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The Maroons turn up in the clutch and fans turn up in the crowd as a thrilling Game II gives us a historic Women's Origin decider.
Here are five quick hits from Game II in Newcastle.
1. Decider feels right
"It's crap, isn't it? I think everyone here deserves better."
That was the prevailing sentiment, summed up perfectly by Queensland fullback Tamika Upton, after last year's second and inexplicably final game of the Women's State of Origin series.
Even winners felt like losers and no-one knew who was which.
In 2024, even losers feel like winners after the first three-game series was sent to a decider in thrilling circumstances.
"This is why we need that three-game series. It just proves that," NSW captain Kezie Apps told ABC Sport.
"Very exciting for us and the women's game in general."
NSW coach Kylie Hilder agreed "it's great for the game", and it goes without saying the Queenslanders who had just pulled off the great escape were pretty pumped too to be heading to Townsville for Game III.
2. Horrendous conditions
The players must be credited for putting on a show in wretched conditions at Hunter Stadium.
The field was so wet at the kick-off that NSW halfback Rachael Pearson fell onto her backside as she made contact, and it only got colder, wetter and windier from there.
Full credit too to the 25,872 fans who turned out in the miserable weather, many of whom no doubt had a torrid time making the trip up the M1 from Sydney.
If not for the conditions, we might have seen all the people who bought tickets turn up to pack the Newcastle ground, but it was still enough to pip the 25,492 who watched the series opener at Lang Park for the biggest women's rugby league crowd in Australia.
3. Teitzel's tekkers
If the conditions hampered Pearson's place-kicking, Queensland back-rower Romy Teitzel revelled in them.
After Pearson slipped for the second time as she attempted a sideline conversion that would have given the Sky Blues a decisive 12-10 lead in the final minutes, Teitzel stepped up to the tee on halfway with a single-minded focus.
She approached the ball as if she was going to boot it deep, but instead sent a low ball off the outside of her boot skidding past Jessica Sergis, who had no chance of handling it in the wet, and away into touch.
The Maroons got the ball back 40 metres out and four tackles later, Tarryn Aiken pulled off a bit of magic of her own to get her side back in it, but she never could have done it without Teitzel's mastery of the moment.
4. Brown in the clutch
Everyone will remember the game-winning field goal, and rightly so, but Lauren Brown also slotted the game-tying points.
Barely five minutes earlier she had badly hooked a sideline conversion, and while the conversion of Aiken's try this one was far closer to the uprights, the challenges were many.
With her footing unsure and the weather wild enough to send the goalposts waggling like they were advertising a used car lot, Brown steadied, putting her last miss out of her mind and belting it true and through with seven minutes left.
While most of us would have felt our hearts beating somewhere behind our eyes, these are the moments Brown lives for.
"She's just a clutch player," Maroons captain Ali Brigginshaw told ABC Sport.
"She's a utility, she can play any position and, oh god, I love her."
5. Gun Maroons teen gets captain's blessing
Another moment before the moment came from Sienna Lofipo.
The 18th player from Game I was brought into the starting line-up for the Newcastle clash, replacing Brigginshaw at lock.
The move was ostensibly to get Brigginshaw back to her favoured halfback spot, but Lofipo's impact through the middle proved just as crucial.
The 19-year-old played the opening 25 minutes before storming back onto the field in the 60th minute like the Ultimate Warrior.
Then, as the team battled to get close enough for a field goal to be possible, she seized her moment.
Catching the ball off the ruck 30 metres out, she seemed to be moving at a different frame rate to the other 25 players on the park as she burst past Jillaroos stars Yasmin Clydsdale, Olivia Kernick and Millie Elliott, as well as Olivia Higgins.
She was eventually crunched by Caitlan Johnston, but her 13m carry was enough to get the Maroons within Brown's range and she took care of the rest.
"She came on, changed the momentum and laid the platform for Loz," Brigginshaw said.
"She's just a young kid that's so confident. I can't wait to see the future she has in the game.
"She can have that 13 jersey, that's for sure."
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