'We want to create history': Maroons eyeing clean sweep

Queensland players have vowed to heap further humiliation on their Blues opponents by completing the first Origin series clean sweep in 13 years in front of NSW fans at Accor Stadium on July 12.

After winning the opening two matches to retain the State of Origin Shield, the Maroons now have a chance to join the 1988, 1989, 1995 and 2010 Queensland teams which achieved 3-0 series triumphs.

The Blues have not completed a clean sweep since 2000, and only previously achieved the feat in 1986 and 1996.

In the wake of Wednesday night’s 32-6 victory at Suncorp Stadium, Maroons players spoke about their shot at history under coach Billy Slater.

“I've never been in a situation like this, to win the first two games,” Kangaroos centre Valentine Holmes told NRL.com.

“We have spoken about it and we want to create history with this team that we have made and that Billy and our coaching staff and selectors have created.

“It is a fantastic team, it is a strong team; strong minded and tenacious. I believe in this team that we can get the job done. I know people will call it a dead rubber but there is no such thing in Origin.

"It is going to be a pretty tough game, NSW will be up for and it is going to be a hostile crowd but as long as we are all fit and healthy, and have a good training week, I feel like we can get it done.”

Prop Tino Fa'asuamaleaui said the Maroons wanted to make the most of their rare chance to complete a 3-0 clean sweep.

“The job is not done, we’d like to do a clean sweep. That's why we want to play footy,” he said.

“We had a job to do in Game I and Game II, and fortunately we won, and we have got to make sure that we go for that clean sweep in Game III.

“It’s not going to be easy. They care so much, and they love their state just as much as we love our state so they are going to come out firing. I'm hoping I'm in camp and hopefully working hard towards that clean sweep.”

Blues players are equally determined to avoid a 3-0 whitewash and will be looking to salvage something from the series by winning at home in the final match.

“We certainly don’t want to be one of the teams on the back of a 3-0 loss, so we obviously need to be a lot better. It all comes down to Sydney,” vice-captain Isaah Yeo said.

Yeo and Panthers team-mate Liam Martin defended coach Brad Fittler and said the players needed to take responsibility for their performance at Suncorp Stadium.

“I feel for Freddy, I don’t know who would be a head coach,” Martin said.

“There’s so much pressure and I think the onus needs to be on the players sometimes. We didn’t play like we trained all week, and it is pretty upsetting.”

Yeo said Fittler and captain James Tedesco had been unfairly singled out for criticism after NSW’s defeats in Brisbane and Adelaide.

“In Game II the scapegoat is the coach, in Game I the scapegoat was the captain, and I feel as a group we have to be performing. If we win games that all goes away.”