U19s State of Origin wrap: The 'brilliant' enforcers and classy halves knocking on the door of NRL stardom

Queensland took out the U19s State of Origin for the first time ever, holding on for a narrow victory on Thursday night against the NSW Blues.

The underdogs raced to a first-half lead, but were almost ran down in a gripping affair.

In the end, a clutch sideline conversion from Javon Andrews proved the difference as the Maroons lifted the shield following a nail-biting 23-22 triumph.

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In the women's clash, NSW continued their dominance at this level with a clinical 26-10 victory, overcoming an early scare to lift the shield once again.

There were plenty of standout performers across the two matches. Here's who starred throughout the night at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

Watch the 2025 State of Origin series exclusively live and free on Nine and 9Now.

MEN'S U19s ORIGIN

Jacob Halangahu - NSW Blues/St George Illawarra Dragons

This kid is a genuine rugby league handful and showed as much on Thursday night.

With a hulking frame akin to David Fifita, the young Dragons powerhouse dragged the opposition defenders with him every time he got his hands on the ball.

Halangahu found himself through a hole in the first half and beat multiple Maroons players on his way to the tryline and celebrated in emotional fashion.

It was more of the same in the second stanza and Halangahu was quite comfortably among the best and most dangerous players on the paddock.

The back-rower has played the majority of the 2025 season to date in NSW Cup and given how things have been tracking in Wollongong, there's a very real chance that Halangahu will make his first grade debut at the back-end of the campaign.

Dragons teammate Cyrus Stanley-Traill showed some promising signs off the bench in his limited opportunities and even managed to bag himself a vital try for his state.

Oliva Smith - QLD Maroons/Canterbury Bulldogs

Speaking of handfuls - where did this bloke come from?

While he wasn't coming into the game with the same amount of raps as some of the other teenage stars, Smith stood up in an inspired first-half spell for Queensland.

The hard-running Bulldogs prop made a linebreak that got the crowd on their feet and was destructive with the footy, busting through tackles for fun.

"He has been brilliant tonight - high work rate, great leg speed," Phil Gould said on Nine.

Smith didn't skip a beat when he came back onto the field in the second half and proved to be one of Queensland's best in a stacked cast.

One moment in particular will have Cameron Ciraldo smiling from ear-to-ear as Smith led a kick chase and trapped Blues fullback Connor Votano in the in-goal area.

The towering prop has been plying his trade in Canterbury's Jersey Flegg side in recent times and will no doubt shoot up the grades if this performance was anything to go by.

One of the Maroons' other middle-forwards, Cooper Bai - the son of former Storm star Marcus - was tremendous and scored the opening try for his side.

Mitchell Woods - NSW Blues/Canterbury Bulldogs

He was the man everyone wanted to see play in this U19s Origin clash and Woods didn't disappoint, orchestrating a comeback that ultimately fell flat for the Blues.

The multi-talented teenager, who starred in rugby union and AFL at the schoolboy level before signing long-term with Canterbury, was in just about everything.

Woods ran the ball with confidence and his trademark kicking game was on point as expected, while also being denied a try in controversial fashion by the Bunker.

But it was one moment that set the stage for the victory, where the halfback showcased his crisp ball-playing, hitting Copy Hopwood out the back of block shape.

It was the same type of deception that the likes of Nathan Cleary and Isaiya Katoa have become famous for in the top grade and Woods' time in the NRL isn't far away.

Woods' night ended early when he was forced off for an HIA in a moment that left Dogs boss Gould scratching his head.

"He didn't get hit in the head - you can get hurt without getting hit in the head," he said.

"He is absolutely filthy."

The other playmaker - Roosters SG Ball winner Toby Rodwell - was high quality as well, setting up a couple of tries for the Blues as they lost by the barest of margins.

Coby Black - QLD Maroons/Brisbane Broncos

The other main man in the under-age Origin fixture was the Maroons halfback and captain and he certainly didn't disappoint either.

Showed the type of class that has many up north earmarking Black as the long-term successor to Adam Reynolds as the No.7 for the Broncos.

The highly-touted playmaker had his fingerprints on everything for his side, including a brave field goal right before the break that put the Maroons ahead by seven points.

Just moments after the break, Black found himself in the right place at the right time in broken play - as all good players do - before beating a couple of Blues to score a try in the corner and extend Queensland's lead even further.

