The 23-year-old fullback came into camp for game three with a chip on his shoulder about the way Queensland's culture had been bashed after two brutal losses while he was unable to play through injury.

And in his fourth game on the Origin stage he delivered for the Maroons in a 20-18 win on the Gold Coast on Wednesday night which prevented an embarrassing NSW whitewash of a series played entirely on Queensland soil.

"I've watched everything unfold over the last two games and for me I wanted to come in and bring a lot of excitement and belief and get these boys excited about the footy that we can play, and we did that," Ponga said.

"There were moments there where I did get a little bit excited, but it's Origin footy. If you don't get excited for those moments you're not really invested in it."

It was a refreshingly passionate performance from the typically cool young star.

A lethal combination of pride and x-factor was exactly what the Maroons needed and he knew it.

"I knew I was coming into a camp off the back of two losses, and I personally wanted to get my job done and that's important, but I'm just trying to be excited about the game," he said.

"It was a big game, a lot of pride on the line and we just wanted to celebrate.

"There's been a lot of talk about a lot of things to do with Queensland over the last five weeks or over this series and for myself and the boys and Queensland I think it gives us all belief."

Maroons five-eighth Cameron Munster produced his best game of the series but acknowledged it was not against the Blues' best team.

Halves Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai were both ruled out of game three and, if fit, are sure to be there again for the Blues in next year's series opener.

And that will be the real test.

"They're good players, they play together at Penrith and they're one of the form teams in the competition," Munster said.

"If you want to be the best you've got to play against the best and unfortunately tonight we didn't play against them two,.

"I'm sure I'll have a fair few run ins with them in the next couple of years."

Australian Associated Press