NSW Blues win Series

 New South Wales fullback Abbi Church has praised her teammates for their determination and resilience after the Blues secured back-to-back Ampol Women’s State of Origin series victories with a hard-fought 14-10 win over Queensland at Suncorp Stadium.

The Blues continued their dominant record at Suncorp, overcoming wet conditions and a spirited Queensland performance in front of a passionate crowd.

“It’s always special to win in Queensland and we’re really excited,” Church said after the match.

“I only found out today that Queensland haven’t beaten us at Suncorp, but we knew it was going to be a tough contest. Both teams had plenty to play for, but we stayed committed to each other and managed to get the result.”

The match was filled with momentum swings and tense moments, including a difficult error for Church after misjudging a bomb from Chantay Kiria-Ratu. Despite the setbacks, NSW produced key defensive efforts to hold on for victory.

One of the biggest moments came late in the game when Jesse Southwell pulled off a crucial try-saving tackle after it looked certain Jasmine Peters would score following a spill from Teagan Berry.

“Jesse works so hard for us every game and that tackle was unbelievable,” Church said.

“That’s one of those Origin moments people will remember for a long time. It lifted the whole team and gave us the energy to keep fighting right until the end.”

Church also credited the squad’s attacking adjustments for helping the Blues respond strongly after Queensland briefly took the lead in the second half.

“We’ve got a smart and talented group of players,” she said.

“We didn’t have a lot of time to change things up from Game I, but everyone played their role perfectly. The girls are incredible athletes and they showed that tonight.”

Although NSW has already wrapped up the series, Church said the team remains focused on completing a clean sweep in Game III.

“We had the chance to do it last year but couldn’t finish it off,” she said.

“This year we’ve got another opportunity and we know there’s still plenty to improve on. The job isn’t done yet. We want to win the third game as well, but we know Queensland will come out firing like they always do.”