New South Wales' band of Origin debutants has silenced the critics, steering the Blues to an improbable 18-10 victory over Queensland in the 2008 series opener at ANZ Stadium last night.
Rookie Origin halfback Peter Wallace was a revelation in the Blue jersey, while fellow NSW debutante Anthony Quinn notched up two tries in an inspiring performance on the wing.
Anthony Laffranchi continued the debutante's ball with a match-sealing try in the 68th minute, with Manly fullback Brett Stewart also finding the line in customary fashion.
The heralded Queensland backline managed to crack the NSW defensive line just twice in the 80 minute grudge-match - Brent Tate dotting down a Johnathan Thurston grubber on the stroke of halftime before yet another Origin rookie - Israel Folau - scored a late consolation try.
The question marks hanging thick over the Blues' inexperienced halves combination took just minutes to be dispelled with Wallace completely outplaying opposite number and Australian incumbent Johnathan Thurston with a dominant kicking display and beautifully controlled passing game.
The 22-year-old put his stamp on the game from the outset, some deft kicks and intelligent decisions in attack handing the Blues the best of the positional arm-wrestle.
And it didn't take long for the home side to turn field position into points, a sharp cutout from Greg Bird to a wide-running Ryan Hoffman punctured the Queensland line, before a freakish one-handed take form Brett Stewart put Anthony Quinn over in the corner.
Fitzgibbon - who was a late in inclusion in the NSW starting line-up at the expense of Ben Cross - nailed the extras from the touchline to give the Blues the early lead they desperately needed.
Wallace was again to the fore as the home side went further ahead in the 17th minute, providing an inch-perfect chip-kick to the corner for Quinn who nabbed his second to put the Blues out by ten.
Some impressive second-phase play from Laffranchi laid the foundation for NSW's third four-pointer, the Titans back-rower finding Stewart, who released Mark Gasnier down the right-hand touchline before getting a classy one-armed offload back to Stewart to put the Blues up by 14.
The Maroons hit back literally as the half-time siren was sounding through a well-weighted grubber from Thurston that was impressively grounded by Tate, giving the visitors a sniff at the half, down 14-4.
Billy Slater put the Queenslanders under pressure early in the second half when he was bundled into touch on the half way line, giving the home side the first attacking chance of the half.
The Blues looked certain to extend their lead when Gasnier cut a swathe through the Maroons on a forty metre burst into the Queensland 20 metre zone, but some brilliant scrambling defence saved the day for the visitors.
Play continued to go from end to end but errors were becoming increasingly evident in both side's play with the match being played at lightening speed, and it was a Maroons error in the 67th minute which sealed the result for the Blues.
Thurston knocked on in a strong tackle from Quinn, and from the resulting set of six Laffranchi went over for his debut try to make it 18-4 and mission impossible for the visitors.
But the Queenslanders don't know how to lie down, they went desperately close through Inglis from the restart, Hodges then almost forced his way over, and Tate also looked to have grabbed his second, but on each occasion the Queenslanders were thwarted by desperate defence.
Folau finally found the line for the Maroons in the 79th minute - the third rookie try-scorer of the match - but the scoreline flattered the Maroons, comfortably beaten 18-10 by a NSW side who simply wanted it more.
NSW 18 (A Quinn 2 B Stewart A Laffranchi tries C Fitzgibbon goal)
bt QUEENSLAND 10 (B Tate I Folau tries J Thurston goal)
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