Who else but Johnathan Thurston?

The veteran playmaker marked a triumphant return for Queensland by kicking a sideline conversion in the dying minutes to seal a come from behind 18-16 State of Origin game two win in Sydney on Wednesday night.

The stage is now set for Queensland to send Maroons warrior Thurston out of Origin a winner in the July 12 decider at Suncorp Stadium.

But the jury is out on Thurston’s fitness again after he appeared to have aggravated a shoulder injury, nursing it for the match’s final 50 minutes.

NSW looked in sight of just their second series win since 2005 when they led 16-6 at halftime in front of a 82,259-strong crowd.

But as is frequently the case, the Maroons weren’t to be denied, matching NSW’s three tries – including a double by Queensland winger Dane Gagai – to send the series into a decider.

The Blues had hoped to launch their own golden era with a series win on Wednesday night.

Instead the ageing Queensland side somehow remain on track for their 11th Origin triumph in 12 years.

“It’s one of those real Queensland efforts,” Maroons fullback Billy Slater said.

“I thought they were extraordinary.

“It’s a great feeling being back in this arena – I’m looking forward to Brisbane now.

“We were pretty composed at halftime. We knew if we started well, held the ball, we’d get our opportunity.

“We knew if we’d get down there, we’d get the ball across the chalk.”

It marked a fitting return for Maroons playmaker Thurston from a shoulder injury and fullback Slater after he was controversially overlooked for Queensland’s record 28-4 game one loss in Brisbane.

The once mighty Maroons were at an Origin crossroads after undergoing their biggest team shake-up in 15 years ahead of game two, making seven changes and naming four debutants.

Now they are on track to send off some of their biggest warriors as winners in game three at Suncorp Stadium.

Thurston will bow out of Origin after game three while the Maroons future of the likes of Slater, skipper Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk remains up in the air.

NSW scored two tries in three minutes to lead 16-6 at halftime.

Queensland drew first blood through debutant winger Valentine Holmes in the ninth minute but from there it was one way traffic in the first half.

Centre Jarryd Hayne scored in the 14th minute, marking four pointer No.11 for NSW – equalling Michael O’Connor as NSW’s leading Origin try scorer.

The one-two punch of tries to winger Brett Morris (24th) and halfback Mitchell Pearce (27th) ensured NSW had all the momentum.

However, Queensland winger Dane Gagai scored twice (53rd, 77th) before Thurston again broke Blues hearts by kicking the sideline conversion to give the visitors a 18-16 lead.

“We were a bit guilty of putting our cue in the rack and trying to defend it,” NSW’s Josh Dugan said.

“We did and it was probably our downfall in the end.

“In the second half we tried to go around them too much and just try and defend our lead.”

Queensland are sweating on centre Will Chambers after he suffered concussion in the 71st minute.