MARK ‘SPUDD’ CARROLL: Mitch Moses and Payne Haas just as passionate about State of Origin as Billy Slater

The Blues have a chance on Wednesday night to destroy a bunch of Maroons myths that have been forced down our throats for more than four decades.

That Queensland has more passion.

That Queensland “gets” State of Origin.

That Queensland players grow an extra leg/grow 10-feet tall/become bullet-proof, when they pull on the Maroons jersey.

Blah, blah, blah.

Like all past players I’m sick of hearing it and I’m sure it’s the same for the current Blues team.

If Michael Maguire’s men can triumph in the series decider at Suncorp Stadium – packed full of screeching Queenslanders – all those cliched storylines suddenly become irrelevant.

This NSW team was staring a third straight series defeat in the face when they went to Melbourne for Game II.

They didn’t just win – they smashed the Maroons 38-18.

If ever a team has shown true Origin spirit and pride in the jersey, it was the Blues at the MCG.

Do you reckon Liam Martin, Angus Crichton or Mitch Moses were lacking passion? How about Payne Haas or Stephen Crichton?

Now it’s Queensland under pressure.

How will they respond?

I’d never seen the whites of Billy Slater’s eyes until halftime at the MCG. Down 34-0, it was a scoreline he’d never experienced in all his time at the Storm, Maroons and Kangaroos.

He was still rattled at fulltime when he came out with his “We’re still Queenslanders” comment.

What does that even mean? I’ve been calling him The Riddler ever since.

When he dropped a player earlier in the series Slater also said “he took it like a true Queenslander”.

What? The Riddler is doing my head in.

This is a chance for the Blues to bury all that dribble.

I know Queensland will improve, especially in front of their fans. They have dominated deciders on their home patch. They’ve won 10 from 13, which includes one draw in 1999 (I played in that one).

But there’s nothing stopping this Blues team from becoming just the third NSW team to win a series-decider in Brisbane and the first since 2005.

Last time I checked, Suncorp Stadium is just another footy field.

They need to ignore all the hoodoo stats and the garbage about Origin being all about Queensland.

I’m genuinely excited by our chances and reckon we will win by 13 or more points.

Our bench will be the difference. Mitchell Barnett and Spencer Leniu give us a massive edge.

Barnett runs so hard and in defence he just loves hurting people. He puts his head where you wouldn’t put your feet. At 30 years of age, he deserves his debut.

We’ve already seen the impact of Leniu in the first two games.

I can also guarantee these two won’t be over-awed by the occasion. The more they get booed by the crowd, the more it will fire them up.

I reckon they’ll thrive in the hostile atmosphere.

I was pleased to see coach Maguire must be an avid reader of my column in The Nightly. He agreed with my idea of reviving an old tradition and taking the Blues team bus down infamous Caxton Street on the way to the game.

Surprise, surprise, the fun police knocked it on the head.

It’s a shame these guys won’t experience that feeling we had back in the earlier years of Origin. I’ll never forget the look on the face of the bloke that threw a full can of XXXX at my window.

He just looked at me and smiled.

That bloke will never know it, but he did me a favour.

It was the perfect preparation for the big game.

AND DON’T GET ME STARTED

How the hell did they come up with a suspension for Sharks fullback Will Kennedy for accidentally running into the referee?

For those that didn’t see it, Kennedy was racing upfield in support of a teammate when referee Adam Gee appeared out of nowhere.

Kennedy collided with the ref, who went down then bounced straight back up. No damage done. Gee didn’t even seem to complain.

But for that, the Match Review Committee handed Kennedy a suspension of up to two games (one with the early guilty plea he took).

What was he supposed to do – hurdle the guy? The referee hit the handbrake as he was running and Kennedy smashed into him.

I understand that referees need to be protected, but this wasn’t a deliberate act.

No player goes out on the field to knock over the referee… although I’m sure it might cross your mind when the ref gives the opposition a crucial extra tackle in, say, the 1995 grand final against the Bulldogs (I promise I’m over it!).

It’s a crazy decision and it could even derail Cronulla’s hopes of a top four finish.