Queensland did a job on the Sharks big man in Sydney, limiting him to less than 30m with the ball after his Game I heroics which saw him run for 189m as he tore the Maroons to shreds.

Bennett said failing to contain Fifita would likely see the Blues claim just their second series victory in 12 years.

“If Fifita decides to play, Queensland can’t stop him,” he said.

“All they can do is limit his opportunities.

“Fifita beat himself in the second game. He read all the stories and heard the stuff in his head and he was ineffective, he did a job on himself. He believed all the hype after Game One.

“But he is like Arthur Beetson — you don’t stop the great players, you can only minimise what they do on a given day.

“And if Queensland do that well enough, they can win.”

Bennett labelled NSW a “10-point” better team after the Maroons debuted eight players throughout the series.

But the Broncos mentor, who orchestrated a 3-0 Queensland series win in 2001, said the northerners could do it if they played smart and limited the Blues middle who decimated Queensland during the opening  three halves of the series.

And after coming back from 16-6 down in Game II to snatch victory in the dying minutes, Bennett said a Maroons win tonight would go down as one of the greatest in Origin history.   

“If Queensland win this game, it will be up there with our best ever triumphs in my mind,” said Bennett, who orchestrated a 3-0 series rout of the Blues in 1988.

“Certainly, it will be right alongside what Paul Vautin did with a depleted Queensland team during the Super League war, which was simply incredible.

“It will be one of the great victories if they get up. I honestly believe this NSW side is a 10-point better team — but Queensland have more improvement in them.”