NSW have won back the Women's State of Origin shield in a nail-biting finish, ending Queensland's hopes of a third-straight series victory in front of a record-breaking crowd at Canberra Stadium.
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In a tense back-and-forth encounter NSW emerged victorious 20-14 in front of a total of 11,321 fans in the capital. The attendance surpassed the record set in the 2019 Origin at North Sydney Oval of 10,515.
The early exchanges lived up to everything Origin footy promises, in a gripping, highly physical grudge match where neither team were willing to give an inch without a fight.
That physical battle was highlighted inside five minutes when Tallisha Harden was forced off for a HIA with claret dripping from her left eye socket from a collision with Sky Blues star Millie Boyle.
Queensland's defence was put to the test when Emma Tonegato darted off from 20 metres out, only to be held up by a gutsy tackle by Maroons fullback Tameka Upton.
A penalty soon after rewarded the Maroons great field position to take the ball up the other end of the field and score the opening try. A quick play-the-ball deep inside NSW territory saw Destiny Brill catch the Sky Blues defence off-balance, cutting back inside to score.
Emma Tonegato responded in style with an unbelievable putdown centimetres from the dead-ball line off a neat Keeley Davis grubber. Rachael Pearson's conversion crucially put NSW ahead after an earlier missed effort by Queensland skipper Ali Brigginshaw.
Returning to the NSW side for the first time since 2019, five-eighth Kirra Dibb put her team further ahead with a sensational individual effort to score. Her big left-foot step on the Maroons' 30-metre line put her through the defence before another step bamboozled Upton and sent the Canberra crowd into hysterics.
NSW made the error of allowing Brigginshaw's ensuing kick-off to dribble into touch, giving Queensland a scrum feed inside the Sky Blues' half. Then a successful captain's challenge against a penalty to NSW for contact on a leaping Tiana Penitani allowed the Maroons another scrum.
Aiken wasted no time zipping through NSW like a warm knife through butter to score in the left corner, and Brigginshaw's conversion kept the Queenslanders within two.
A nail-biting finish to the first-half had both sides looking likely to score, but impressive defensive performances had NSW settle for a 14-10 lead at the break.
NSW had the perfect start to the second 40 with Pearson's accuracy with the boot pushing their lead out to six points after a penalty goal. The Maroons meanwhile were left a woman down on the interchange when veteran Stephanie Hancock failed her HIA.
Emotions boiled over when a brouhaha erupted prompting a throwback to Origin clashes of yesteryear, riling up the crowd before a Queensland try in the corner to Evania Pelite threatened a comeback.
Lauren Brown's missed goal in front of booing fans kept the Sky Blues in front but two disallowed tries in the final minutes had hearts skipping beats on both teams.
The Bunker denied Penitani when a Olivia Kernick pass was deemed a knock-on, and Queensland had mere seconds to celebrate a Shenae Ciesiolka match winner before she too had four points scrubbed with Julia Robinson offside when she caught a bomb and offloaded.
NSW ensured the Bunker didn't steal headlines though with player-of-the-match Isabelle Kelly putting the result beyond doubt in the final three minutes.
AT A GLANCE
NSW 20 (Emma Tonegato, Kirra Dibb, Isabelle Kelly tries; Rachael Pearson 4 goals) bt QUEENSLAND 14 (Destiny Brill, Tarryn Aiken, Evania Pelite tries; Ali Brigginshaw goal).
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