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Posted: 2024-06-06 08:14:44

A 69th-minute field goal to Lauren Brown has delivered Queensland one of their finest wins in Women's State of Origin history with the Maroons downing New South Wales 11-10 in Newcastle.

In atrocious conditions, Brown's strike was true from 25 metres out in the dying stages as the Queenslanders upset the Newcastle crowd of 25,872, a new record for a women's rugby league game.

Despite the persistent driving rain, the locals had plenty to cheer for early, with the Sky Blues dominating the first half, but only coming away with one Keeley Davis try to take a 6-0 lead into the break.

Queensland did not get on the board until Shenae Ciesiolka crashed over with 16 minutes left and Brown shanked the potentially game-tying conversion from the sideline.

NSW answered back when Tiana Penitani scored what looked like a series winner in th 59th minute, but the Maroons regathered off the kick-off as Romy Teitzel skidded a ball into touch, and five-eighth Tarryn Aiken crossed for a brilliant solo effort, crucially right next to the posts.

Brown made no mistake with that conversion to levels scores at 10, then booted the game-winner with just under two minutes left in the match to take the lead for the first time across the two games so far.

Queensland Maroons' Lauren Brown kicks a field goal to win Women's State of Origin II.

Lauren Brown was initially named at centre before her game-winning turn at hooker.(Getty Images: Cameron Spencer)

She also snatched the short kick-off as the Maroons ran down the clock to tie things up at one game apiece.

"She's just a clutch player," Maroons captain Ali Brigginshaw told ABC Sport.

"She's a utility, she can play any position and, oh god, I love her."

Brown's game-winner means the first three-game women's series will go to a decider, a far cry from the awkward scenes after last year's two-game series was decided on points differential.

"This is why we need that three-game series. It just proves that," NSW captain Kezie Apps told ABC Sport.

"Very exciting for us and the women's game in general."

The third game will be played in Townsville on June 27, and while NSW coach Kylie Hilder was devastated to watch her team miss a chance to win the series in Newcastle, she could not deny her excitement at the prospect of a decider.

"It's great for the game," she said in her post-match press conference.

"It's 1-1 and we get to get up to Townsville and try to get the shield up in Queensland.

"We seem to play better up in Queensland anyway; don't go so great in our own state."

Look back at all the action from Game II in Newcastle as it happened in our live blog below and check out all the stats in our ScoreCentre.

Women's State of Origin II at Hunter Stadium

We'll sign off there

Shannon Mato and Jessika Elliston hug after winning Women's State of Origin II.
(Getty)

It was messy, it was tight, it was unpredictable and it was thrilling.

Tahnee Norris probably summed it up best as "insane" and "true Origin football".

Congratulations to Lauren Brown and Queensland, and it just feels right that this historic series goes to a decider.

I can't wait, and we'll see you in Townsville!

Player of the match: Shannon Mato

In a game like that, it was always going to go to a forward and the Gold Coast Titans prop was so powerful through the middle of the field for Queensland.

Maroons coach beaming with pride after gutsy win

Queensland Maroons coach Tahnee Norris hugs player Destiny Brill.
(Getty)

Queensland coach Tahnee Norris can finally breathe again.

"That was insane. That's true Origin football.

"It's so good for our game to play a game of footy like that. I'm so proud of them."

And on the superstar Lauren Brown...

"Gotta love the fact she can kick a footy, ey. To win a game like that through a field goal, it's insane."

Maroons skipper Ali Brigginshaw, like so many other people who've spoken tonight, is clearly excited with that's ahead of them in Townsville.

"I just love women's rugby league. ... It's for all those girls that have worn that jersey before.

"After the game Queensland and NSW come together, there's no animosity. We're here to make women's rugby league better."

NSW coach gutted but it's 'great for the game' to go to a decider

NSW coach Kylie Hilder says it's a tough loss to swallow after her Sky Blues were on top for so much of the game.

"We were so dominant for the majority of that game."

But she acknowledges "it's great for the first [three-game] series to go to a decider".

"Great for the game, it's 1-1 and we get to get up to Townsville and try to get the shield up in Queensland. We seem to play better up in Queensland anyway; don't go so great in our own state."

