The Queensland Maroons have taken a 1-0 series lead away from home, holding on for a 16-10 win over the Blues in Origin I in Sydney.
Maroons five-eighth Cameron Munster put on another masterful display for his state as the underdog Queensland side won a rapid, gritty affair.
With game two in Perth and a potential decider in Brisbane coming up, the win on enemy soil is a massive step for the Maroons towards winning the shield they have only held aloft once since 2017.
Back in front of their home fans for the first time since the second game two years ago, the Blues drew first blood with a slick move out to the left for Jack Wighton to power through some retreating defence.
On the other side, the Maroons lost left winger Xavier Coates to a nasty ankle injury, after he got it trapped under former Broncos teammate Kotoni Staggs on a trademark charge.
The reshuffled Maroons instead went right for their first try, with a Kalyn Ponga bounce pass sending debutant Selwyn Cobbo down the wing, and he grubbered back in-field for Dane Gagai to score his 12th Origin try.
Valentine Holmes's conversion allowed Queensland to take a 6-4 lead into half-time, but only after Junior Paulo had a try taken off him for an obstruction with a minute left in the half.
With the all-important first try after half-time up for grabs, Munster made a typically elusive jinking run through the middle, with Daniel Tupou knocking down a Ponga pass to stop more points. But from the back of the ensuing scrum, captain Daly Cherry-Evans skipped over untouched under the posts.
When Ponga put Holmes over with a brilliant cut-out pass soon after, the Maroons had 25 minutes to defend a 12-point lead.
The tiring Blues finally got a look at the attacking end of the field thanks to a rare penalty, and made it count, with Jarome Luai sending Cameron Murray over in the 72nd minute.
But the Maroons held on for the final minutes, with Felise Kaufusi and Ponga making the vital final tackle of the game to stop Isaah Yeo under the posts in the final seconds.
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By Simon Smale
Queensland wins a nail biter
Well, I thoroughly enjoyed that match.
It was gripping from start to finish, with enough errors to prove that the players were human, and then a handful of magical moments to make you think they (read Cameron Munster and Valentine Holmes) are not.
More than anything though, it was so, so fast.
And, it sets things up really nicely for the matches to come, starting in Perth on Sunday, June 26.
Can the Blues hit back? Or will Queensland wrap up the series out in the west?
We'll have plenty of content for you in the coming hours, with analysis from Jon Healy and Nick Campton, as well as all the rest of the fall out from the match, so make sure you check back to the ABC Sport page tomorrow morning.
However, for tonight, that's all we've got for you.
So from me Simon Smale, Kyle Pollard, Jon Healy and Nick Campton in Sydney, good night.
By Simon Smale
Call it complacency or whatever you like, the lesson the Blues were taught in 2020 is yet to sink in
Here's Nick Campton's analysis.
New South Wales have always struggled with favouritism, and while they should have learned their lesson two years ago, the message is yet to sink in, writes Nick Campton.
By Simon Smale
'I was so proud of this group': Billy Slater
Here's some more from Queensland coach, Billy Slater.
"I did not know how I would be [coaching] and I was closer to Craig Bellamy than I thought I would be.
"It was, I don't know, the word that comes to mind is pride.
"I was so proud of this group. I did not think I would feel so connected to these young men this quickly and the way that they played tonight.
"Yes, footy was important and the way that we played, but it was the Queensland spirit and the diving on loose balls and those little moments, that is what wins you the games."
Slater singles out Reuben Cotter for praise.
"The fact that we lost two guys we did not anticipate, Xavier Coates and Jeremiah Nanai and we had to fill the spots with the two interchanges out of the plan and we had to leave guys out there that should not have been left out there," he says.
"Reuben Cotter played 80 minutes, 51 tackles, in his first Origin in Sydney. What a performance.
"I did a press conference and the one asked me. Reuben Cotter is just that sort of player. It is those moments that makes me proud of this group.
"Lindsay Collins was fantastic and he's a big guy but he's got great habits in the game and Patrick Carrigan, we knew when he was on the field and he changed the momentum of the set and it was probably the best set in the first half on the back of his carries and he made a statement with the defence.
"What a debut it was for him."
By Simon Smale
Fittler bemoans Queensland tackling
Here's Blues coach Brad Fittler.
"We thought they did a pretty good job in the ruck and we were a bit generous," he says.
"It was only when we got behind that we started to play some good footy and get towards the line and we looked dangerous."
On Queensland's tackling: "I think they made it pretty tricky. I commend them for the job that they did. That is about it."
Are we to take from that he's far from happy with some of the wrestling in the tackle? I mean, there were two teams out there Brad, but OK.
"We will have to change tack a little bit and get a lot more done.
"It shows that when you are winning in the ruck, the rest of the game gets easier and we will have to do a lot better."
By Simon Smale
Time for an ice bath
Great call Simon! Those fingers might need an ice bath after that super fast game.
-Eh?
By Simon Smale
The five moments that stole the spotlight as Queensland claimed Origin I
Missed all the action and can't be bothered to scroll down?
Well, if you want to reduce that nerve-shredder of a performance down to a handful of moments, Kyle Pollard has got you covered.
