The NSW Blues pulled off a 22-20 victory over the Queensland Maroons at Accor Stadium in Game 1 of the 2026 State of Origin series. Queensland blew a 20-point lead following a refereeing decision that turned the match completely around late in the second half.
Queensland built an initial 20-0 lead within the first 21 minutes of the contest before New South Wales began fighting back. The game reached its breaking point in the 58th minute when Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga was sent off for a shoulder charge on Blues rookie Tolu Koula. Koula went off for a Head Injury Assessment and did not return to the field.
The victory completed a historic comeback as the Blues ran down the 20-6 deficit against a 12-man Queensland outfit. The win was sealed in the 79th minute when James Tedesco crossed the line for a try, followed by a successful conversion from Nathan Cleary. This result stands as the largest comeback victory in the 45-year history of the State of Origin tournament, defying the extreme Sydney weather predicted before kick-off.
Queensland coach Billy Slater refused to blame referee Ashley Klein for the decision during his post-match media appearance. Slater remained calm when questioned by reporters, stating simply, “It is what it is… I haven’t got any problems with it.” Slater added that Ponga was heartbroken by the incident and had already apologized to the team inside the coaches’ box.
Maroons captain Cameron Munster offered a different view of the collision, stating that he felt Ponga was unlucky because the contact looked like a head-on-head clash. Munster pointed out a physical split on Ponga’s ear to back up his claim, though he acknowledged that the match officials and the bunker saw the incident differently. Ponga is just the seventh player to be sent off in the history of the interstate series.
Ponga was hit with a Grade 2 shoulder charge offense, according to the Match Review Committee grading rules. An infraction like this typically brings a two-game suspension in standard National Rugby League fixtures, but specialized tournament loading guidelines allowed the fullback to escape a suspension. Ponga instead received a financial penalty costing 23% of his match fee, leaving him free to play in Game 2.