Hilder is keen to see her team up in Townsville. She says the Sky Blues are much more suited to a dry, fast track than the quagmire we saw tonight.

"I think the conditions really brought Queensland back into the game."

The magic moments

Lauren Brown of Queensland Maroons kicks a field goal in Women's Origin II.
(Getty)
Lauren Brown points to the sky after kicking a game-winning field goal in Women's State of Origin II.
(Getty)
Queensland Maroons captain Ali Brigginshaw puts her hands on her head after winning State of Origin II.
(Getty)

'This is why we need that three-game series'

Kezie Apps makes a run with the football for NSW Sky Blues in Women's State of Origin.
(Getty)

NSW co-captain Kezie Apps raises the obvious point: Imagine if this was the finale like it was last year.

Yuck. Thank the old gods and the new that we're heading to Townsville for a decider.

"This is why we need that three-game series. It just proves that," Apps tells ABC Sport.

"Very exciting for us and the women's game in general."

The woman of the moment

Game-winning Maroons superstar Lauren Brown is speaking to former Queensland captain Karina Brown on ABC Sport.

"Yeah, look, I was like 'we've got one chance at this, we probably won't get the ball back'.

"I'm just lucky it went over. It was just high enough and snuck over the bar."

Queensland has levelled the series with a miraculous 11-10 win!

Queensland Maroons hug after winning Women's State of Origin II.
(Getty)

What an absolutely stunning result with just so many heroes standing up for this Queensland Maroons team, but Lauren Brown will remember that game-winning, series-levelling field goal for a long time.

"She's just a clutch player," Maroons captain Ali Brigginshaw tells ABC Sport.

"She's a utility, she can play any position and, oh god, I love her.

"I'm so proud to be a Queenslander."

QUEENSLAND HITS THE FRONT WITH A LAUREN BROWN FIELD GOAL!

The Maroons' utility gets the ball off the ruck with no momentum, it's down low in horrid conditions and she just stands up and belts a potentially game-winning field goal!!

3 minutes left: The Maroons aim up in defence

The kick chase is brilliant from Queensland, presenting Emma Tonegato with a maroon wall and caging her in.

And Caitlan Johnston knocks on on halfway! The Maroons get the all 55 metres out as we head into the final three minutes.

5 minutes left

Field goals in these conditions are near enough to impossible. This will almost certainly need to be a try to break this deadlock, otherwise we're off to extra time.

LAUREN BROWN EQUALISES!

She converts and we're tied at 10 with seven minutes to go!

TARRYN AIKEN HAS SPIDERS ON HER! Queensland is in again!!

The Maroons five-eighth skips across the field, shows twice and goes, beating Game I player of the match Yasmin Clydsdale one on one and diving over next to the posts.

61' Clutch kick-off from Queensland

Romy Teitzel belts the kick-off low and off the outside of her boot and it skids across this ice rink of a surface and into touch.

Maroons are back in possession.

Another missed conversion and the Maroons are still in the fight

Rachael Pearson slips over while place kicking for the second time tonight and it remains 10-4.

The Sky Blues go over and that might be the series!

Jess Sergis comes up with a brilliant steal on Julia Robinson 20 metres away from the tryline and NSW spins it left, with Corban Baxter looping a cut-out pass to the left wing, where Tiana Penitani makes a great grab and dives over in the left corner.

"Origin is won on big moments and that was a huge moment from Sergis, stealing that ball," Karina Brown says on the sideline for ABC Sport.

Lauren Brown can't equalise

Horrible kicking conditions and the Queensland utility badly hooks her attempt from out on the right wing.

The Maroons trail 6-4 with 15 minutes left.

QUEENSLAND HITS THE SCOREBOARD!

A powerful charge from Tazmin Rapana bends the defence back and Ali Brigginshaw takes it on the short right side and hits Shenae Ciesiolka with a brilliant cut-out pass to crash over.

54' Maroons get some help out of their end in 'horrendous' conditions

You know how I said the rain stopped earlier in the half? That is very much no longer true.

"Conditions are horrendous. It's making it very hard for the girls to hold the ball," former Maroons captain Karina Brown says on the sideline for ABC Sport.

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