May 27, 2026 — 10:33pmJames Tedesco, in his third coming as a NSW fullback, has come up with a moment for the ages.With the game clock all but expired and his side trailing by four points, Tedesco leapt above the pack, collected a Nathan Cleary kick to score and produce the biggest comeback in State of Origin history. Cleary duly converted his own try to send a crowd of 79,186 into a frenzy.It’s a game that shows that the more Origin changes, the more it stays the same. The rules may be different – a bigger bench and eligibility changes that allow mad dogs and Englishmen such as Victor Radley to participate – but at its core it remains a duel between warring tribes. Even the referee, with the discretion to become more involved, chose not to do so.It almost always comes down to a handful of magical, often Maroon, moments. But not this time. The first game of the series is traditionally a titanic tussle, but no one could have foreseen this. The contest appeared over after 20 minutes when the scoreline blew out to 20-0 in favour of Queensland. At that point, it appeared to be a case of by how much.But then the send-off of Kalyn Ponga, whose errant shoulder prematurely ended his night and that of debutant Tolu Koula, changed everything.James Tedesco celebrates the match-winning try.Getty ImagesWith NSW debutant Ethan Strange having a blinder on debut, and the Maroons down a defender, the momentum shifted and we got the thriller the occasion deserved. When Cleary scored under the posts and then converted, the margin was only four. And then NSW did a Queensland on Queensland and pulled off the most unthinkable of victories.A poor start proved almost costly. Brian To’o, the pre-eminent winger of his time, can go entire seasons with barely a blemish. By the 23rd minute, he had made three clangers. The Panthers winger wasn’t the only Blue making blues in the slippery conditions. The tone was set early when Mitch Barnett knocked on in his side’s first set.Queensland doesn’t require a second invitation. Until Ponga’s exit, every member of their spine had a claim on the man-of-the-match award. And neither the pressure of a Cleary kick – or a Haumole Olakau’atu chase – could unsettle Selwyn Cobbo under the high ball. Rarely has a winger contributed so much at this level.Much will be made of Strange’s late elevation and starring role, but the Maroons were also blooding a playmaker. Sam Walker’s short kicking game has long been compared to Allan Langer, and in setting up the opening try it was evident why. This was vintage Walker; spotting the opposition fullback out of position, kicking the ball just high enough to avoid it being trapped by opposition shins and knees, in the knowledge Roosters teammate Rob Toia was lying in wait.Cameron Munster, dreadfully out of form a month ago, was again back to his old self. When the Storm star put through a grubber of his own, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow was on the spot. And when Harry Grant and Sam Walker combined to send over Tom Flegler, it really began to rain on NSW’s parade.And then everything changed. Unable to select Payne Haas, Liam Martin, Latrell Mitchell or Mitchell Moses, Daley blooded six debutants. Strange was the pick of the lot, scoring a try, saving one and being a constant menace with and without the ball. This was the sort of thing Daley, another Raiders No.6, used to do in his pomp.With only one night to think about this game, Strange made every post a winner. And with one, final magical play, Tedesco justified his selection. The jumper appears his as long as he wants it.More:NRL 2026State of OriginMatch reportNSW BluesQueensland MaroonsFrom our partners