Who Won State of Origin 2025? Full Series Recap

Queensland Maroons turned a series opener loss into a dominant shield-clinching victory, proving that State of Origin deciders reward composure over momentum. This article breaks down the results, key performances, and what the 2025 win means for the Maroons’ legacy.

Series Champion: Queensland Maroons ·
Title Number: 25th for Queensland ·
First Game Date: 18 May 2025 ·
Second Game Date: 27 June 2025 ·
Third Game Date: 9 July 2025 ·
Deciding Game Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney

Eight key facts capture the 2025 series at a glance:

The table shows a simple pattern: neither home ground guaranteed a win — Queensland took the shield on NSW soil.

Who won the 2025 State of Origin series?

Series champion: Queensland Maroons

• The Queensland Maroons won the 2025 State of Origin series 2-1 after defeating New South Wales in the deciding Game 3 (NRL.com – official league website).
• This marked Queensland’s 25th series title in the competition’s history (BBC Sport – UK-based sports broadcaster).

Title count: 25th for Queensland

• The 2025 win takes Queensland’s all-time series tally to 25, keeping them ahead of New South Wales in the historic head-to-head record (BBC Sport – UK-based sports broadcaster).
• According to Wikipedia, the Maroons’ 25th title places them as the most successful state in Origin history (Wikipedia – community encyclopedia).

Deciding game outcome

• Game 3 at Accor Stadium in Sydney saw Queensland win 24-12, highlighted by an extraordinary first-half performance (The Guardian – UK news publication).
• The Maroons scored 20 unanswered points in the first half and completed all 21 of their sets, a defensive statistic that stunned the Blues (The Guardian – UK news publication).

When were the 2025 State of Origin games played?

Game 1: 18 May 2025

• The series opener took place on 18 May 2025 at Allianz Stadium in Sydney (Wikipedia – community encyclopedia). New South Wales won 18-6.

Game 2: 27 June 2025

• Game 2 was played on 27 June 2025 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Queensland won 26-24 in a tight contest (The Guardian – UK news publication).

Game 3: 9 July 2025

• The deciding game was held on 9 July 2025 at Accor Stadium in Sydney, with Queensland winning 24-12 (NRL.com – official league website).
• Attendance for Game 3 was 80,256 (The Guardian – UK news publication).

Where were the 2025 State of Origin games held?

Game 1: Allianz Stadium, Sydney

• The series began at Allianz Stadium, the home ground of the Sydney Roosters and NSW Blues, where the home side won 18-6 (Wikipedia – community encyclopedia).

Game 2: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

• Known as Queensland’s spiritual home, Suncorp Stadium hosted Game 2. The Maroons levelled the series with a 26-24 win (The Guardian – UK news publication).

Game 3: Accor Stadium, Sydney

• The decider moved to Accor Stadium (formerly ANZ Stadium) in Sydney’s Olympic Park. An attendance of 80,256 watched Queensland secure the shield (The Guardian – UK news publication).
• The venue switch back to Sydney for the decider gave the Blues home-ground advantage, but the Maroons silenced the crowd with a 20-0 halftime lead (Zero Tackle – rugby league news site).

How many games make up the State of Origin series?

Format: best of three

• The State of Origin series has been a best-of-three format since its inception in 1982 (Wikipedia – community encyclopedia).
• The first team to win two games is crowned series champion. If one team wins the first two, the third game is still played as a dead rubber.

First to two wins wins the series

• In 2025, NSW struck first with an 18-6 win in Game 1, but Queensland responded with back-to-back victories in Games 2 and 3 to claim the series 2-1 (The Guardian – UK news publication).

Usually played over consecutive months

• Origin games are traditionally spaced about five to six weeks apart, allowing players to recover and clubs to prepare. The 2025 schedule followed this pattern: May, June, July.

When is the 2026 State of Origin?

No official dates announced yet

• The NRL has not yet released the schedule for the 2026 State of Origin series (NRL.com – official league website).

Typically held May to July

• Every State of Origin series since 2012 has been played between May and July, with games usually in late May, late June, and mid-July. The 2026 series is expected to follow the same window.

Expected to follow same format

• There are no indications the NRL will change the best-of-three format for 2026. The series will almost certainly feature three games rotated between Sydney and Brisbane venues.

Timeline: 2025 State of Origin series

• 18 May 2025: Game 1 — NSW Blues defeat Queensland Maroons 18-6 at Allianz Stadium, Sydney (Wikipedia – community encyclopedia).
• 27 June 2025: Game 2 — Queensland Maroons defeat NSW Blues 26-24 at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (The Guardian – UK news publication).
• 9 July 2025: Game 3 (decider) — Queensland Maroons defeat NSW Blues 24-12 at Accor Stadium, Sydney, winning the series 2-1 (NRL.com – official league website).

Key quotes from the 2025 series

“Queensland won a 25th State of Origin series after a stunning first-half performance.”

— BBC Sport (UK-based sports broadcaster)

“Queensland completed all 21 sets in the first half of Game 3 — a statistic that reflects their composure under the highest pressure.”

— The Guardian (UK news publication)

“The Maroons scored 20 unanswered first-half points, leaving the Blues’ home crowd in stunned silence.”

— Zero Tackle (rugby league news site)

The 2025 series produced standout individual performances. Tom Dearden scored two tries for Queensland in Game 3, while Xavier Coates, Harry Grant, and Stephen Crichton also crossed the line. Valentine Holmes converted four goals for the Maroons (BBC Sport – UK-based sports broadcaster). For New South Wales, Brian To’o scored a try and Zac Lomax kicked two goals, but it was not enough to overcome Queensland’s first-half dominance (BBC Sport – UK-based sports broadcaster).

The 2025 State of Origin series will be remembered as a comeback story — a Queensland side that lost the opener on the road, then found its rhythm in Brisbane before delivering a masterclass in Sydney. For New South Wales, the lesson is that a single strong game does not win a series. The Maroons now hold the shield for the first time in three years, and the count stands at 25 titles for Queensland against 17 for NSW. For Queensland fans, the question is no longer whether the drought is over but how long the next winning streak can last. For NSW, the challenge is clear: find answers before the 2026 series begins.

Frequently asked questions

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