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New South Wales have secured the first whitewash in Women’s State of Origin since the series shifted to three matches in 2024, after grinding out a 12-4 victory over Queensland on the Gold Coast in game three.
The scoreline flattered the home side, who were clearly second best against the shield holders, and have now lost back-to-back series. But they hung with the Blues until Jayme Fressard’s try with 17 minutes to go which proved to be the match-winner.
The Blues’ fifth-tackle spread looked to be going nowhere, but when the imperious Isabelle Kelly off-loaded to her winger, Fressard capitalised on the Maroons’ tired defence. She surged down the inside, slicing up the Queenslanders and sliding across to trigger the Blues’ celebrations.
The winger told Channel Nine she wanted to make up for an earlier missed opportunity. “I’d seen a few Queenslanders and a big space, and I thought, you know, just back yourself, you’ve got the speed, so I wasn’t bombing that one,” Fressard said.
The series result represented an unfortunate opening to the Origin coaching career of Queensland’s Nathan Cross, who was brought in this year to replace Tahnee Norris. Despite the 3-0 result, the Maroons were in each contest, and the combined margin across the three matches was just 17 points.
Instead, the sweep was another endorsement for John Strange, who has now won five of six matches in the series.
Fressard said the players believe in Strange, who she also plays under at the Roosters. “We set a goal at the start of this year, obviously last year we didn’t get that last win [in the third match in 2025]. We really came here with a goal and we had some things to work on, and credit to ‘Strangey’ and all that he does for his girls because we’re so connected because of him.”
Even after Fressard’s try pushed the lead to eight, the Blues still had work to do. With seven minutes to go, the Maroons had three successive sets on the Blues line, and both Blues wingers – Fressard and Jaime Chapman – prevented the Maroons from turning grubbers into tries. But on Queensland’s third repeat set, Chapman forced the Maroons into touch, all but ending the contest.
Though her fellow Blues forward Yasmin Meakes won the player of the series award, lock Olivia Kernick had a night to remember. She topped counts for tackles (33) and run metres (199), crunching Maroons winger Jasmine Peters in a pulverising tackle with 12 minutes left to add an exclamation point to her shift. She was supported by steady half play of Jesse Southwell and Jocelyn Kelleher, but the Blues were consistent down their 17.
Despite the result, the Maroons can have cause for optimism. Five-eighth Chantay Kiria-Ratu only became more confident in her first Origin series, and on Thursday her ball-playing and running began to match her already elite kicking and defence.
NSW dominated the first half but took 26 minutes to find the opening try. Kelly – named player of the match on Thursday – crossed after Southwell ran deep into the Maroons’ retreating goalline defence. The young halfback forced the line to bite and found fullback Abbi Church, whose pass left Kelly with little to do.
It had been a long time coming, and threatened to open the floodgates for the Blues taking on a side missing injured captain and fullback Tamika Upton and ferocious winger Julia Robinson. Yet the opposite thing happened, and the home side struck back not long after. From a scrum 20m out, Queensland – drive forward by Kiria-Ratu and Upton’s replacement, Destiny Mino-Sinapati – went through the hands and Peters snuck over in the far corner.
The Blues had out-gained the Maroons 674m to 439m in the first half, and broke 12 tackles – twice as many as their opponents. But the sides were locked at 4-4 at half-time as the Queenslanders resisted succumbing to a whitewash with all their might.
The Queenslanders found themselves with opportunities to take the lead early in the second period, but when Keilee Joseph gave away an unlucky ruck penalty in midfield, the momentum flipped.
The Blues’ surge up the other end culminated in a swirling bomb from Kelleher that drew fullback Mino-Sinapati and winger Peters to the landing zone. The pair collided, sending the ball into another teammate for a simple penalty and two points kicked by Southwell, that sent the Blues on their way to victory.
