There was one regret for captain Cameron Smith after Queensland sealed a 10th State of Origin series win in 11 years – not being able to lift the trophy.

The Maroons claimed a 26-16 game two win at a sold out Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.

But Smith will have to wait until Origin III to raise the trophy, ensuring he will mark the occasion in front of what is expected to be a largely empty ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

Smith admitted he would have preferred to have celebrated their series win at a packed home crowd on Wednesday night and hoped the NRL could bend their rules in future.

“Maybe it is something for the NRL to look at…(to be allowed to raise the trophy at home) if you have wrapped it up in two games,” he said.

“It would be nice to do, I will be honest.

“But it hasn’t happened in the past and I wasn’t gong to ask for that.

“Only two years ago NSW wrapped it up in two and they didn’t get to lift it in Sydney – they had to do it up here.

“But I am happy to lift it anywhere as long as it is in our hands.”

Smith said celebrating the series win at Suncorp Stadium would have been a fitting way to salute their fans.

“We spoke about it yesterday, we’ve got so much support from everyone in Queensland,” he said.

“We visit regional areas and people drive four or five hours to come and see us – that’s how much this team means to them.

“That’s who we are playing for.”

Maroons coach Kevin Walters claimed a series win after just two games at the helm but was more happy for their fans.

“It was important that the Queenslanders left with a big smile on their face and their chest out (on Wednesday night),” he said.

“All the kids going to school tomorrow, it will be a special day for them because their team won.”

Not that Walters didn’t savour his Origin experience.

“I was lucky enough to be 13 sitting on the outer at the first Origin game in 1980,” said Walters, who played 20 Origins for Queensland.

“That moment stayed with me.

“From that day I knew I wanted to be a part of it somehow.”