Fullback Billy Slater scored a try with six minutes left to give Queensland a 16-12 win over New South Wales last night in the State of Origin opener between the often bitter Australian rugby league rivals.
Slater's 10th Origin try came two minutes after New South Wales took a short-lived lead in the first of three matches, before more than 52,000 fans at Suncorp Stadium.
Queensland are trying to send longtime captain Darren Lockyer into retirement with a sixth successive Origin series victory.
Lockyer fed an inside ball to Slater to grab the lead back for the home side. The 34-year-old Lockyer joined Maroons star Allan Langer in a record-tying 34 Origin games.
"We thought we were pretty composed, we had about 10 minutes there where we lapsed and they got a couple of tries, but it was a great effort to come back," Lockyer said. "Had we have gotten beaten tonight and gone to Sydney there would've been a lot of pressure on."
New South Wales scored twice in four minutes to lead 12-10 in the 69th minute.
Queensland scored three tries to two through Johnathan Thurston, Jharal Yow Yeh and Slater, with Thurston kicking two from four. Mitchell Pearce and Michael Jennings scored New South Wales' late tries, both converted by Jamie Soward.
"To hit the front with 10 minutes to go was tremendous, but you just can't knock off for half a second and that's what happens," said New South Wales captain Paul Gallen. "Their kicking game was better than ours. I don't know how many dropouts they had but I don't think we had one."
The second match is scheduled for June 15 at the former Olympic stadium in Sydney, followed by the third on July 6 in Brisbane. The third match, like the first in Brisbane, is a sellout.
Queensland 16 (Billy Slater, Johnathan Thurston, Jharal Yow Yeh tries; Thurston 2 goals), New South Wales 12 (Michael Jennings, Mitchell Pearce tries; Jamie Soward 2 goals). HT: 6-0.
