Shortly after the final siren of a polished 38-18 New South Wales win, Blues coach Michael Maguire stepped onto the colossal MCG before making a direct path for Latrell Mitchell.

Mitchell, the bustling centre who is no small individual, was still on the field of play with his two eldest children, gazing out to the top of the stands, taking in the magical moment before Maguire looked to be handing out personal thanks to the Biripi, Wiradjuri, Worimi and Gumbaynggirr man.

The pair hugged while exchanging words, pulled away and went their separate ways before Maguire stopped, turned back, spoke some more and hugged one more time, but for longer.

Maybe the coach was expressing his gratitude for salvaging the series considering Mitchell has never been in a losing State of Origin campaign.

Though Maguire denied there was special care out there for Mitchell after the haters again ridiculed the South Sydney fullback earlier this year amid the Rabbitohs' poor start to the season.

But the powerful First Nations figure turn Blues centre was in a different space, carrying no heavy burden in his return to the State of Origin arena on Wednesday night.

"Latrell came in and just played his part for the team, which was great," Maguire simply said in a succinct response during the press conference.

There was still boos to the tops of those very stands, even in Melbourne, once cameras zoomed onto Mitchell across the big screens.

But the shoulders used to carting the weight of expectations for Souths entirely dropped in a sublime team effort where his Blues piled on 34 unanswered points to half-time.

Maguire insisted Mitchell has cogs to go to another level in Origin after critics questioned whether he was capable of performing under all the hype and pressure.

"When you got the calibre of players around someone like a Latrell, it just allows him to do what he needs to do," he said.

"Rather than signalling out just the one player, we know that Latrell is a great player – we all know that.

"Where he is, right at this moment, and how he is playing his footy has been great to see.

"When everyone else plays their part, it allows someone like a Latrell to shine and to do the things that we admire what he does."

Mitchell crossed for the Blues' fifth try in the 32nd minute and also had a distinct hand in two others for his backs.

Those calculated moves in attack ensured how Maguire really did not have a care in the world over Mitchell.

He was also placed on report, with Maguire - the former coach of the Rabbitohs prior to Mitchell's move from the Roosters - aware of the possibility he may have to answer the judiciary this week.

But Mitchell's actions did not raise too many questions for a nonplussed Maguire.

"I can't actually remember that one," Maguire said.

"I might have to go back and take a look at it.

"But I don't think there was too much in that.

"It's an Origin game."

Maguire was right.

Mitchell avoided suspension that could have rubbed him out for the series decider back in Brisbane next month.

Maguire might have been unsure whether referee Ashley Klein cited Mitchell for rag-dolling Maroons fullback Reece Walsh or whether it was a first-half high shot on Murray Taulagi.

But the judiciary could have given the offence a medium-grade charge putting his spot back in jeopardy, the report was quickly overturned after the game.

Walsh, on the other hand for the second game in a row, had no impact for different reasons.

While the Murri and Maori man was knocked out earlier this month that cost Joseph Sua'ali'i a ban following game one in Sydney in a chaotic opening, Walsh was unable to insert himself back into the action 21 nights later.

Maguire said New South Wales didn't put any more time and effort into the game plan ahead of MCG battle to prevent Walsh from having an impact than any other Queenslander.

"Well, we work on every single player, not just him," he said.

"The kicking game and the way we played in the first half just isolates (Walsh) a fair bit.

"It takes away the qualities of what he has and that's what we were trying to do."

While Walsh struggled with his kicking, worse still he was caught out of position at the back on multiple times that cost tries.

Once from a dribbling kick from Mitchell Moses that found a tearaway Brian To'o on the end in the corner.

The other Mitchell – again – in another case put on the afterburners to creep over the line before Walsh was able to lay a hand, let alone make a tackle.

Maroons coach Bill Slater came to the defence of the expectations of Walsh coming back into the Queensland lineup and performing unaffected.

"It's a hard game to play – it's even harder when you're tired," Slater said.

"I think it was nearly 70-30 possession in that first half and the scoreline reflected that.

"For any individual that's going to be hard, so that's where he was at."

Walsh has struggled for confidence for the Brisbane Broncos since returning to the field and multiple times on the night he was spotted with his hands on his head and standing wide-eyed in utter bewilderment.

Slater had revealed in the press conference that game-one star Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow fought courageously through the defeat to continue after sustaining a serious injury in the 24th-minute mark.

"I think he's picked up an AC injury," he said.

"So it was a pretty tough effort for him to get back out there.

"He obviously wasn't 100 per cent, but he knew the team needed him."