Queensland had no shortage of heroes in its MCG massacre that flipped the State of Origin series on its head.
Sam Walker won man of the match, Selwyn Cobbo probably should have and Cameron Munster was typically superb when his state needed him most but they were all bound together by Max Plath.
The 24-year old is the latest in a series of Maroon cult heroes who make the team better, end up filling a few different gaps and seem like they just get Origin.
Think Rueben Cotter and Lindsay Collins, or Dallas Johnson if you’re a little bit older.
Think Adam Mogg in 2006, or close to half of Paul Vautin’s 1995 miracle workers.
They are the Queensland spirit made flesh, they put their heads where most wouldn’t put their feet and they grin through busted lips when the job is done.
Queensland runs on the heroes they find in the spaces between the stars and after two games Plath has proven himself capable of filling those gaps in classic Maroons style.
“I play every game like it’s my last, I’m very passionate but mostly I just love rugby league,” Plath said.
“If that translates to how Billy [Slater] wants to play then I’m lucky. It’s great to play with great players.”
In just his second Origin match, Plath produced an effort plenty of those great players would have been proud to call their own.
He was not just everywhere you looked in Melbourne, he was doing a little bit of everything.
In 57 minutes straight off the bench he ran for 115 metres, led the Queensland forwards in post-contact metres, made 28 tackles, played a hand in two tries and covered at five-eighth when Munster went for an HIA.
No matter what he does or where he plays, a team is just better for having Plath on it.
Before he came on, the Blues led 12-2. In the Plath minutes, Queensland won 42-12.
“We knew coming into half-time that if we stayed to the process and applied pressure that eventually we’d score points,” Plath said.
“It shows our system works and we feel like when we’re rolling they can’t go with us.
“My best position, I feel like, is the middle. I like digging around tired defenders.
“But I grew up as a half. It’s a work in progress understanding what the boys want and the style we play. I’ll do more work on it next camp.
“But it’s all about competing at the end of the day. I’m just glad Billy has that trust in me.”
After Wednesday night it won’t just be Slater who has that trust in Plath.
Maroons greats and fans alike can recognise his value because they have seen this so many times before.
It’s a new spin on an old story, one Queensland never grows tired of telling.
“If you look at the team Billy has built and if you look at Queensland teams through the history of State of Origin, it’s all about hard-working players who aren’t just out there playing their role, they always want to help their teammate,” said Queensland legend Cameron Smith.
“That’s exactly what Max Plath does. He’s in the thick of the action on both sides of the footy, he’s always around the football.
“He was involved in two scoring plays, he threw the last pass to Trent Loiero and in the second half he followed a high kick, got the ball from Rob Toia and fed it to Cam Munster for the kick to Selwyn.
“He’s always in a position to make something happen.”
Plath can cap his first Origin series by fulfilling the Queensland dream of winning a decider at Lang Park.
It’s been four years since the Maroons have done so and Plath was there the last time it happened.
He was still a year away from making his NRL debut and went along as a fan and he screamed like all the other maniacs as Ben Hunt raced away to secure a series in one of the best Origin matches ever played.
It was one of the best nights of Plath’s life and he wants so badly to live it again.
Not for himself, you understand. Players like Plath succeed because they are selfless.
He just wants to be able to give it to somebody else, to help them feel what he feels when he thinks about his state, his ground and his colours.
He wants to make them proud to be a Queenslander, because he damn sure is.
“Origin has been just as hard as I thought it would be. We were in a bit of a bubble down here in Melbourne. I feel like Game III is gonna be different,” Plath said.
“The feeling, the emotion, I love Lang Park so much. I think back to Dozer’s charge down try, I was in that corner when he scored.
“I just want to replicate that feeling for someone else, as long as they’re a Queensland supporter.”
