The devastating backline may have hogged the headlines after NSW's historic win over Queensland in the State of Origin opener but coach Brad Fittler had plenty of praise for his middle forwards on Wednesday night.
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The 50-6 victory at Townsville was the biggest the Blues have ever scored in Origin and it was highlighted by a Tom Trbojevic hat-trick and doubles for his centre partner Latrell Mitchell and debutant winger Brian To'o.
There was eye-catching performances in the forwards as well, with Isaah Yeo producing one of the plays of the game late on in the contest.
The result was already a certainty when the St John's junior, who played the entire 80 minutes, produced a determined effort to haul down Maroons centre Dane Gagai just inches from the tryline when he seemed destined to score.
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It was the kind of wholehearted effort Yeo has been producing regularly for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL while his ball skills were also on show in the middle of the field during Wednesday's win.
"Obviously we broke down their middle a lot because their middle had to contain Teddy (James Tedesco), all our forwards plus Tommy and Latrell," Fittler said after the win.
"They were all coming through. They did a really good job. Brian To'o, first game, seriously. He was outstanding."
In what was his third Origin match and first time starting for the Blues, Yeo finished the match with 30 tackles to his name while he made 84m with the ball, 26 of those coming post-contact.
The dominant win gives the Blues all the momentum heading into game two of the series at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on June 27 but Fittler wasn't getting carried away at all on Wednesday night.
"We haven't won at Suncorp for three years now," he said.
"That's the challenge. (Game one) is over now so the challenge is Suncorp. We haven't won there so that's the goal ahead of us.
"I'm quite aware winning a game by 50 here in the first game doesn't mean anything.
"We've had a convincing win every year. We're well aware that nothing's been achieved as yet."
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