NSW pay for poor start on strange night for Cleary

Star halfback Nathan Cleary's contrasting halves reflected NSW's fortunes in their Origin II loss. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

NSW will rue an ill-disciplined first half that ultimately cost them the chance to wrap up the State of Origin series in Perth.

The Blues went within a whisker of staging the biggest comeback win in Origin history but lost 26-24 after giving away eight penalties in the first half and trailing 26-6.