'Chasing greatness': Inside NSW's historic Origin series win

Westpac NSW Blues coach John Strange was unhappy with his team’s handling at their final hit-out before Thursday night’s historic Origin series win so he stopped the session, grabbed hold of the ball and poured a bottle of water over it.

Then the Blues resumed training with the slippery ball.

Strange had looked at the weather forecast for State of Origin II at Allianz Stadium and knew that ball handling was going to be a key factor in the wet conditions.

NSW completed each of their 21 second half sets of possession as they raced away to a 26-6 win – their first in Sydney since 2019 and, more significantly, NSW’s first Origin series win since the concept was expanded beyond a single match in 2023.

“We went out there and trained in the rain and Strangey got us to see what it was like to get our hands on the ball, and I thought we played some pretty good footy in the conditions that we had,” NSW captain Isabelle Kelly said.

It was also noted within the NSW camp that when the rain became torrential as the two teams were warming up on the field before kick-off, Queensland headed for the sheds while the Blues stayed and continued their preparations.

The Blues, who are likely to be unchanged for Origin III in Newcastle on May 29, are now aiming to become the first women’s team from either state to complete a series cleansweep.

“We are always chasing greatness,” said prop Simaima Taufa, who scored NSW’s first try in the 17th minute and carried the ball for 129m from 12 runs, while making 23 tackles in two stints totalling 43 minutes.

“The group is all on the same page, we are willing to work really hard and we are not going to rest on the 2-0. We want to create history.”

Led by Taufa and player-of-the-match Olivia Kernick, who finished with two tries, a try assist, ran for 236m with the ball and produced 10 tackle busts, the NSW middles were too strong for their Maroons counterparts.

Former Blues captain Kezie Apps, the state's most capped player, carried the ball  for 140m and made 24 tackles, including a bellringer that forced an error by Maroons superstar Tamika Upton near her line.

"Obviously we have won the series, but we want to go 3-0. We want to win the whole series in a clean sweep," Apps said. "We will look at the game in the next couple of days and get back into camp and do it again.

After winning the opening game of last year's series at Suncorp Stadium, the Blues appeared set to wrap up the series in Game Two in Newcastle, but Queensland snatched victory in the wet through a Lauren Brown field goal.

Apps said that defeat had sat uncomfortably with the 13 survivors from players the 2024 series loss, who were looking for redemption.

"Last year was last year and we were focused on this year but running out tonight I looked at the weather and it was pouring down again," Apps said.

"I was thinking I don't want a repeat of our Game Two, but it was different vibes, different crew, different preparation leading into this one, so I am super stoked that we didn't let the weather affect us and our style of footy."