Brett Finch kicks the winning point for New South Wales in Sydney

Finch landed a 40m drop goal with a minute left on the clock, just when it appeared that extra time was guaranteed after a remarkable Queensland comeback.

The visitors recovered from 14-0 down after just 15 minutes to level the game at 16-16 with three minutes left.

But then Finch, called up just 24 hours earlier, struck to take the win.

Finch, the fourth-choice scrum-half, had got the Blues on the board in the 10th minute when he finished off a pitch-length breakaway after Brent Tate failed to hold a pass.

Matt King doubled the lead when Mark Gasnier's neat work led to an overlap on the right which King exploited to the full.

Willie Mason then hammered through three tackles to go under the posts and complete a horror opening for Queensland.

Mason was causing havoc every time he received the ball, drawing defenders in and crossing the gain line again and again.

The Maroons' lack of experience seemed to have scuppered their hopes as they went in at the break trailing 14-0.

But a bright opening to the second period gave the visitors hope.

Attack of nerves

19-year-old Greg Inglis, the youngest player in Origin history, gave Queensland hope with 25 minutes to go when he fought off Gasnier to dive over in the left hand corner.

NSW then suffered an attack of nerves, turning the ball over and failing to use their set of six on several occasions.

Darren Lockyer then spilt the ball with Queensland closing in on the Blues' line to ease the pressure on the hosts.

It was harsh on Lockyer, who was awesome in defence all night and kept his side in the game.

And it was Lockyer who seized on a Hodgson error with 10 minutes to go to put Inglis in for his second try and set up a frenetic finale.

First Steven Bell barrelled through to bring Queensland to within two points - and then Johnathan Thurston landed a 40m kick from the right touchline to seemingly take the game into extra time.

But there was still time for Finch to strike right at the death and send the Telstra Stadium crowd into ecstasy.

New South Wales: Hodgson, King, Gasnier, Tahu, Grothe, Anasta, Finch, Mason, Buderus, Kite, Hindmarsh, Simpson, O'Donnell.
Replacements: Wing, Menzies, O'Meley, Ryan.