State of Origin I Player Ratings: Blues Dominate as Maroons Falter in Game One

Blues Outclass Maroons in State of Origin I

Barely anyone expected the opening match of the 2025 State of Origin series to tilt so clearly in New South Wales' favor. The Blues rolled over Queensland 18-6, flexing their muscle with a mixture of grit and brilliance—especially where it counted most. The clash delivered some gutsy performances, but it also shone a giant spotlight on glaring gaps in the Maroons lineup that aren't easy to brush off.

If you were watching for individual brilliance, Zac Lomax was impossible to ignore. Given a top mark of 9/10, Lomax led both the attacking charge and covered cracks in defense. Try as Queensland might, they couldn’t pin him down. Meanwhile, Brian To'o (8/10) nearly wore grooves into the Suncorp turf, thundering through for more than 200 running metres and nabbing a pivotal try—even after a stint in the sin bin for a professional foul. By the end, his physicality wore down Queensland’s edge.

Another steady hand at the back was Dylan Edwards (7.5/10), whose late try put a full stop on the result. Every time Queensland sniffed an opportunity, Edwards boxed clever, scooping up loose balls and making safe exits. He wasn’t alone—Stephen Crichton played through obvious discomfort, but managed to set up To'o’s crucial first-half try. It's these small details, guts-over-glory actions that separated the Blues.

Latrell Mitchell (7.5/10) had flashes of that old fire, mixing a handful of tough carries with some risky plays. On the other hand, Mitchell Moses (6.5/10) looked rushed. The Queensland defensive line hunted him all night, and while he stitched together some sets, the game felt like it sped past him at the big moments. Still, with the forwards laying a great platform, Moses had the room to keep his cool more than his Maroons rivals did.

Queensland’s Trio Falters, Coates Stands Tall

Now for the Maroons. The biggest eyebrow-raiser? Kalyn Ponga (4/10). He just couldn’t spark anything. Half-chances fizzled out, and tackles raced up to greet him before he could get rolling. Even bucketloads of Origin hype couldn’t hide that Ponga was off his game—and Queensland had no Plan B when he fell flat.

Xavier Coates (7.5/10) was a rare bright spot, brushing off defenders with every run and bagging his team’s only try. The energy he brought after each touch gave the crowd something to cheer. Debutant Robert Toia (6.5/10) had his moments, but nerves and inexperience showed when it mattered. For a kid thrown into the Origin furnace, he didn’t go missing, but the big plays just didn’t stick.

Then there’s the halves. Cameron Munster and Daly Cherry-Evans are meant to run this team, but they looked lost. Errant passes, mistimed kicks, and a sheer lack of direction hamstrung any hope Queensland had of pressing their advantage. Harry Grant, usually dangerous at dummy-half, was so ineffectual that Tom Dearden came on to try to patch things up. Nothing stuck—almost every attack bled energy rather than building momentum.

A big part of the problem was Queensland’s defensive edge. Line breaks for the Blues came too easy, and the Maroons’ backline was left scrambling. While State of Origin tradition says every match is a war of inches, this one felt like the Blues had mapped out every move while Queensland were stuck in the mud. With Game Two lurking, the Maroons will need to rip their attack apart and find answers fast if they want to draw the series level.