NSW are in the box seat to take out the inaugural three-game women's State of Origin series after a convincing 22-12 victory over Queensland in the series opener at Suncorp Stadium.
Behind enemy lines, the Sky Blues shrugged off concerns prompted by a new halves combination and lack of competitive matches in the lead-up to Thursday night.
They rode a powerful 14-0 first half to victory and now have the chance to close out the historic series with a game in hand when they host the Maroons in Newcastle on June 6.
Kylie Hilder's surprise call to replace teen sensation Jesse Southwell with veteran halfback Rachael Pearson proved a masterstroke.
The 30-year-old drilled a dropout to the sideline that signalled the beginning of NSW's first-half dominance before a record women's Origin crowd of 25,492.
Pearson continued to kick deftly, showing little sign of the calf injury that had hampered her this month, and made a try-saving one-on-one tackle on Tarryn Aiken in the second half as Queensland stormed back into the game.
Outstanding with 108 metres and two line breaks, Sky Blues prop Caitlan Johnston grabbed a short ball from Olivia Higgins and crashed over to put paid to Queensland's comeback with six minutes remaining.
The experienced Maroons had no answers when the visitors shifted the ball at break-neck speed early on.
Usually a centre at club level for Gold Coast, Jaime Chapman was outstanding on the right wing, first tearing away on the line break that put the Sky Blues in position for Emma Tonegato to open the scoring.
Her ball-playing key to the half-time lead, lock Olivia Kernick found Johnston with a short ball and the prop's offload helped fullback Tonegato over the line.
Chapman had her own try when she stepped inside Emily Bass and then burned reigning Dally M Medallist Tamika Upton to run 80 metres and score from a kick return.
Chapman could have had two more tries in the first half had she been able to handle cross-field kicks from Pearson.
The Maroons enjoyed plenty of football after the break and threatened to chase the visitors down, with Upton stepping over for the Maroons' first try after being well contained to that point.
Shortly after Emma Manzelmann spilt the ball ahead of what could have been their second, Johnston struck back for NSW.\
As the NRL looks to clamp down on players making illegal contact with kicker's legs, NSW five-eighth Corban Baxter went on report for a shot on Queensland's Zehara Temara in the first half.