 22-12 win.
But false dawns have occurred before.
NSW led both the 2013 and 2017 series with a game to play at home and still lost them both.
“You can’t ensure anything,” captain Boyd Cordner said.
“There are two games to go. Although it’s very pleasing to win this game there are some lessons to take out of last year.
“There’s going to be a bit more hunger, playing at home and knowing we’re one win away. But everyone knows how hard Origin is. If you’re off by five per cent you’ll get beat.”
There is, however, a difference with this Blues side and ones of years gone by.
They don’t carry the same mental scars.
Eleven of them entered Wednesday’s match as rookies never beaten by Queensland and their record – albeit one game in – still remains.
And it showed in everything they did at the MCG in front of more than 87,000 fans.
The Blues looked the better side for the majority but trailed 12-8 early in the second half, setting up a comeback scenario that Queensland savour -like most recently in Game II last year in Sydney.
“We don’t want to speak about last year too much,” fullback James Tedesco told AAP.
“We came into this game not thinking about the past, we just knew it was a new era and guys coming in. That brought out the best of everyone.
“In that last 5-10 you think Queensland will come back and it will be a last-minute win. But these guys didn’t have that mentality.”
Tedesco was easily the Blues’ best, scoring NSW’s first and breaking the line another time to set up a match-sealing Josh Addo-Carr try.
James Maloney was also resilient, bouncing back from an intercept pass that gifted Valentine Holmes’ Queensland’s first points to have a hand in each of the Blues tries.
Fellow hardened players Boyd Cordner and David Klemmer were among the Blues’ best forwards, while rookies Tom Trbojevic, Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr each bagged tries in a back line that busted through a combined 34 tackles and missed just five.
“They were fantastic,” Fittler said.
“They’re the future of our game and they nailed their first big opportunity. Very excited for them.”