From Jack Wighton proving early that his selection at centre was warranted, to some glittering Cameron Munster magic, these were the five moments that stole the spotlight in Queensland's gutsy victory over New South Wales in Origin I.
By Simon Smale
'That was a real Queensland performance': Billy Slater
Billy Slater was speaking to Grandstand rugby league.
"I didn't know I was gonna feel this close to the group this quick," he says.
"I tell you what, it's right behind [my family and kids]."
He says that he can "understand why people coach after that.
"That was a real Queensland performance."
By Simon Smale
'It was a fast-paced game': Simms
Tariq Simms looks heartbroken, he's taking this very badly.
"It is tough in front of the big home crowd," he says.
"Just one of those games. Queensland did a couple of things better than us.
He says the tries came down to "a couple of misreads and little things like that".
"It was a fast-paced game."
By Simon Smale
Queensland 'the better side tonight': Cook
Here's Damien Cook in the sombre NSW sheds.
"It was a disappointing not to win at home and we had chances but they were the better side tonight," he says.
"Now we have the long wait but we are confident we can get the job done.
"We were still swinging at the end and trying to score points and that is a good sign and a couple more seconds and who knows what might have happened and you cannot leave it too late or let the clock controlled the game.
"Queensland managed to win a few battles."
By Simon Smale
Where was Nathan Cleary?
Nathan Cleary was on the field???
-Confused
Brutal.
I say brutal, there are not many photos of him doing much, which probably answers that question.
He covered a lot of ground though...
He had 20 runs for 128 metres, 24 post-contact metres, assisted one line break, broke one tackle...
It wasn't a vintage performance where he grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.
By Simon Smale
Slater 'happy the first one is out the way': Smith
Cameron Smith, who is on Billy Slater's coaching staff, has been chatting to the Channel 9 team.
He says Slater is "pretty happy"
"Particularly with the effort from the team. A couple of things that could be smarter with and a couple of options with some passes and not putting teammates under pressure but the defence, the scramble, coming up with some huge plays to shut them down.
"He is happy and the first one is out the way for Billy."
Smith says that the team was a throwback to the Queensland teams of the past, that "had the elements of craftiness and experience in the playmaker positions".
By Simon Smale
'It was anyone's game': Ponga
Kalyn Ponga is up now.
He says the week build up "was full of excitement".
"We have enjoyed working together and the debutants brought good energy and there was excitement and it was awesome to be part of it and have a performance like that," he says.
"By the end of the game, it was anyone's game. A lot of the boys put themselves in the picture and came up with some big efforts.
"We are happy to get the victory.
"I thought Reuben Cotter through the middle was awesome for us. It is hard to see one person. I enjoyed playing with him and I've seen his progression throughout the years and it would an awesome performance."
By Simon Smale
'I am wrecked': Patrick Carrigan
Patrick Carrigan, one of the debutants for Queensland, is speaking now.
"I am wrecked. It is everything you think of, especially in Sydney," he says.
"Had to dig deep but I just kept looking in the middle and kept turning up and it was a dream come true.
He says that Billy Slater had been drumming into the players the importance of getting their first opportunity.
"[Slater] has been talking to us all week about the first involvement and that was my first chance and trying to do little things right."
By Simon Smale
Cameron Munster man of the match
It's not a surprise.
He says "I think I get lucky at times. I think guys just let me go."
Well Billy Slater definitely let him off the leash tonight and it worked superbly.
By Simon Smale
'It's a leg in the door': Munster
Cameron Munster says it's important not to get too carried away with winning the first game.
"It is a leg in the door but we did that a couple of years ago when we won the first game and then lost three in a row," he says.
"Sydney will come out and play a good style of footy and chance it in the second game because they are down 1-0."
He does eventually say that it "is good" to win game one.
By Simon Smale
'One of the hardest games I've ever played': Cameron Munster
Cameron Munster is speaking now.
"One of the hardest games I've ever played," he says.
"And no penalties in the first and not many in the second half and I'm still trying to catch my breath.
"The best thing about Origin is how fast it is."
He says that Pat Harrigan "really changed the game when he came on".
He also pays credit to Harry Grant for allowing him to run more outside him.
He says he's enjoyed working with Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston.
"I know what Billy is like and I've played with him and he is diligent at what he does and he has come into the camp and he has watched some video on us and he has picked a good gameplan for us against the Blues tonight.
"With guys like him and Cameron Smith and JT, they believe in the jersey and we've been missing that and he put a lot of belief into us.
"It showed tonight with a lot of boys and there were questions about them being in the team but it should we play for each other."
By Simon Smale
Holmes: 'Probably the hardest game I have ever played in'
Valentine Holmes, who was brilliant for the Maroons, said that was a genuine test.
"Probably the hardest game I have ever played in. I don't know if it was because I put a different position but it was definitely very fast," he says.
He adds that there were some mistakes in the first half but they all worked together to improve.
He says the half time chat was "very positive".
"Billy said to keep doing the same thing as the first half and it felt like we were on top and I felt like we were and the boys dug deep," he says.
On Cameron Munster: "You have to be on your feet and ready to go and as soon as he gets the ball, something will happen. It was good tonight."
