Queensland Maroons coach Billy Slater was left impressed by the guts and determination his side showed during the 2023 State of Origin series opening match.
Ultimately winding up in a 26 points to 18 win over the NSW Blues after the Maroons came from behind with 12 men on the park following Thomas Flegler's sin bin, it was a topsy-turvy game.
At one point, Slater's Maroons' side had rushed out to ten points to nil lead after a fast start, only for the Blues to claw themselves back, and, ultimately, in front of the contest.
Slater said post-game that it was a tough contest, admitting his side didn't play smart in patches.
That said, he lauded the effort of players playing out of position, labelling it an "almighty win."
"It was a tough game out there. We didn't play overly smart at times. I won't use the word I used in the coaches box, but there is a lot of guts and determination in this footy team. We lost both back-rowers in the first half, both our centres finished on the wing, Ben Hunt and David Fifita are our centres to finish the game and we lose Tom Flegler at the death," Slater said during his post-game press conference.
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"If you rattle off those stats against anyone, let alone the quality we played tonight, this is an almighty win and the people of Queensland will be proud of their team."
Slater said the only way for him and his players to get through the final ten minutes was to buy into the Queensland spirit of never giving up.
"I probably had to think back to the message before the game. We needed to play like Queenslanders for Queenslanders and a trait of Queensland is never give up," Slater said.
"I had to listen to my own advice a little bit and it was a huge effort. To go down to 12 men in that last ten-minute period and be behind on the scoreboard. We went after the game and some players made some big plays, but the whole team had to get into position."
Ultimately, a long-range effort from Hamsio Tabuai-Fidow would put the Maroons in front inside the final ten minutes before a Lindsay Collins effort to outjump Blues' fullback James Tedesco and send Cameron Munster in would ice the game for Queensland.
The Maroons will now have the chance to win the series with a game to spare on home soil in three weeks on June 21.
