State of Origin 2025: Fressard, Church shine as Blues thrash Maroons

The New South Wales Sky Blues delivered a commanding performance to claim a comfortable 32–12 victory over the Queensland Maroons in Game 1 of the Women’s State of Origin series at Suncorp Stadium.

NSW struck early and never looked back. Jessica Sergis opened the scoring in the 5th minute, finishing off a slick passing from Yasmin Clydsdale. Captain Isabelle Kelly added a second try in the 15th minute, again set up by halfback Jesse Southwell’s probing kicks. Southwell was virtually flawless on the boot, landing four conversions and a penalty goal, finishing the night 6/7 with the boot.

New South Wales Sky Blues vs Queensland Maroons: Debutants Shine

Fresh faces played a starring role. Jayme Fressard, making her debut on the wing, scored two well-timed tries (21’, 41’), weaving through traffic to register a double. Centre Ellie Johnston crashed over in the 51st minute, capitalising on sustained pressure close to the line, before fullback Abbi Church capped the scoring in the 66th minute with a powerful finish.

Maroons’ Glimpses Amid Setbacks

Queensland’s replies came through debutant Rory Owen, crossing on her first Origin outing (25’), and Sienna Lofipo, who profited from a Tarryn Aiken bomb in the 10th minute. Lauren Brown was reliable with the boot, converting both tries and a penalty. However, repeated handling errors, a key penalty for a hair-pull in the second half, and the loss of Jasmine Peters to a Category 1 head injury disrupted their rhythm.

With a 1–0 lead in the best-of-three series, NSW head north to Game 2 at Allianz Stadium, Sydney, on May 15. The Sky Blues will aim to close the series out early, while Queensland must regroup quickly to keep their title defence alive.