'Job's not done yet': Defensive heroics fuelled by Bluewash hunger

Star playmaker Jesse Southwell declared her trysaving effort and the last-ditch tackle by Teagan Berry to win Origin II at Suncorp Stadium were proof of how determined the Blues are to cleansweep the series.

Southwell scrambled in defence to bundle Jasmine Peters over the sideline after Berry put down a Chantay Kiria-Ratu bomb and the NSW winger then made amends for her mistake by producing another try saving tackle to stop Peters scoring as the Blues hung on for a 14-10 win.

“It’s one of the best feelings that I have had playing footy, and I was lucky enough to take her out over the sideline, and sort of win the game for us by stopping the try,” Berry said.

“I actually dropped two balls and I said to myself 'I need to come up with a play here' and ... luckily I did that or I probably would have had to walk home.”

A Southwell field goal and a late Jess Sergis try gave the Blues an 11-6 win in the opening game and for the second year in a row they have a shot at completing a 3-0 series whitewash at Cbus Super Stadium on May 28.

However, NSW blew the opportunity last year and Southwell said the players were determined not to let a second chance pass them by.

“It hurt a lot last year, I reckon … for me personally, at least. I hated not winning all three games, so we really want to win this series 3-0,” said Southwell, who was named player-of-the-match.

“Individual awards are really cool, but we want to sweep the series so the job’s not done yet.”

The 21-year-old suffered a neck injury but after receiving treatment she was able to resume playing and managed to get back in defence to produce the 58th minute try-saving tackle on Peters.

The Blues had regained the lead through a Sergis try after Maroons hooker Jada Ferguson had burrowed over from dummy half to score in the 44th minute but they needed three special “Origin plays” to win:

• Fullback Abbi Church stopping a runaway Tamika Upton
• Southwell’s cover tackle on Peters after Berry fumbled a kick
• Berry’s match winning tackle to force Peters into touch

Nicknamed "Flash", Berry is renowned for her speed and evasiveness, but she had limited opportunities with the ball after replacing Jayme Fressard on the wing in the 30th minute – a tactical ploy by NSW coach John Strange.

Instead, the first player to 30 tries in the NRLW was forced to win the game a defensive play that is now one of her proudest moments of her career. 

“We talked about being relentless through our attack, and especially our defence,” Berry said. “I think defence wins games so Strangey's very hard on us on and making sure that each of us come up with those plays.

“It is obviously a team first mentality here and just shows how much we play for each other.

“I wasn't a part of the squad last year, but they fell short in the last game so hopefully I can be a part of a 3-0 series win. We are definitely keen to go again.”