Queensland has won the opening game of the two-match Women's State of Origin series over New South Wales 18-10 in a scrappy contest at Western Sydney Stadium.
The Maroons outscored the Blues four tries to two in front of 12,972 supporters, a record for a women's interstate match.
The Blues had to deal with losing Tiana Penitani on the morning of the match with a hamstring strain, and then suffered further back-line disruption in the first half when Isabelle Kelly was taken from the field with a throat injury.
There was immediate concern for the Blues co-captain, who was coughing up blood at half-time before being taken to hospital.
Debutant Queensland prop Keilee Joseph was named player of the match as the Maroons earned a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
The second game takes place in Townsville on June 22, when both teams will be hoping to improve on error-strewn performances that highlighted the lack of competitive action most women would have experienced in the build-up to the series.
Both teams committed 15 errors in the match, and combined for 10 penalties as handling errors ruled throughout the game, played in greasy conditions in Western Sydney.
Julia Robinson opened the scoring for the Maroons with the first of her two tries on the night, diving over in the corner after some neat work from Tamika Upton to open the line down the right side.
The Blues hit back mid-way through the half thanks to a powerful run from centre Jess Sergis.
Tazmin Gray restored the Maroons lead, barging over from close range to give Queensland a 10-6 half-time lead.
That try came while Blues skipper Kelly was being helped from the pitch with a throat injury that saw the back taken to hospital.
The Blues came out firing in the second half, but a brilliant interception from outstanding centre Shenae Ciesiolka off a Jesse Southwell pass saw the Maroons turn goal line defence into rapid attack.
Jamie Chapman chased down Ciesiolka, but a quick play the ball and composure allowed the Maroons to spin the ball to the left and give Emily Bass an easy finish in the corner.
Robinson completed her double in the corner thanks to some more good hands to the right by the Maroons to take an 18-6 lead.
The Blues threw everything at the Maroons to close the gap, with points difference being a deciding factor should New South Wales manage to win Game II in Townsville, and crossed through Chapman in the corner.
However, the Blues could not reduce the deficit more and they face an uphill task to retain the shield in Game II.
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
Key events
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Live updates
We'll wrap things up here
By Simon Smale
Thanks for being with us this evening folks.
Congratulations to those of you north of the border on what has been a very successful week all things considered.
To those of you in New South Wales, Game II in both men's and women's competitions, is just three weeks away.
There's still plenty to play for.
We hope to see you then.
Good night.
Keilee Joseph player of the match
By Simon Smale
Debutant Queensland prop Keilee Joseph was named player of the match.
That duck sure gets about...
By Simon Smale
NSW were bamboozled by QLD's clumsy duck routine.....again.
- Mike
We heard from some of the players that the conditions were very dewy out there tonight, which accounts for the mass of dropped balls.
Full time! Queensland wins Game I!
By Simon Smale
The Queensland women make it a Maroon double!
Queensland wins 18-10!
There's a bit of push and shove out there at the moment as well! We're not seeing that on the screen.
The players are asking the referee if they can shake hands after that pushing and he says that he's rather they waited a minute to cool down.
It was error strewn, gritty and whole-hearted from both sets of players.
But it was a win for Queensland, who take an 8-point buffer into Game II as they look to win back the Origin Shield.
68' Blues blow a try chance!
By Simon Smale
The Blues get to within 3 metres, there looked to be space out wide but the Blues passed it back inside!
The Blues look to pass the ball right again but can't get clean passes and knock the ball on!
Let off for Queensland.
And is that Game I for the Maroons?
Crowd: 12,972
By Simon Smale
That's a women's rugby league record in Australia, for a domestic match, I believe.
64' Maroons drop the ball!
By Simon Smale
It's Mato with the loose carry!
There looked like there were Blue hands in there and the Blues let Mato know all about it, with the referee quick to step in and stop any argie bargie.
The Blues take the ball upfield but can't make inroads too far into the Maroons territory.
63' Huge set from Queensland!
By Simon Smale
Superb kick towards the sideline from Temara after a solid set from the Maroons in their own territory.
Tonegato went over to catch it and was bundled into touch.
Great field position inside the 30 for the Maroons.
61' Brilliant Blues defence
By Simon Smale
Queensland comes close through debutant Romy Teitzel, how is held up over the line and is then forced back.
The Maroons then go backwards at a rate of knots and Tonegato takes the ball out with a typically rambunctious run.
60' Maroons being pushed back, but catch a lucky break
By Simon Smale
Olympic gold medalist Evania Pelite has gone down in a five-player tackle from the Blues inside the Queensland 10.
She is very slow to get up and is limping off with a lower right leg injury.
The Blues defence is superb and they keep the Maroons inside their 20 before Temara kicks.
It's a HUGE kick though and Emma Tonegato knocks the ball on!
Oh that's a huge error in the context of the game!
The Maroons have a scrum 40 metres out from the Blues line.
58' Maroons hold out the Blues
By Simon Smale
Terrific defence at their goal line from the Maroons to hold out Millie Boyle and the rest of the Blues attackers, who pounded at the line with serious intent there.
57' Another error, this time the Maroons!
By Simon Smale
My goodness the Maroons put the ball down now.
This time there was pressure, but the handling has been extremely poor from both teams tonight.
The Blues are on the attack though, hammering at the Maroons line less than 10 metres out.
57' Error Blues!
By Simon Smale
Oh dear, the Blues challenge the Maroons line and try to release Jess Sergis but she drops the ball at serious pace.
56' Error Maroons!
By Simon Smale
Oh but now it's Shannon Mato who coughs it up!
The Blues have excellent field position inside the 30!
55' Error Blues!
By Simon Smale
It's the remaining skipper Kezie Apps who ran back on the inside line and coughed up the ball.
54' Blues come within an inch of scoring!
By Simon Smale
Emma Tonegato came flying through to chase a Jesse Southwell kick, which pretty much just stopped just before the dead in goal.
The Maroons have a drop out.
53' Blues get away with a loose pass
By Simon Smale
The Blues needed a good set after scoring, and they delivered that for a while but then threw a poor pass that went to ground.
Fortunately the Maroons knock on when diving on it and the Blues will have a scrum on half way.
51' Blues hit back!
By Simon Smale
Jaime Chapman dives over in the corner.
The Maroons played the ball out but then lost it forward, handing the ball straight back to the Blues with a scrum on the ten.
Emma Tonegato broke a tackle after Jesse Southwell took the ball to the line off a scrum and her pass to Chapman was perfect and the Blues go over in the corner.
Southwell misses the kick, the Maroons lead is now just 18-10.
The host s are coming!
48' Sergis breaks through, and is taken out!
By Simon Smale
It was a wonderful run from Jessica Sergis through the middle, she chipped the ball over the fullback but then ran into the defender.
The Blues scream for a penalty but there was nothing doing there I don't think.
The Maroons take the ball away from danger.
45' Queensland score in the corner!
By Simon Smale
Julia Robinson has a double!
Queensland shifted the ball to the right side with quick hands, and Shenae Ciesiolka got to the outside of Olivia Kernick and Robinson was able to dot down.
The Maroons lead 18-6 - and every point is vital in this two match series.
The kick from Temara hits the post! That's a handful she's missed now.
Will it be important?
