In what is being hailed as one of the greatest comebacks in State of Origin history, the New South Wales Blues defeated the Queensland Maroons 34-24 in the series opener on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at Accor Stadium in Sydney. The Blues trailed 20-0 at half-time before scoring 34 unanswered points in the second half.
Blues coach Laurie Daley delivered a stirring speech at the break, telling his players, 'This could be the greatest comeback in Origin history.' The team responded with a dominant second-half performance, with tries from James Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic, and Nathan Cleary, among others.
The victory marks the largest comeback in Origin history, surpassing the previous record set by Queensland in 2006. The Blues now lead the three-match series 1-0, with Game 2 scheduled for June 14, 2026, at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Key moments included a 40-20 kick from Nathan Cleary that set up a crucial try, and a try-saving tackle from James Tedesco in the 65th minute. The Maroons, who had dominated the first half through tries from Valentine Holmes and Cameron Munster, were unable to maintain their intensity after the break.
