Kirra Dibb ran 40 metres to score one of the great individual tries in women's State of Origin history, but her journey back to the game's greatest stage was even longer.
Her first-half try in the Blues 20-14 victory was a glorious moment of pure footballing brilliance, with Dibb bursting into space via a left-foot step before winding up a shotgun of a left-foot step and breezing past Queensland fullback Tamika Upton to score.
"I've been taking it upon myself to run it a bit more. When you get one-on-one with Upton you kind of get scared, but I just wanted to get over for my team," Dibb said.
"We were building pressure so well. Our outside backs were working perfectly. I just wanted to do my best to get some extra metres and I was lucky that ended with [the] points."
The try will live on highlight reels for years to come, but it was only one part of a strong all-round effort from Dibb, who looked confident and composed in her first Origin appearance in three years as her kicking game and ability to take on the line came to the fore throughout New South Wales' hard-fought victory.
This return to glory was hard-earned for Dibb. She has spent time in the wilderness, so she knows what it's like to have a place at the game's highest level and what it's like to lose that place.
"Winning an Origin game is the greatest feeling ever. There's excitement, mixed with a little bit of relief because they didn't let us have it easy … watching the last seconds tick by, it was so good," Dibb said.
"The second you take this jersey off, the only thing you want to do is put it back on.
"Missing out for a couple of years was really hard but you just work behind the scenes for as long as you can to get back in that jersey."
Dibb has come a long way from her Origin debut three years ago, where she again played a prominent role in a Blues victory in what was supposed to be a star-making turn as she announced herself as one of the premier young playmakers in women's rugby league.
She has always been a rare talent, blessed with skill and athleticism and a howitzer of a right boot, as well as a bulletproof confidence in her ability to use those weapons. Swagger is an important weapon in any halves' arsenal, and Dibb has it spades.
But the road to the top can be rocky. Dibb missed Blues selection in 2020 and 2021 as part of a winding few years where she went through three NRLW clubs in three seasons.
Some strong efforts with North Sydney in the NSW Women's Premiership — plus some home truths from New South Wales coach Kylie Hilder — have put the 24-year-old back on the road to success.
With Dibb set to return to Newcastle for this year's second NRLW season, where the Knights will bringing in some top-tier talent around her, including fellow Origin players Upton, Millie Boyle and Hannah Southwell, we're odds-on to see the best of one of women's rugby league most dazzling and mercurial talents.
For her part, Dibb is hell bent on doing whatever it takes to make sure she never gives up the Blues five-eighth jersey again.
"It's been taken from me before, so I'll definitely not going to get complacent and think it's just mine now," Dibb said.
"I'm still going to work every day to make sure next year I give them no choice but to select me.
"Kylie has been pretty honest with me over the last couple of seasons, missing out, so it's really nice New South Wales gave me the opportunity to grow and when they felt like I was ready they put me back out there and I was able to get some points.
"I wouldn't say that I've changed anything in particular, but I've matured as a football player after a few more seasons of NRLW and I have an awareness of how to play for the players around me, to play to their strengths and speak to them about what they need so our whole team can get over the line."
