# Cleary excels as New South Wales wins State of Origin series decider

Nathan Cleary delivered a standout performance to lead New South Wales to victory in the decisive third match of the State of Origin series. The win secured the series for NSW against Queensland, a major achievement in Australian rugby league.

**Importance:** 2/5

## Sources

### Sports
- [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/ckg060y68k0o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:31:41 GMT
- [The Guardian Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2026/jul/08/nathan-cleary-masterclass-shows-critics-who-really-owns-state-of-origin) — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:35:04 GMT