NSW Blues defeat Queensland Maroons in Women’s State of Origin Game 1
Consensus Summary
New South Wales Blues defeated Queensland Maroons 11-6 in the opening game of the 2026 Women’s State of Origin series at McDonald Jones Stadium on April 30, 2026. The match was a back-and-forth battle, with Queensland leading 6-0 at half-time before NSW tied the game and ultimately won thanks to Jesse Southwell’s field goal and Jess Sergis’ late try. Both teams showcased resilience, with Queensland’s Keilee Joseph making 32 tackles before leaving with a head injury and NSW’s Ellie Johnston breaking through defensively. Key moments included Otesa Pule’s early try for Queensland, near-misses by Jada Ferguson, and crucial defensive stops by Millie Elliott and Abbi Church. The result marks NSW’s first win in the series, continuing their dominance from the previous year’s first two games, while Queensland faces challenges in their new coaching era under Nathan Cross. Both articles highlight the physicality and desperation of the match, with NSW’s late composure proving decisive.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- New South Wales Blues won the opening Women’s State of Origin game 11-6 on 2026-04-30 at McDonald Jones Stadium in front of 20,000 fans.
- Jesse Southwell scored a field goal with seven minutes remaining to give NSW the lead, and Jess Sergis scored a try on the final whistle to seal the win.
- Queensland held a 6-0 lead at half-time but NSW came back to tie the game at 6-6 before winning.
- Keilee Joseph, a Queensland prop, was taken off on a medicab after collecting a 33rd tackle and hitting her head, causing a 12-minute delay.
- Otesa Pule scored Queensland’s first try in the fourth minute, and Phoenix-Raine Hippi made key defensive reads for the Maroons.
- Destiny Brill, a Queensland prop, blocked Jesse Southwell’s first field goal attempt and was later replaced due to a concussion.
- Millie Elliott, playing her first top-level match in over a year after giving birth, made a crucial save on Destiny Brill late in the game.
- Jada Ferguson nearly scored a try for Queensland with 10 minutes left but was stopped by Abbi Church and Millie Elliott.
- NSW had been dominant in the first two games of the 2025 series (58-18 aggregate) before Queensland won Game 3, ending Tahnee Norris’s coaching tenure.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Jesse Southwell described the game as 'probably the fastest' and 'definitely the toughest' she had ever played.
- Makenzie Weale was driven back by a mass of three Blues and hit her head in the first hit-up, leaving the field and not returning.
- Lauren Brown, who kicked Queensland to victory two years ago on this ground, hit a field goal attempt left of the posts late in the game.
- Ellie Johnston’s momentum was described as 'kryptonite' for even the most heroic defensive lines, jumpstarting NSW’s shield defence.
- The Maroons had three debutants and no Ali Brigginshaw to steady the ship against the heavily favoured Blues.
- Jocelyn Kelleher forced an error from Queensland halfback Lauren Brown after the Maroons had turned NSW away twice.
- Yasmin Clydsdale produced a crucial surging run before Southwell’s field goal, including a strong second effort through contact.
- The article emphasizes the need for better scheduling in the women’s game to improve player readiness, noting most hadn’t played in six months.
- The match was described as a 'blunt-force object' in terms of quality, with both teams improving from limited lead-in matches.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian states NSW had a 6-6 tie with seven minutes left, while ABC implies the Blues were under pressure longer before Southwell’s field goal.
Source Articles
Marauding Blues hold off luckless Maroons to take Women’s Origin series lead
NSW defeat Queensland 11-6 in State of Origin Game 1 Jesse Southwell field goal helps hosts recover half-time deficit In the end, it had to be Jesse Southwell. The Blues halfback may have chosen to leave her home town club Newcastle for Brisbane this year, but in familiar surrounds at McDonald Jones Stadium in front of 20,000 fans on Thursday it was her who proved coolest as New South Wales won the opening Women’s State of Origin game, 11-6. Her field goal with seven minutes to go stole the glor
The two plays that flipped the script on Women's State of Origin Game I
With Queensland on the verge of another classic ambush, it took two "Origin plays" for New South Wales to turn the tide in the women's series opener in Newcastle.