* RESULT: Queensland defeated NSW 38-10 at Accor Stadium, Sydney in front of 77,214.
* KEY MOMENT: Joseph Suaalii's send-off for a late and high shot on Reece Walsh after just eight minutes sent NSW into a tailspin. Selwyn Cobbo proved a more than handy replacement and his destruction helped exposed a 12-man Blues side who understandably wilted against a Maroons side boasting a numerical advantage.
* MAN OF THE MATCH: Skipper and halfback Daly Cherry-Evans led from the front for the Maroons. He flew out of dummy half to put Ben Hunt in for the Maroons' first try, his 40/20 put paid to NSW's attempted fightback early in the second half and when he picked off Isaah Yeo's pass and bolted down the field to send Xavier Coates in, the result was officially beyond doubt at 32-10 with 10 minutes to play.
* TALKING POINT: What does Michael Maguire do to spark the Blues in Origin II in Melbourne later this month? Maguire's recalled fullback James Tedesco was outstanding, Suaalii may be lucky to play again this series after his send-off which thwarted the Blues following their decision not to carry an outside back on the bench. Elsewhere, Nicho Hynes struggled to control the game at halfback, while prop Jake Trbojevic played only 29 minutes in a quiet first game as captain. Kotoni Staggs, Mitch Moses, Wayde Egan and Cody Walker are among the Blues players injured for game one who will be available for game two on June 26, should Maguire look to make changes.
* KEY STATS: NSW have now lost five of the previous six series openers played in Sydney. The Blues' last Origin I win on home soil came back in 2013. The win was also Queensland's biggest in Sydney in Origin's 45-year history. When he crossed in the final two minutes, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow became the first player to score a hat-trick of Origin tries since Val Holmes in game three of the 2017 series.
* INJURIES: Reece Walsh (Queensland) - concussion
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