Game one of the 2025 State of Origin series well and truly lived up to the hype as the NSW Blues beat the Queensland Maroons at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday, May 28.
It was a close contest as the Blues prevailed 18-6, but it felt far more comfortable for NSW fans than the scoreline suggested as Queensland’s only try was scored when the Blues had a man in the sin bin.
The visitors scored first in front of 52,483 fans in enemy territory Nathan Cleary kicked a penalty goal in the ninth minute, and Zac Lomax claimed the first try in the 24th to make it 6-0.
NSW were ahead 14-0 late in the half after Brian To’o (28’) and Lomax (32’) went over, and then with a minute to go until half-time, a desperate Maroons side kicked a penalty goal to make the score 14-2 at the break following a penalty that saw To’o sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes.
The hosts came out firing and scored their first try of the series in the 45th minute through Xavier Coates to make it 14-6, but that was the last time they registered a point as NSW’s defence held strong for the rest of the match.
The Blues sealed the win in the 72nd minute when Dylan Edwards crossed for the final try of the game to make the final score 18-6.
The loss was Queensland’s third on the trot after they went down in games two and three last year to lose the 2024 series.
The two sides have had time to process the events of last month’s series opener and they are now both eagerly preparing for game two.
The second game of the series will be contested at Perth’s Optus Stadium on Wednesday, June 18, where the Blues will be looking two win their 18th series, which would be their fifth in eight years and their second on the trot.
NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley has opted to give the players who won the Origin opener the chance to secure the shield in Perth, with the loss of prop Mitch Barnett forcing the only change to the starting lineup. Barnett is out for the season after he suffered a knee injury in round 13 while playing for the New Zealand Warriors.
Max King will now start in the number eight jersey after debuting off the bench in game one, and his bench spot will be filled by Stefano Utoikamanu, who was part of the game one extended squad.
With South Sydney Rabbitohs’ Campbell Graham ruled out of Sunday’s match in Canberra due to back spasms, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton has been named in his place for the 18th man role.
Rabbitohs forward Keaon Koloamatangi and Penrith Panthers prop Lindsay Smith, who is yet to make his debut for NSW, also join the extended squad, with Haumole Olakau’atu withdrawing due to the impending birth of his first child.
Queensland on the other hand have swung the axe, with Maroons coach Billy Slater losing faith in a few players that were part of the losing game one team.
The most notable of the omissions is captain Daly Cherry-Evans, whose State of Origin career now appears to be over after 26 games for Queensland and having served as their captain for 19 of those since 2019.
Replacing him as skipper is the team’s five-eighth Cameron Munster, who becomes the state’s 16th captain when he lines up for his 20th origin game in maroon, and replacing the former skipper at halfback is Tom Dearden.
Dearden was the number 14 in game one, which will now be Kurt Mann, and taking on Mann’s vacated 18th man role is Brisbane Broncos’ Ezra Mam.
Jesse Arthurs and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki have both been replaced in the extended squad by Melbourne Storm outside back Jack Howarth and Canberra Raiders forward Corey Horsburgh.
Another change to the side sees New Zealand Warriors back-rower Kurt Capewell called back into the team. He will start in the number 12 jersey, with Jeremiah Nanai moving to the bench and Beau Fermor dropped from the bench.
The other changes see Valentine Holmes and Hamiso Tabuai-Fiddow switch positions on the left side, with the Hammer moving out to the wing and Holmes going into centre, and Trent Loiero moving into lock with Patrick Carrigan moving to the bench.
For Queensland coach and legendary fullback Billy Slater, this is a career-defining match as a coach. He has never lost two series in a row, nor has he lost four games in a row, and he is hopeful that his men can ensure that does not occur next week.
For Daley, this would be his second series victory in six attempts after he coached the Blues to glory in 2014 following a 2013 series loss and then three more series losses in 2015, 16 and 17 before being sacked.
