Cooper Cronk of the Maroons scores the opening try. Photo / Getty Images
Queensland 11 New South Wales 10
A composed Queensland side held their nerve to complete a nail-biting come-from-behind victory in the opening State of Origin encounter at ANZ Stadium.
It took a Cooper Cronk field goal to break a 10-all deadlock six minutes from time while disorganisation from NSW saw them blow their chance to level when Josh Dugan's effort sailed wide.
Blues coach Laurie Daley will now look for answers and a new approach before the two teams meet again in game two in Melbourne on June 17, when the Maroons will look to wrap up a series win in the foreign surrounds of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Queensland started the match strongly and were the first to score through Cronk but the Blues replied swiftly with Josh Morris and Beau Scott crossing to help them to a 10-6 halftime lead.
After holding all the momentum, an error-ridden and undisciplined start to the second-half saw NSW lose their go-forward and hand Queensland the impetus to equalise, with Will Chambers scoring his first Origin try out wide after 55 minutes.
NSW were forced to defend grimly as the visitors engineered three consecutive repeat sets to no avail, before a tip tackle by Trent Merrin gifted the Maroons a long-range penalty with 10 remaining, only for Johnathan Thurston's attempt to fall short.
The Blues then frittered away a piggy-back set that took them within field goal range before Cronk's kick sealed victory.
The win came despite the visitor's struggling for rhythm in attack, particularly down their much-celebrated left-side where centre Greg Inglis - who spent three days in hospital with tonsillitis during the build-up - lacked involvement and confidence.
His opposite, Josh Morris, was one of the Blues' best backs along with fullback Josh Dugan, however much maligned pivot Mitchell Pearce will again come under scrutiny after a sub-par second-half showing.
Up front the visitors were also found wanting as Blues' book-end's James Tamou and Aaron Woods laid the foundation before bench men Andrew Fifita and David Klemmer maintained the momentum through the second quarter before drifting away from their roles in the second-half.
Earlier, Queensland looked to have opened the scoring after eight minutes when Billy Slater got a hand to Johnathan Thurston's grubber to the ingoal but the try was disallowed and NSW were awarded a penalty after replays confirmed the Maroons fullback had interfered with NSW halfback Trent Hodkinson.
A Cameron Smith grubber earned the Maroons a repeat set before they made the Blues pay when Cronk ignored an overlap on the right to dart through the defence and score from close range in the 13th minute with Smith adding the extras off the boot.
The Blues finally clicked into gear from inside their own half when a James Tamou offload found a flying Josh Dugan who kicked ahead for right centre Josh Morris who beat Boyd to the bounce to cross out wide.
Hodkinson then put his stamp on the match when he drifted across to send Beau Scott through a staggered defensive line to score the Blues' second four-pointer, with the No7 converting for a 10-6 lead.
The Blues were in control when the two teams headed to the sheds but the famous Queensland spirit saw the tables turned after the resumption.
NSW 10 (Josh Morris, Beau Scott tries; Trent Hodkinson 1 con)
Queensland 11 (Cooper Cronk, Will Chambers tries, Johnathan Thurston 1 con, Cronk Field goal).