"It's the old saying...it's a game of inches. What do you say? They took their opportunities. We didn't."

That was how NSW captain Paul Gallen summarised the completion of yet another State of Origin series defeat on Wednesday night as the Blues left Suncorp Stadium once again pondering one within their grasp that got away.

Rather than a game of inches, it turned out to be a game of fingertips, in particular those of Michael Jennings.

The centre's unsuccessful grasp at the ball in the in-goal late in the second half cost debutant Tyson Frizell a double and a chance to pull off a come-from-behind victory. Minutes later Jenning was ruled to have knocked on again with a try in sight.

"We just didn't take our opportunities tonight," Gallen said. "We had a couple at the end there that we were an inch off. At this level that's what it takes. Unfortunately they took their opportunities when they came and we missed a couple at the end there which was the difference.

"The possession in the first half...we had 40 or 50 more tackles...it just zaps  your energy. And to their credit their halves controlled it, they kicked well. We finished strong but we blew a couple of tries at the end there which would have been the difference."

NSW front-rower Aaron Woods was more blunt when asked what it was like to watch Queensland players celebrate again.

"It's shithouse," Woods told Channel Nine. "It's probably the best way to put it. We just let them off the hook again tonight like game one.

"We're going to have to really rip in in game three so we don't get whitewashed now."

When five-eighth James Maloney raced nearly the length of the field to score with 14 minutes remaining, cutting the margin to four, NSW were right back in the hunt.

"I thought it could have changed something but not to be," Maloney said.

"We know we've got to play. You can't tuck it under your arm for five plays and try and beat a side like that, you've got to play. We created opportunities - a slight touch down there could have turned things.

"There's not much in either of these games but it doesn't help the result. It's how it seems to be. It's hard. We were right in it for most of these games - we do a few things a little bit better and we win. That's what it comes down to. We had them on the ropes at times - you could feel it - and then we'd let them off the hook."

Queensland captain Cameron Smith and the hosts had been intent on sending lock Corey Parker out a winner after he announced his impending retirement in the lead-up to the game.

"Obviously [Parker] was playing his last game at Suncorp in his Maroon jersey so it was really nice to send him out on a good note," Smith said.

"You don't really need a reason to turn up and play well because you're pulling on a Maroon jersey and it's a privilege to do so but we really wanted to make it a memorable night tonight. I saw the big smile on his face at full-time."

Maroons halfback Cooper Cronk admitted Queensland had deliberately focused their attack on NSW's right-side defence, a ploy that paid dividends near the close when winger Blake Ferguson was left stranded by a lovely sweep play from Jonathan Thurston and Darius Boyd that was finished off by Corey Oates.

"We just kept turning up - they got a few points that made it a bit tight but our attack clicked tonight and we put the foot on the throat when we got the opportunity," Cronk said.