In what will go down as one of the most dramatic comeback victories in State of Origin history, NSW’s Blues stole a 22-20 opening round win over Queensland’s Maroons at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Wednesday, capping a stunning second-half turnaround with a last-minute match-winning try from NSW captain James Tedesco that left the rain-soaked home crowd in delirium.
Just 20 minutes into the match, the result looked all but decided. The Maroons charged out of the gate to build an insurmountable-looking 20-0 lead, with Blues fans and pundits already voicing fierce criticism of the team’s selection choices and coaching staff. Calls for head coach Laurie Daley’s dismissal were growing louder, critics questioned star halfback Nathan Cleary’s suitability for the Origin arena, and many argued rookie Dylan Edwards should have been selected ahead of Tedesco in the starting side. Even the Blues’ early play supported the skepticism: forward Mitch Barnes knocked a cold drop on the opening set, while established stars Stephen Crichton and Brian To’o posted three uncharacteristic errors apiece, leaving NSW facing what looked like a humiliating home defeat.
Queensland’s first-half dominance was led by rookie halfback Sam Walker, who stepped into the starting side seamlessly after reigning Wally Lewis Medal winner Tom Dearden withdrew through injury. Walker delivered a masterclass in the opening 40 minutes, setting up the Maroons’ opening try for Robert Toia with a deft grubber kick, then throwing the final pass for Tom Flegler’s emotional try on his return to Origin, following a sharp dummy-half run from hooker Harry Grant. By the 20th minute, Cameron Munster had set up Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow for Queensland’s fourth try, putting the visitors firmly in control of the series opener.
That all changed in the 57th minute, when Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga was sent off for a high shoulder charge on Blues winger Tolu Koula, reducing Queensland to 12 men for the final 23 minutes of play. The red card completely flipped the momentum of the match, allowing the Blues’ halves pairing of Cleary and last-minute call-up Ethan Strange to seize control of the field.
Strange’s Origin debut will go down in folklore: the Canberra Raiders star was only promoted to the starting five-eighth role 24 hours before kickoff, after regular starter Mitch Moses pulled out with a hamstring injury. From the moment play restarted after Ponga’s send-off, Strange was unstoppable: he forced Queensland’s first error of the night with a bone-rattling tackle on Cameron Munster, had an earlier try disallowed for obstruction, then backed up a break from Stephen Crichton to cross for the Blues’ first try of the night, kickstarting the comeback. Cleary followed with a try of his own and nailed a crucial 40/20 kick, mirroring the clutch play he delivered to lift Penrith to the 2023 NRL Grand Final title. The pair dragged the Blues back into contention, cutting Queensland’s lead to just two points with 10 minutes left on the clock.
The Blues wasted multiple chances to take the lead in the final stages, including a glaring overlap that ended with a dropped pass from Haumole Olakau’atu after a slightly off-target throw from Tedesco. But with just 60 seconds left on the clock, Cleary launched a towering bomb toward the Queensland try line, and Tedesco – recalled to the starting side for his first Origin appearance in two years – soared above the Maroons’ defensive line to claim the ball one-handed, juggling it before securing the hold and grounding it for the match-winning try.
The stunning result mirrors the come-from-behind wins the Maroons have built their decades-long Origin legacy on, delivering the Blues one of the unlikeliest victories in the history of the interstate rivalry. For Queensland, the loss means they must now win game two in Melbourne to level the series, and force a decider at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on July 8 to keep their hopes of an Origin crown alive.