QUEENSLAND’S latest State of Origin era has begun, with Kevin Walters’ new-look Maroons scoring a gripping 6-4 win over NSW in Sydney to take a 1-0 lead in this year’s series.

All the questions about how Queensland would fare in the post-Mal Meninga era have been answered, with the gutsy Maroons repelling wave after wave of Blues attack to score a crucial win at ANZ Stadium, a ground that has been a Maroons graveyard for so many years.

For all the incredible success that Big Mal enjoyed during his 10-year reign as coach, there is one thing he was not able to do – win his first game as Queensland coach.

Walters has now done that, and as a result the Maroons now have one hand on the shield, with Origin II at Suncorp Stadium looming as the place where rugby league’s most prized possession will return to Queensland’s keeping for the 10th time in 11 seasons.

The game will not go down as an Origin classic, with a typically dour series-opener delivering just one try for each side, and a remarkable scoreless second half.

But that will not matter one bit to the Queenslanders, with the positives far outweighing anything on the scoreboard.

Aside from Walters’ winning debut and an early series lead, the game also marked skipper Cameron Smith’s record-breaking 37th Origin appearance, breaking the record set by his predecessor as Maroons captain, Darren Lockyer.

Matt Gillett produced his most dominant display in a Queensland jersey, winning the man of the match award, but it must have been a photo finish between him, Darius Boyd and Dane Gagai for the honour.

Boyd was tremendous all night for the Maroons in his first game as Queensland fullback, with a complete performance in the No.1 jersey.

Gagai was no less brilliant, delivering a heroic workload off the wing to take the pressure off his forwards and scoring Queensland’s only try in the shadows of halftime.

The rookies too stood up to be counted in their first game, with Justin O’Neill in particular excelling in defence – an area of his game where he once lacked confidence.

That was a distant memory with his classic ball-and-all try-saver on Michael Jennings in the first half.

Cooper Cronk, who spent most of the week leading up to the game under an injury cloud with his rolled ankle, steered the team around the park as usual, playing out the full 80 minutes.

That may have been out of necessity more than anything, given the Maroons lost utility Michael Morgan for the final 30 minutes of the game after he was steamrolled by Blues prop David Klemmer.

Morgan was clearly concussed, was taken from the field, and did not return.

Injured fullback Billy Slater, doing commentary for Channel 9, revealed before the game the mission statement for the Maroons had been “don’t let your mate down, don’t let your state down”.

That mantra was upheld with an incredible display in defence, with the Queenslanders holding the Maroon wall firm and keeping NSW scoreless for almost the last hour of the game.

Walters, with the pressure valve now released after his first game as Maroons coach, admitted the Maroons had received the rub of the green with some calls going their way.

But he could not mask his pride in the performance of his new-look team.

“I’m so happy for this group of players. They keep getting thrown challenges and coming up with a win,” Walters said after the game.

“As a Queensland person, it’s a privilege to work with these guys.

“We did get some nice calls, some favourable calls and you do need a bit of luck at this level. But you make your own luck too, all of those 50-50 calls certainly went Queensland’s way.”

QUEENSLAND 6 (D Gagai try J Thurston goal) d NEW SOUTH WALES 4 (B Cordner try) at ANZ Stadium. Referee: Gerard Sutton, Ben Cummins. Crowd: 80,251.