New South Wales have drawn first blood in the Women's State of Origin series after a gritty 11-6 victory over Queensland at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Thursday night. Halfback Jesse Southwell was the standout performer, slotting a crucial one-pointer with eight minutes remaining before setting up the final try for centre Jess Sergis as the siren sounded.
The win, witnessed by a crowd of 20,179, puts the Blues in a commanding position to claim a second consecutive series under coach John Strange. The teams will now head to Brisbane on May 14 and the Gold Coast on May 28 for the remaining two matches.
A Tense and Error-Prone Encounter
Neither side was at their fluent best, combining for 19 errors across the 70 minutes. Despite the lack of polish, the match carried the intensity and stakes befitting a State of Origin opener. Queensland faced an early setback when Mackenzie Weale was taken off for a head injury assessment (HIA) in the first minute, but the Maroons remained competitive until the final whistle.
Weale's replacement, Otesa Pule, a Sydney Roosters prop who qualified for Queensland under the relaxed Origin eligibility rules, made an immediate impact. Pule charged over from close range to give the Maroons a second-minute lead. Lauren Brown converted, and Queensland held a 6-0 advantage at halftime, with NSW's attack struggling to find rhythm apart from a few forceful runs by winger Jaime Chapman.
Second-Half Fightback
The Blues dominated territory and possession in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. Their persistence paid off when prop Ellie Johnston powered through heavy traffic to score, with Southwell converting to level the scores at 6-6.
Queensland's Keilee Joseph had a chance to regain the lead but dropped the ball with the line beckoning. She later left the field for a HIA after completing a tackle on Tiana Penitani Gray. With Weale already sidelined, the Maroons activated their 18th player, Destiny Brill.
Southwell and Sergis Seal the Win
Brill charged down Southwell's first field goal attempt, but the halfback made no mistake with her second, nudging NSW ahead 7-6 with eight minutes to play. As the full-time siren sounded, the ball was flicked wide to Sergis, who cut back against the grain to score the match-sealing try. Southwell's conversion was not needed, as the Blues celebrated an 11-6 victory.
The series now shifts to Queensland, where the Maroons will look to level the score in front of their home fans.
