NSW halfback Nathan Cleary bounced back from an average outing in Origin I to lead Penrith to a 42-6 victory over Newcastle in a dominant individual display on Sunday.
Cleary, who shouldered much of the blame for Blues' loss in the series opener on Wednesday, was immense for the Panthers at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Backing up from a self-confessed "reality-check" of a performance only four days earlier, the halfback was at his best back in a black jersey.
In the opening 40 minutes alone, he scored a try, kicked a 40-20 that led to another and steered the Panthers to a commanding 26-0 lead.
His showing would have no doubt pleased Blues coach Brad Fittler and former Queensland star Cooper Cronk said Cleary had laid a platform to strike back in Origin II in Perth on June 26.
"Nathan Cleary will want to star. He will to put NSW in a position to win that game and take it to a decider in Queensland," Cronk said in commentary for Fox Sports.
Less than five minutes in on Sunday, Cleary combined with his Blues and Panthers halves partner, Jerome Luai, to score the opening try.
At first receiver, Cleary chose to go back to the short side and put Luai in a hole who then found the halfback on his inside.
Newcastle lost their marquee player Kalyn Ponga about eight minutes later after Viliame Kikau bulldozed the Knights fullback out of the way to score Penrith's second try.
In a complete mismatch, Ponga bravely put his body in front of the 116kg Fijian forward and copped a brutal hit, going airborne as the back-rower barged over.
The Queensland custodian was attended to by a trainer but left the field straight away for a head-injury assessment and did not return.
Later in the half, Clearly made a catch that will likely go unheralded when Newcastle threatened for the first time, defusing a cross-field kick to keep the Knights at bay. A few minutes later he booted a monster 40-20 and the Panthers immediately capitalised when winger Taylan May finished off a left-side sweep in the corner.
It allowed Penrith to go 18-0 up inside 30 minutes.
Cleary was part of a break that led to his side's fourth try, Brian To'o icing the exciting stretch of play with a diving, one-handed put down next to the corner-post.
Cleary continued to test Newcastle's backs with high floating kicks after the break and had a hand in centre Stephen Crichton's 63rd minute try, one of three Penirth scored in the second half.
Newcastle were never really in the contest but made some late surges. Edrick Lee scored in the 73rd minute.
The home side was holding an 80 per cent competition rate late in the second half, but had barely been in attacking field position.
They were completely overpowered by the visitors.
Forty missed tackles and 11 errors didn't help Newcastle's cause.
The loss was Newcastle's ninth in 11 games and fifth straight at home.
Prop Jacob Saifiti said ahead of the game Newcastle needed to show their fans "we're still in this and there's a reason to come and watch", but some late defensive efforts on their try-line might be all Knights supporters walked away impressed by.
