Key points:
- Blues take one-nil lead in men's State of Origin after Queensland fullback Kalyn Ponga was sent off in the 57th minute, allowing three unanswered Blues tries
- NSW very nearly blew their chances, but a miracle in the dying moments sealed the result after the Maroons threatened to take away the game early in the match
- Wiradjuri man Kotoni Staggs came alive for the NSW during the second half, Queensland's Indigenous stars Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Selwyn Cobbo were influential in the first half
New South Wales have pulled off a great escape to take a 1-nil lead in the men's State of Origin after a controversial send off of Queensland fullback Kayln Ponga turned the game in Sydney.
Ponga appeared to make initial head-to-head contact with Blues winger Tolutau Koula mid-way through the first half, but failed to wrap the arms, being pointed to the changerooms in the 57th minute and opening the door for a four-try comeback in the wet by the hosts in Sydney.
Queensland had taken a 20-point lead early in the contest after crossing over three times in as many completed sets, but a miracle try by returning NSW no.1 James Tedesco sealed the 22-20 result with 90 seconds remaining in the match.
Down a man, Queensland struggled to contain the home side in defence, though Laurie Daley's side at times looked desperate to spoil their own luck, their failing to take full advantage with the overlap out wide and repeated handling errors a constant theme for their night.
Queensland winger Selwyn Cobbo looked a chance for player of the match early on.
He was hugely influential down the left side with 92 running metres at the break, combining with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to cause NSW major headaches.
Cobbo finished with a team-high 180 metres gained with ball-in-hand.
Maroons debutant and Tongan international Robert Toia got onto the end of a kick for the series' first try in the ninth minuite following a pair of early errors from NSW.
The visitors crossed over for their second in the following set, after Ponga into Cobbo into Tabuai-Fidow strolled straight back to the Blues' defensive 30m line from their kick return.
The Hammer added Queensland's third in the 16th minutes.
BOOM 💥 Here comes the Hammer! pic.twitter.com/VQtxyEhWNZ
— NRL (@NRL) May 27, 2026
Debuting in the Maroons' halves, Sam Walker made it 20-nil by the mid-way point of the first half, before the Blues steadied things and pinned one back though Hudson Young six minutes later.
It was an early arm wrestle to start the second half before Ponga's send off completely turned the game on its head.
The victim, Koula, was ruled out of the remainder of the match after failing a head injury assessment.
Queensland — a man-down for more than a quarter of the match — very nearly held on for a historic win, but were dealt a heartbreak in the dying moments when Tedesco held onto a high ball screaming towards the Blues try line and spun over to steal the win.
The Blues ran in three second half tries — Ethan Strange (62 minute), Nathan Cleary (71st) and Tedesco (78th).
Returning for his first Origin game since a 2022 debut, Wiradjuri centre Kotoni Staggs was quiet until his opposite Tabuai-Fidow shifted into fullback to cover for Ponga.
Staggs came to life with the resulting mis-match against Kurt Capewell on the right side.
Prior to, a desperate defensive effort to drag Cobbo into touch had been his biggest moment.
In a losing effort, Torres Strait forward and Origin specialist Reuben Cotter finished with 88 metres run (36 post-contact) and 29 tackles through the middle.
Much of the talk leading into game two will surround Ponga's send off. On field referee Ashley Klein was very sure of the decision early - sounding his intentions to end the fullback's night early while speaking with the bunker.
The series moves to Melbourne for game two on June 17.
When the two teams last met at the MCG in 2024, NSW took a 34-nil lead into half time to set up a successful series comeback.
