5 hits and howlers from Game One State of Origin

The opening game of the 2024 State of Origin has been won by the defending champions Queenslanders after New South Wales were reduced to 12 men with a seventh-minute send off.

The Sydney crowd was in full voice at the start of the match, but with Queensland starting the better of the two, they were restless. When Joseph Sua'ali'i was sent off by referee Ashley Klein, the air went out of the stadium.

The Maroons were always going to win from that point, but the Blues intended to make them work for it with brutal defense and a 45-minute period of dominance that had the two sides locked at 20 to 10 until late in the game.

The floodgates opened up as Queensland continually found holes in the tiring defense, although two disallowed tries frustrated the Maroons and gave hope to the Blues, before three late tries sealed the victory.

Here's a look at the hits and howlers from the match:

#5 Hit - Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scores a hat-trick

The Hammer took no time to make himself at home at fullback, backing up to score twice within minutes of the send-off, then again in the final minute to wrap up a thrashing.

#4 Hit - DCE nails a 40-20 in the 55th minute

Just moments after NSW had a brazen 40-20 attempt saved on the touchline by Xavier Coates, Daly Cherry-Evans belted a kick to the opposite touchline that just snuck by the 20-metre line. Queensland failed to capitalize though, with a no-try to forward Nanai disallowed by the video referee.

#3 Howler - Isaah Yeo throws an intercept

The Blues fresh reserve fancied himself as a halfback and Cherry-Evans read his mind, streaking away down the left sideline before kicking infield to set up his teammate under the posts. The game was effectively over a few minutes earlier, but in conceding the late try, the Blues gave up the biggest losing margin at their home stadium in Origin history.

#2 Hit - Ben Hunt put the game away with a solo try

Dozer came off the bench for the final quarter and did it all himself to put the game beyond doubt with a try from a 50-metre run from dummy half straight through the scattered Blues defense as tired legs told late. Hunt silenced the Sydney crowd and celebrated in trademark style by roosting the ball into the crowd.

#1 Howler - Joseph Sua'ali'i's moment of madness

The seventh-minute send-off put New South Wales under the pump from the off. The late and high tackle was dirty and ill-disciplined, with Sua'ali'i going from hometown debutant to "Rugby Defector" as the media reacted to the sin-binning. Commentators argued about it, but the hit was send off worthy beyond a shadow of a doubt and it probably marks the end of the young man's Origin career.