New South Wales beat Queensland 18–6 in Brisbane to seize a 1–0 Origin series lead ahead of the Perth clash.

New South Wales delivered a ferocious first-half performance and held firm after the break to defeat Queensland 18–6 in Brisbane, taking a 1–0 lead in the 2025 State of Origin series and securing consecutive wins at Suncorp Stadium for the first time since 1998.

The Blues exploded out of the blocks, punishing the Maroons with a relentless opening 40 minutes. Zac Lomax and Brian To’o carved through Queensland’s defensive line, with Lomax grabbing a brace of tries on either side of a surging To’o finish. The home crowd fell quiet as New South Wales stamped their authority on the contest early.

With a commanding 18-point cushion at the break, Queensland faced an uphill battle. They clawed their way back into the contest midway through the second half when Xavier Coates pounced on a loose ball after Latrell Mitchell fumbled a high kick, narrowing the gap to 18–6. But the Maroons couldn’t sustain the momentum.

Any flicker of hope Queensland had was extinguished seven minutes from full-time when Lomax pulled off a sublime one-handed take under pressure. He offloaded to Connor Watson, who linked beautifully with full-back Dylan Edwards to finish off the move in style. Though Edwards didn’t score himself, his late support run helped stretch Queensland’s defence, snuffing out any chance of a revival.

“That was massive,” said Lomax after the match. “The way we started — our fight and courage — was unbelievable. It’s a proud moment.”

For New South Wales, the win marks a psychological breakthrough at a ground long considered a Queensland fortress. Their back-to-back victories at Suncorp signal a shift in Origin momentum, and under coach Michael Maguire, the Blues look energised and cohesive.

Queensland, by contrast, were outplayed and lacked the attacking precision that carried them to last year’s crown. They’ll need a dramatic turnaround ahead of game two in Perth on 18 June if they are to keep the series alive and force a decider in Sydney on 9 July.

While the Maroons tried to mount a fightback, their handling errors and lack of discipline in the first half proved too costly. They spent long periods on the back foot, struggling to match the Blues’ intensity and creativity with ball in hand.

Lomax was undoubtedly the standout, combining powerful running with skillful handling and vision. Brian To’o was electric on the wing, while Connor Watson added pace and unpredictability from the bench. Dylan Edwards’ positional play and involvement in the build-up to the decisive score capped a polished team performance.

Maguire praised his side’s focus. “We knew coming here we needed to start fast. It’s one of the toughest places to win, but this group stuck together and did exactly what we talked about.”

For Queensland coach Billy Slater, it’s back to the drawing board. “We made it too easy for them early on,” he admitted. “Our effort was there, but we need to be smarter and more clinical.”

The State of Origin now heads west, where the Blues will have a chance to seal the series with a game to spare. But Queensland’s pride is on the line, and few would write off a response from the Maroons just yet