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Queensland's brave win denies NSW first series whitewash since 2000
Sam Kosack • May 30th, 2025 12:21 am
Queensland have produced a famous comeback win to stop NSW's dream of a first series whitewash, men or women's, since the year 2000.
In wet conditions, the Maroons walked away 18-14 winners, thanks to a 64th minute Chelsea Lenarduzzi try.
In front of 21, 912 Queensland managed to hang on in the dying seconds, repelling one last ditch attempt by the Blues with only 12 players after Lenarduzzi was sin-binned for a professional foul as the siren sounded.
The defensive wall of the Maroons meant NSW will have to look to the men's Origin series for their first 3-0 result in 25 years.
NSW will rue missed opportunities, most of all captain Isabelle Kelly, who failed to score a simple try, instead producing an all-time howler.
With no players around her, Kelly slid into the in-goal, but failed to ground the ball, instead resting it on her arm, unbeknownst to her and the rest of her team.
The error from the ever-reliable Blues centre would cost her team dearly, with NSW going down by only four points.
SEN League commentator Jimmy Smith was left in shock after the moment.
"Oh my goodness," Smith said in commentary.
"That is extraordinary.
"NSW's team is in a huddle past the halfway line. They're going to have to go back to the play the ball and say you played the last play."
The Maroons have found success at Newcastle two years in a row now, enjoying another comeback win last year to deny NSW a series win.
While the result wasn't what the Blues had hoped for, the success for John Strange in his first season as NSW coach is still a milestone itself.
Blues fullback Abbi Church told Nine post-game that, while the players were disappointed, there was plenty in their achievement to celebrate.
"It is a bit of a disappointing end, but we still need to keep our spirits high," Church said.
"We're still going to get to lift the shield. We would have liked to have get that clean sweep, but it wasn't meant to be today.
"I think we just gave them a leg up down the field a little bit too much. Our discipline was off there ... but I still think the girls did an unreal job."
NSW lock Olivia Kernick was awarded the Nellie Doherty medal for player of the series, a well-deserved accolade, particularly after Kernick was a controversial omission for the Jillaroos' side at the end of the last season.
Maroons prop Jessika Elliston was named player of the match with 143 metres and 25 tackles in a 55-minute effort.
