Every sinew in Cooper Cronk's body came together in one perfect whole once again.
The man who sank the hopes of a state with a long-range field goal to deny NSW a series victory in 2012 has done it again, this time sinking the boot into NSW in the opening game of the series to take an 11-10 victory at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night.
The streak may be dead but there is still plenty of life left in Queensland, who restored regular order in the opening game of the series in enemy territory.
NSW paid the price for failing to capitalise on a golden opportunity to kick a field goal of their own in the set prior to Cronk's match-winner, inviting the Maroons to a 1-0 series lead after providing them with a seven-tackle set to kick their field goal.
Even with an opportunity to snare a late equaliser, the Blues squandered the chance by throwing the pivotal pass to the wrong player, forcing Josh Dugan to take aim with sharp-shooter Trent Hodkinson waiting empty-handed next to him.
The biggest question coming into the series opener was whether there was still some fight left in the old dog.
But after 80 minutes, in which Queensland walked away with a one-point victory, the question hanging over the series heading to Melbourne is whether there's any bite in the Blues' young pups.
For eight years time stood still in NSW.
Defeat had become second nature and there seemed no way out of what felt like an eternity of misery for those south of the border.
But the oldest team in Origin history showed off their championship credentials to come away from NSW's backyard with the ascendancy in this series heading to the Melbourne Cricket Ground in three weeks' time.
In front of a crowd of 80,122, NSW cost themselves a chance of victory after a sloppy start to the second half.
Last year it was the girl in yellow that kept Mitchell Pearce from the men in Maroon - banished to the Origin wilderness as his Bulldogs counterparts achieved the seemingly impossible without him at the helm.
Three wins from 12 appearances didn't make for good reading, but Laurie Daley showed the faith and changed a winning formula to get the Roosters general into the team.
Those closest to Pearce said he'd changed.
That he'd turned over a new leaf.
He'd matured.
They believed this was his time.
However question marks will again be answered of the Roosters premiership-winner ahead of game two in Melbourne.
The last time Hodkinson walked out on to ANZ Stadium in a sky blue jersey he left the toast of the state.
But the same ground he etched his name into Origin folklore on hasn't been so kind to him in 2015, struggling for most of the season in Canterbury colours.
His woes continued on Wednesday night, once again struggling to make the impact he would have hoped.
In the corresponding game last year it was a performance for the ages from Jarryd Hayne that inspired NSW to victory on enemy territory.
On that night Josh Dugan was watching from his lounge room, but Hayne's shock exit from the game pushed the Dragons fullback on to centre stage.
The blinding lights of the Origin arena were firmly fixed on the ink-covered No.1, who in the first half looked like delivering on his promise to fill the shoes of the NFL-convert setting up a try for Josh Morris.
But it wasn't to be for NSW, with the boot of Cooper Cronk proving the difference between the two teams.
Can the Blues win Origin II in Melbourne?
