QUEENSLAND MAROONS 10  NEW SOUTH WALES BLUES 14 
TOM SMITH, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Thursday 

TEAGAN Berry’s desperate tackle denied Jasmine Peters a last-minute equaliser and secured New South Wales’ series win over Queensland in enemy territory.

Jessica Sergis — as she did in the Blues’ Game One victory — scored the decisive try early in the second half, before her side clung to their slender four-point advantage for 21 nervous minutes until a moment high drama in the 70th minute.

With their last roll of the dice, the Maroons went wide to Peters, who appeared to score until the Bunker correctly ruled Berry had dragged her into touch.

If the try had stood, Lauren Brown would have lined up a sideline conversion to snatch victory at the death.

As it was, New South Wales return home with the shield for the second straight year.

Since women’s State of Origin moved to a three-game series in 2024, huge crowds have flocked to Suncorp Stadium to kick off Magic Round with this interstate tussle.

However, the locals have now gone home unhappy on all three occasions.

Sergis was mighty for the victors, scoring a huge try and assisting another, as were the back-row trio of Kezie Apps, Yasmin Meakes and Olivia Kernick, who all put in 70-minute shifts.

Halfback Jesse Southwell also steered the ship expertly and pulled off a try-saving tackle.

The Blues scraped home 11-6 in the series opener a fortnight ago in Newcastle, thanks to Southwell’s boot and another vital Sergis try.

But John Strange’s squad headed north without Tiana Penitani Gray due to a knee complaint, bringing Roosters forward Rima Butler onto the bench for her interstate bow.

Olivia Higgins also started at hooker instead of Keeley Nizza, while Apps filled Penitani Gray’s place in the back-row.

On Nathan Cross’ team sheet, a hamstring injury to Phoenix-Raine Hippi brought Peters onto the wing, and Otesa Pule’s outstanding Game One forced Makenzie Weale to the bench.

Dummy-half Destiny Brill came into the starting line-up in place of Jada Ferguson and New Zealand international Brianna Clark joined the bench, with Shenae Ciesiolka and Chelsea Lenarduzzi dropping out of the 17.

Jaime Chapman drew first blood for the visitors, when Sergis engineered a clever short-side play from a scrum.

Then after Tamika Upton threatened for Queensland, NSW found the whitewash again — this time via Nizza from dummy-half, two minutes after entering the fray.

The Maroons finally hit the scoreboard once Rory Owen steamed onto a sharp Upton pass.

And although the Blues withstood plenty more pressure heading into half-time, they were breached again soon after the restart, when Ferguson fooled the goal-line defence from close range.

Sergis stepped up almost immediately, overpowering Owen in the right corner. And Southwell’s sideline conversion gave NSW four points’ breathing room.

From there, the Blues’ defence did the job.

Southwell bundled Peters into touch to save a certain try off a Chantay Kiria-Ratu kick, and with full-time approaching, NSW denied the dangerous Emma Manzelmann.

Then with Queensland’s last roll of the dice, Berry collected Peters to become the hero.

The Maroons will now be aiming to avoid a clean sweep in Game Three at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast on Thursday 28 May.

GAMESTAR: After scoring the decisive try in Game One, outstanding Blues centre Jessica Sergis set up another four-pointer then claimed the go-ahead score in front of a hostile Queensland crowd.

GAMEBREAKER: Blues sub Teagan Berry clinched victory for her side by bundling Jasmine Peters into touch to deny Queensland an equalising try in the final minute.

MATCHFACTS

MAROONS
1 Tamika Upton (Brisbane Broncos)
2 Julia Robinson (Brisbane Broncos)
3 Rory Owen (Parramatta Eels)
4 Ivana Lolesio (Gold Coast Titans)
5 Jasmine Peters (North Queensland Cowboys)
6 Chantay Kiria-Ratu (Cronulla Sharks)
7 Lauren Brown (Gold Coast Titans)
8 Otesa Pule (Sydney Roosters)
14 Destiny Brill (Brisbane Broncos)
10 Jessika Elliston (Gold Coast Titans)
11 Sienna Lofipo (Gold Coast Titans)
12 Romy Teitzel (Brisbane Broncos)
13 Keilee Joseph (Parramatta Eels)
Subs (all used)
9 Jada Ferguson (Brisbane Broncos)
15 Makenzie Weale (North Queensland Cowboys)
16 Brianna Clark (Brisbane Broncos)
19 Emma Manzelmann (North Queensland Cowboys)

Tries: Owen (32), Ferguson (44)
Goals: Brown 1/2

BLUES 
1 Abbi Church (Parramatta Eels)
2 Jaime Chapman (Gold Coast Titans)
3 Jessica Sergis (Sydney Roosters)
4 Isabelle Kelly (Sydney Roosters)
5 Jayme Fressard (Sydney Roosters)
6 Jocelyn Kelleher (Sydney Roosters)
7 Jesse Southwell (Brisbane Broncos)
8 Millie Elliott (Sydney Roosters)
14 Olivia Higgins (Newcastle Knights)
10 Ellie Johnston (Cronulla Sharks)
11 Kezie Apps (Wests Tigers)
12 Yasmin Meakes (Newcastle Knights)
13 Olivia Kernick (Sydney Roosters)
Subs (all used)
9 Keeley Nizza (Sydney Roosters)
15 Kennedy Cherrington (Parramatta Eels)
16 Rima Butler (Sydney Roosters) (D)
17 Teagan Berry (St George Illawarra Dragons)

Tries: Chapman (8), Nizza (23), Sergis (47)
Goals: Southwell 1/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-8, 6-8; 10-8, 10-14

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Women of the Match 
Maroons: Tamika Upton; Blues: Jessica Sergis

Penalty count: 6-5
Half-time: 6-8
Referee: Belinda Sharpe
Attendance: 23,846