Blues back-rower Angus Crichton has continued his stunning season by taking home the Wally Lewis Medal as the player of the Origin series.
Crichton has enjoyed a remarkable 2024 with the Roosters and carried that form into the Origin arena, helping the Blues to a 2-1 triumph after they were humbled in Game One in Sydney.
The edge back-rower averaged 160 running metres across the three matches and was a constant threat to the Maroons on the left edge.
"I'd like to say thanks to all the coaches for believing in us and giving us the chance to come up here and do something special," Crichton said.
"That's what we were chasing and that's what we knew we were capable of as well, this group is something special and I'm just so happy.
Maroons v Blues – Game 3, 2024
"We came up here and had a plan to make our own history and we worked so bloody hard. We knew that physically we were on top and we backed our fitness, that long, grinding footy and that's Origin."
"Thank you to my partner Chloe and to my teammates, boys it's coming home!"
Blues coach Michael Maguire was full of praise for the 28-year-old, describing his value to the team as 'enormous'.
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"Just goes to show in life that you can face a bit of adversity but he's a great example of a player that went back [to NSW Cup] and rebuilt where he was at and it's a real credit to him," Maguire said.
"I've had a bit to do with Gussy over the years from where he came through as a young player so I've known him quite well, he's one player who is getting better and better."
Crichton becomes the first Blues player to claim the Wally Lewis Medal since Tom Trbojevic in 2021.