The Queensland Maroons faced a tough setback in the first game of the series and must now rise to the occasion at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
They aim to halt the NSW Blues from clinching the State of Origin shield in consecutive matches.
Entering Game 1 as favorites, the Blues' performance was arguably undeserving of that title, as they found themselves outplayed for significant portions of the match.
An alarming start saw them concede three tries within the first 20 minutes, with careless ball handling and penalties giving the Maroons numerous attacking opportunities.
Sam Walker, who has long been seen as a future star for Queensland, shone on his debut, while Kalyn Ponga was instrumental throughout, and the forwards made a strong impact.
However, a turning point emerged when Cameron Murray entered the fray, and with 22 minutes remaining, Kalyn Ponga received a red card for taking out Tolutau Koula.
Following that incident, things went downhill for the Blues. Despite intermittently threatening to lose the match due to dropped balls, they managed to score three tries and head to Melbourne with the lead.
To secure the series, New South Wales likely needs to win without a tiebreaker, as Queensland returning to Brisbane with momentum might prove too challenging for them.
While the Maroons had their challenges in Game 1, it's clear they would have won had Ponga not been sent off.
Nonetheless, their selection choices have drawn scrutiny, and it's evident they benefited from the Blues' mistakes-an advantage that may not be as pronounced in this next game.