Despite being without veteran enforcer Ruan Sims, the Blues were able to weather a valiant performance from the Maroons before proving a touch too classy in front of 6,824 passionate fans.

Fullback Sam Bremner was outstanding for NSW, while Hannah Southwell added plenty of punch from the bench.

Neither team gave an inch in the opening stages of the match, producing some bone-rattling tackles in true Origin fashion.

The determined Blues defence forced an error and earned the first attacking chance in the fifth minute, after a pin-point kick from five-eighth Lavina O’Mealey trapped Queensland deep in its own end.

And NSW nearly capitalised off the ensuing scrum, putting on a well-worked backline shift to place winger Nakia Davis-Welsh in open space but she couldn’t handle the pass and a certain try went begging.

More crunching NSW defence moments later saw Queensland turn over possession again – and this time, the Blues made them pay.

With another quick-fire exchange of passing down the left side, the Blues created a massive overlap. Kelly crossed the line untouched, etching her name into history as the first Women’s Origin try-scorer in the process.

NSW halfback and captain Maddie Studdon powerfully drove her conversion through the posts, edging the Blues ahead 6-nil early.

Queensland hit back almost immediately, however. On the back of a penalty, the Maroons marched into NSW territory and collected four points through an athletic finish in the left corner from winger Karina Brown.

Chelsea Baker nailed the conversion from the sideline to level the scores following 15 enthralling minutes of high-class footy.

The Queenslanders didn’t let up on their momentum, punching holes in the Blues defence as they stormed upfield but NSW managed to absorb the pressure and soon hit back with attacking gusto of its own.

Both sides seemed destined to score multiple times late in the first-half – but brilliant defence prevailed, keeping the contest even at the break.

The Blues took back the lead six minutes into the second stanza – and it was again their potent left edge that did the damage. Following a succession of beautiful long passes, the ball found Davis-Welsh on the wing who deftly stepped inside to score.

Studdon couldn’t add the extras, leaving NSW with a four-point buffer.

Still, the Maroons refused to give in, returning serve with a try of their own. It was another wide shift that provided them with success as Brown notched her second try.

Faced with the jeers of a parochial Blues crowd as she readied her conversion from the touchline, Baker’s kick cruelly smacked the upright and bounced away; the score remaining 10-all.

With six minutes to go, NSW struck the winning blow. Studdon’s last-tackle kick was charged down by the Queensland defence, and O’Mealey latched onto the ball to gift the Blues another set close to the line.

Three tackles were all they’d need to crack the Maroons’ line. Bremner floated across the field brilliantly, opening up space for Kelly to dive over for the deciding try – and her double.

Studdon’s conversion never looked like missing, pushing the Blues ahead to a six-point lead.

The Maroons tried to no avail in the final seconds, but NSW deservedy ran out winners.