NSW triumphs in a historic State of Origin decider at Suncorp, breaking a 19-year drought with a thrilling 14-4 victory in front of more than 52,000 fans.
In a thrilling conclusion to the 2024 State of Origin series, the New South Wales Blues emerged victorious over the Queensland Maroons with a 14-4 win at Suncorp Stadium, securing their first series win since 2021 and their first decider victory at this iconic venue since 2005. The game had all the hallmarks of a classic Origin encounter—intense physicality, strategic brilliance, and the kind of drama that keeps fans on the edge of their seats.
Michael Maguire's Blues took the field as named, while Billy Slater made some last-minute changes, moving Ben Hunt, Lindsay Collins, and Jeremiah Nanai to the bench and bringing Harry Grant, Felise Kaufusi, and Moeaki Fotuaika into the starting lineup. The sold-out crowd at Suncorp Stadium, predominantly supporting Queensland, gave the NSW side a frosty reception as they ran out onto the field.
From the first whistle, both teams displayed remarkable intensity in attack and defence, setting the tone for a brutal 80 minutes. The first half was marked by two players being sent to the sin bin, one of whom was not even named in the side—a bizarre situation summed up by the commentary: "He's in a suit and in the sin bin." Despite holding the majority of possession, NSW struggled to capitalise on their opportunities, making more errors than Queensland. However, they maintained better discipline, conceding only two penalties to Queensland's five. The score was a tight 2-0 at halftime, thanks to a last-minute penalty goal by Valentine Holmes.
The second half saw NSW quickly level the score with a sideline penalty goal from Zac Lomax. It took another 17 minutes for Queensland to regain the lead with another penalty kick from Holmes. The game's first try came shortly after, with Jarome Luai breaking through the defence and setting up Bradman Best, who skillfully evaded his Newcastle Knights teammate Kalyn Ponga to score. Lomax's successful conversion pushed NSW to a four-point lead.
A ruck infringement penalty kept NSW in possession, allowing Mitchell Moses to extend their lead with another try, which Lomax again converted. This gave NSW a 10-point buffer with just 12 minutes left on the clock. The final minutes of the game were a nail-biting affair, with both sides making errors and giving away penalties. Mitchell Moses left the field with a suspected torn bicep three minutes from full-time, adding to the drama.
The NSW chant began to overpower the Queenslander supporters as the clock wound down, signalling the Blues' impending victory. NSW held on to win the decider, becoming just the third NSW team to do so at Suncorp Stadium.
Dylan Edwards was named player of the game, having racked up 242 running meters and seven tackle breaks. Angus Crichton received the Wally Lewis Medal as the player of the series, recognised for his standout performances across all three games.
The victory marked a successful first year for coach Michael Maguire and ended Queensland's recent dominance in the State of Origin series.