One where they were on top for all but 25 minutes of Game I, when they were cruelly reduced to 12 men by Ponga's send-off.One where the Blues chopped and changed courses and horses from game to game and minute to minute.One where the fancy-free but somehow rock-solid Queenslanders exorcised the demons of the 2024 decider, when Michael Maguire's Blues pulled off a remarkably similar feat with a stunning Lang Park win.Instead, after that initial 10-minute burst, it took just one or two moments of ill-discipline to flip the fates of both teams.As Mitchell Moses's booming boot repeatedly sent Selwyn Cobbo flying back to his own 10-metre line, forcing the hero of Game II to charge back into three or four defenders built like brick walls, it pinned the Maroons back in their half.The Blues' "on paper" team finally showed up on the pitch, and Nathan Cleary's back-to-back tries, followed by Cameron Murray's sneak attack, left Queensland playing catch-up.If any team could do it, this would be it At the end of the day, you couldn't really predict what was going to happen.Perhaps the most telling nadir came in the 57th minute when the Maroons were trailing by 10 and desperately pressing the NSW line.A hasty dummy-half pass appeared destined for Munster, who had replaced Walker at first receiver during his 15-minute absence, but Walsh seemingly intercepted it.Such is his skill, he manufactured a pretty well-weighted kick across for Jojo Fifita, but the worm turned immediately as Bradman Best swooped and went the length for the decisive try.Slater and the Maroons have proven their method can work, but when you consider the double-edged footy philosophy being employed, maybe three series wins and two losses should be expected.