Ethan Strange led NSW to a thrilling 22-20 comeback win against Queensland in the State of Origin opener, overcoming early 20-0 deficit.
Just when NSW's old habits looked set to bring them undone, a bright new wave of talent turned the tide and the complexion of the 2026 State of Origin series.
The Blues are 1-0 up in the best-of-three series following a heroic come-from-behind 22-20 win in the Origin opener at Accor Stadium on Wednesday night.
But NSW were on the ropes after 20 minutes, down 20-0 thanks to their own yardage errors and some brilliance from Maroons rookie Sam Walker.
When Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow waltzed in for Queensland's third try, the Blues were completing at 57 per cent and had not yet played the ball in the visitor's red zone.