Black's night was sadly cut short after copping a head knock, forcing him from the field with 20 minutes remaining.

"He's been the main one, he's been their sole organiser," Brad Fittler said on Nine.

Even after he left the field though, Black's influence was still felt in the result as the Maroons ended up one-point victors thanks to his shot in the 34th minute.

His halves partner Javon Andrews was awarded the official Man of the Match honours at full time after a strong showing and the game-winning conversion.

"He played a big part in the result," Fittler said after the game.

Raymond Puru - QLD Maroons/Gold Coast Titans

Special mention must also go to the fleet-footed Maroons fullback, who caused havoc around the ruck and with second-phase play for 70 minutes.

Puru had a hand in some key moments for his side and earned high praise from one of the game's best judges of talent in Gould after the match.

"I thought the best player on the field was Raymond Puru - the little Queensland fullback," he said on Nine's post-game show.

"He was dynamic in everything that he did. He got them a few times and put them on the front foot. He's not a big kid either, but he was really good."

WOMEN'S U19s ORIGIN

Kasey Reh - Blues/Dragons

The niece of former Kangaroos stars Brett and Glenn Stewart, the gun playmaker is undoubtedly one of the best young female talents in rugby league.

Despite still being eligible for the U19s side, the classy Dragons halfback already has a full season of NRLW under her belt and took out Dally M Rookie of the Year honours.

Lining up in the No.7 jumper on Thursday night in her second appearance for the Blues, the 19-year-old orchestrated things with the poise of a far more experienced player.

A towering bomb in the first half forced an error from the Maroons and her kicking game was a major bonus for NSW as they took the lead into half time.

"She is just a natural ball-kicker and that's so exciting for the future of women's footy," Allana Ferguson said on the Nine broadcast.

"The fatigue her kicking game has brought ... they have been able to apply pressure."

With the game in the balance and Queensland mounting a comeback, Reh backed up through the middle after some nice second-phase play to score under the posts.

"That was brilliant support play," Ferguson said.

Reh is signed until the end of 2026 and is a player that Dragons fans can get excited about, alongside gun centre Indie Bostock - younger sister of Dolphins flyer Jack - and prop Bronte Wilson, who scored the opening try for the Blues.

"I'm really excited to get into it - we're not too far away," she told Nine post-game.

Phoenix-Raine Hippi - Maroons/Titans

One player who showed plenty of the bone-rattling defence State of Origin became known for was the Maroons centre, who reeled off some huge hits on Thursday night.

The centre saved a try for Queensland in the first half, showing absolutely no regard for her own body and continued to crunch her Blues rivals for the entire 60 minutes.

"Technically, she is unbelievable," Ferguson said.

Hippi's opposing centre - the aforementioned Bostock - barely got a chance to make inroads due to the defensive physicality.

With ball in hand, Hippi always looked dangerous and her powerful frame makes her a handful for opposition defenders.

Hippi is signed with the Gold Coast Titans and is certainly one to keep an eye on.

Tyra Ekepati - Blues/Roosters

A genuine X-factor player for the Blues was another centre in Ekepati.

The young tearaway scored a cracking solo try in the 26th minute to give the Blues a steady half-time lead and continually kept the Maroons on high alert.

Her defence was just as impressive, shutting down Mariah Brown throughout the night.

Ekepati is signed with the Sydney Roosters and could play first grade this season, but is stuck behind some quality outside backs including Jess Sergis and Isabelle Kelly.

Reegan Hicks - Maroons/Broncos

Backing up for her second-straight appearance in this U19s fixture, Hicks set the tone early with some strong defence in the middle.

The rangy forward soon crashed over in the early stages to put Queensland ahead.

"Just powering over the line - she didn't care how many Blues jerseys were around her, she just wanted that," Ruan Sims said on commentary.

The 18-year-old is signed with the Broncos and is a genuine chance of making her NRLW debut this season after plying her trade with Norths Devils in 2024.

"I've been getting pushed really hard [with Brisbane] and I'm really excited and hopefully an opportunity will come my way," Hicks told Nine post-game.

Hicks wasn't the only front-rower who made her mark for Queensland either, with bench forward Shalom Sauaso providing plenty of impact through the middle.