Maroons give NSW a case of the blues

NORTH Queensland Gold Stars prospect Shaniah Power is a State of Origin champion after the Maroons ended four years of misery.

In front of a vocal, sold-out crowd of 4833 people at Sunshine Coast Stadium, the Maroons pulled off a second-half surge to defeat New South Wales 24-18.

There was nothing haunting about this Friday the 13th performance.

It was brutal. It was fast. It was exciting.

The women held nothing back in what was Queensland’s highest score and first win under the new women’s State of Origin banner.

The Blues had won the previous two women Origin clashes, and the past four i n t e r s t a t e clashes, but a f r e s h - f a c e d Queensland side filled with seven debutants helped lead the Maroons to a courageous victory.

Led by inspirational captain Ali Brigginshaw and try-scoring machine Tamika Upton, who bagged an Origin double, Queensland took advantage of a tiring New South Wales defence late in the game.

But it was young Bronco Tarryn Aiken ( pictured) who upstaged them both with a try and try assist to be named Nellie Doherty player of the match.

The Maroons scored three unanswered tries in the space of 14 minutes when they came out of the sheds for the second half, which all but sealed the game.

The Blues hit back late in the game with three unconverted tries of their own but it wasn’t enough to steal the win away from the Maroons.

Upton proved she is a special kind of player.

The leading NRLW tryscorer continued to cause havoc for her opposition defensive line and solidified her place as Queensland’s No. 1 for years to come. The Yeppoon Seagulls product scored an incredible individual 80-metre try on debut.