New South Wales produced the greatest comeback in State of Origin history, overturning a 20-0 deficit to beat Queensland 22-20 in a breathless series opener at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Friday night after Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga was sent off for a high tackle.
Queensland looked in complete control early, racing into a 20-0 lead when Robert Toia, Robert Flegler and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scored three tries in an eight-minute burst. The early flurry included a series of successful kicks and a penalty that left the Blues reeling and staring at what looked like a runaway start. The Blues were shell-shocked until late in the first half when Nathan Cleary produced a clever kick for Hudson Young to finish, cutting the margin to 20-6 at the break.
The turning point arrived with 23 minutes remaining when Ponga was sent off after a high tackle on Tolutau Koula — only the seventh red card in State of Origin history for such an offence. Reduced to 12 men, Queensland’s momentum stalled and New South Wales seized the opportunity. Ethan Strange crashed over to bring the Blues back into contention and, minutes later, Cleary barged his way over and converted his own try to move NSW within four points and set up a frantic finish in worsening conditions.
Cleary’s influence underpinned the comeback: he not only engineered Hudson Young’s halftime try but also supplied the decisive kicks and took responsibility with late points to complete the turnaround. In the 78th minute veteran fullback James Tedesco produced the moment that won the game, leaping above stand-in Maroons fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to gather Cleary’s towering kick and ground the ball beside the posts to level the scores. Despite slipping on his first attempt, Cleary steadied to slot the match-winning conversion and seal a stunning 22-20 victory for the Blues.
Queensland had defended desperately after the sending-off and at times looked capable of hanging on, but the numerical disadvantage proved decisive in a contest played out in heavy rain. The loss will be a bitter blow for the Maroons after their dominant start and after securing last year’s series 2-1; the red card to Ponga will dominate post-match discussion, both for its late impact on the contest and its rarity in Origin history.
The match also featured a notable selection milestone for New South Wales forward Victor Radley, who became the first England international to play in State of Origin following recent eligibility rule changes — a sign of how selection rules and international rugby league paths are evolving.
The Origin series now heads to Melbourne for game two at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on June 17, before the decider is scheduled for July 8 at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium. The Blues’ historic comeback will reshape momentum heading into the remaining fixtures.