'That's true Origin football': Reaction to Maroons' win and a record crowd

There was Shannon Mato's ponytail grab to stop Newcastle and NSW second-rower Yasmin Clydsdale, Caitlan Johnston's bone-rattling hits on any Queenslander in her sights, Romy Teitzel's clever kick-off over the sideline after NSW had taken a 10-4 lead then Lauren Brown's field goal with the clock winding down to seal an 11-10 Maroons' win.

It was one for the ages with the result ensuring the women's first-ever, best-of-three State of Origin series would be decided in Townsville on June 27.

But the biggest talking point post-match from both changerooms, ecstasy and agony aside, was how Newcastle had turned up in miserable, rain-soaked and cold conditions to ensure a women's Origin record attendance of 25,782.

The figure bettered the 25,492 who turned out for game one on the eve of NRL Magic Round in Brisbane on May 16.

"It's incredible that this many people are showing up and that Newcastle have shown up for us like that in the wet, even though we weren't getting too many cheers; it's amazing for women's rugby league," Newcastle Knights and Queensland fullback Tamika Upton said.

"Newcastle is amazing. They always turn up rain, hail or shine. Through the week, they were coming up to us and saying either 'Go Queensland', or 'Go NSW'.

"You can feel the build-up, and you can feel the excitement ... we have to have footy games here."

Rain started rolling in a couple of hours before kick-off, and so did the fans.

"It just shows where women's rugby league is and, more importantly, that people actually want to come watch," Upton said.

"I actually took a moment when we arrived at five-thirty, about two hours before kick-off, and there was people in the stands and that's unheard of for women's rugby league.

"Usually the doors are being opened a bit later. But they were already in there, two hours early, in the wet and it's incredible."

With a sea of mostly blue under the ponchos and umbrellas, Newcastle stated a strong case to be a permanent fixture on the women's State of Origin series.

"We were really lucky to warm up in it and get a feel for the crowd ... when we ran out, the roar was unbelievable and it was brave for them to come out in these conditions," NSW co-captain Kezie Apps said.

"It's exciting for our women's game to be growing and fans loving our game and wanting to come and support us, and that's what we want. Hopefully, Townsville can be another record and a sell-out up there."

While the pain was still raw for NSW, who had dominated large portions of play on Thursday night, a decider in Townsville seems almost fitting after the Sky Blues won there in the second game of a two-match series last year only for Queensland to take the shield on points aggregate.

"Last year was really unfortunate the way it ended and I'm not going to lie and say that doesn't still sting and still hurt that we lost last year's series," Apps said.

"Tonight is not how we wanted it to go and there's a lot of disappointed girls in that changeroom, very hard critics on themselves and especially in front of our home fans as well."

NSW coach Kylie Hilder felt the rain, which fell non-stop throughout the game, stifled the Sky Blues' natural game after they had set up a 22-12 Origin I win in Brisbane with fast-paced and "expansive" play.

"It was a tough one, really tough conditions," Hilder said post-match.

"There's obviously a lot of disappointment in the sheds at the moment. The game was there for us to take in several different stages. It didn't happen. That's footy.

"In hindsight, it's great for the first series to go to a decider up in Townsville ... They'll be ready and raring to have redemption in Townsville in a few weeks time, especially with the memories of Queensland celebrating after it was a one-all draw last year."

Queensland captain Ali Brigginshaw, who was shifted from lock into halfback for game II, rated the game as "up there" and expected both teams to go to another level in North Queensland.

"That has to be up there, knowing that our backs were against the wall after game one," Brigginshaw said.

"No one probably gave us any hope at all. We were written off, which as Queenslanders, we didn't like ... we knew we'd have 25,000 people against us and that it was just up to us and we did it tonight.

"I thanked Newcastle earlier on in the week, just for showing up and being our first-ever sell-out. Unbelievable for the game. After the game, Queensland and NSW come together and said, 'What a moment that was.'

"There's no animosity there. We're here to make women's rugby league better and together we do that."

Queensland coach Tahnee Norris was much happier with the Newcastle performance than in Brisbane.

"They just gutsed it out for the full 70 minutes, and we spoke about that from the first game," Norris said.

"We needed to be better for the full 70 and they showed that tonight. That was insane. That's true Origin football. That's so good for our game. To play a game of footy like that for the crowd."