Man of the moment Mitch Moses is known for his game smarts but the NSW halfback used his wits off the field to prepare for the Origin showdown at the MCG.
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The NSW halfback, called into the line-up after their game-one shocker, marshalled the Blues to a commanding 38-18 win over Queensland on Wednesday to level the series and was named player of the match among a crowded field.
Former Blues halfback great Andrew Johns said it was the best match Moses, who replaced Nicho Hynes for game two, had played at any level.
Ex-NSW coach Phil Gould, who oversaw a 14-0 victory by the Blues in the first Origin match ever played at the MCG back in 1994, said Moses had "come of age".
"Absolutely stellar," Gould said of Moses in commentary.
"He's come of age on the representative scene tonight."
The Parramatta star set up four tries while he ran the Maroons defence ragged, kicking for 431 metres, after taking advice from GWS swingman Harry Himmelberg.
The Blues' third try, scored by Zac Lomax, looked right at home on the famed AFL ground with the NSW winger taking a screamer from a Moses kick into the in-goal.
"I was just asking him what it's like to kick at the 'G," the 29-year-old said of Himmelberg.
"It was a pretty good insight and it was a fair bit of help.
"But I probably didn't kick too well in the second half and I've got to be better there."
Moses felt it was a theme across the team after the Blues took their foot off the throat of the Queenslanders after they stormed to a recoed 34-0 halftime lead.
"In the second half, probably let the emotions get the better of us and we've got to be better," said Moses, who missed two months of the NRL season with a foot injury.
"We were doing some dumb things in the second half and it hurt us and we can't be doing that in big situations - we needed to calm down a bit.
"We're putting ourselves under the pump but we'll learn from that and go into game three."
Moses was delighted to wear the MVP medal but said the bigger prize was a series win at Suncorp Stadium next month.
"I wouldn't have been able to do the stuff I did without the platform that our forwards and our back five laid as they were unbelievable for us," he said.
"Playing game three in Brisbane is a big challenge and it's something that we're looking forward to."
Australian Associated Press
