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Sport Nation
NSW Player Ratings: State of Origin Game I
Sam Kosack • May 29th, 2025 12:26 am
The Blues have won / lost State of Origin I up at Suncorp Stadium.
ONe-sentence review
Star player / key loser
1. Dylan Edwards - 8
Showed why he is the incumbent. Edwards was strong without being gamebreaking but was well-rewarded for his superb performance with a try to seal the deal. He might not be as flashy as some other fullbacks in the league, but is certainly the most solid.
2. Brian To'o - 6.5
Coming into this game with one match under his belt, you’d forgive Brian To’o for not being at his absolute best, but he showed no sign of his injury, running for a trademark 228 metres. To’o struggled in the air against his much taller opponent, Xavier Coates, but always found a way to stop Coates from capitalising on his advantage. Even if one of those methods saw him sin binned.
3. Stephen Crichton - 7.5
All week, the news was fixated on Crichton’s health. He came into camp with an injury, he walked into the game with a different injury after a corked quad threatened to rule him out. But Crichton showed no sign he was ever hampered, with a crisp final pass to Zac Lomax for the first try and locked down Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, completely silencing the Queenslander speedster.
4. Latrell Mitchell - 7
Beautiful set of hands to Brian To’o to put his winger over for the second try but was in a very equal battle with Toia all night. Showed why he can be an elite centre in the game, if he wasn’t as good of a fullback.
5. Zac Lomax - 9.5
Man of the match without question. Two tries, 210 metres, two line breaks. There was nothing he couldn’t do. And to think he doesn’t want to be a winger.
6. Mitchell Moses - 7
Was strong without being as spectacular as his Game III heroics in 2024. Played the perfect second fiddle to Nathan Cleary’s game manager.
7. Nathan Cleary - 8
Struggled with the goal kicking but was otherwise solid. Walked into this clash with plenty of doubts over whether he could dominate in the Origin arena. A few more games like that and those doubts will be long forgotten.
8. Mitchell Barnett - 7
A massive first stint for the Blues which helped lay the platform for their first half dominance. Two 20 minute stints for the Warriors’ skipper, but that’s all that was needed. A massive 41 tackles helped lock down the Blues middle.
9. Reece Robson - 7
Ran more than he normally would at club footy and it helped the Blues control the momentum when they got on the front foot. Completely outplayed his Queensland counterpart.
10. Payne Haas - 8
Does the man ever stop? A massive effort from Payne Haas, once again proving he is the game’s best prop. 30 tackles with no misses and 154 metres was massively important for the Blues, and he had a hand in Lomax’s first try.
11. Liam Martin - 7.5
A classic Origin performance from Liam Martin as he terrorised Maroons players. Smacking people for fun in defence, ripping through them in attack. No matter Liam Martin’s club form, he’s proven you pick him in Origin.
12. Angus Crichton - 8.5
Long gone are the days of Angus Crichton starting in reserve grade. He has more than shown he owns this arena as an elite second rower in our game. A huge run to help put the Blues over for the first try.
13. Isaah Yeo - 8.5
First game as captain and has locked down the starting 13 jersey for the Blues. It was a proper captain’s knock from Isaah Yeo. Long gone are the days of Yeo coming off the bench at Origin level.
14. Connor Watson - 6.5
Didn’t get a lot of game time but laid on the final pass for Dylan Edwards’ try. Built up excitement after being on the bench for so long can be attributed to his first error, but he settled into the match and proved his worth as a bench utility for the Blues.
15. Spencer Leniu - 5.5
Desperately wanted the back fence run off a kick off, and we desperately wanted one from him, but alas. Limited minutes to have his impact but did himself no harm. You could see the Queenslanders wanted a bar of him, but the prior build-up ultimately didn’t pay off.
16. Hudson Young - 6.5
Probably Hudson Young’s best game at Origin level. Came on in the second half and began to get over the top of a tiring Maroons defence. Laurie Daley has found the way to use Young.
17. Max King - 7
A surprise selection for Game I, but proved why he belonged in the arena. Tackled hard, ran hard, and was rock solid through the middle, ensuring the Blues never wavered in his stint while Haas and Barnett were off.
