Queenslanders endure drought. Cyclones. Floods.

So being a man down and trailing bitter rivals NSW late in a State of Origin game? No worries.

"A trait of Queenslanders is never give up," coach Billy Slater said after the Maroons' gripping 26-18 win in the Origin opener in Adelaide.

Slater conceded the task was tough, with his team two points down, a man in the sin bin, and only 10 minutes left.

But not too tough for a Queenslander.

"Queenslanders go through drought," Slater said.

"They go through cyclones. They go through floods. They go through a lot of adversity.

"And we try and represent our people in that way as well.

"I think that's what makes our people so proud of this footy team and that is why this footy team is such an inspiration for our people.

"That's what we try and do: we try and replicate the traits that Queenslanders have."

From their precarious position, the Queenslanders rallied with two tries in a tick over two glorious minutes.

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow flew over 50 metres for his second of the game; then Lindsay Collins flew over James Tedesco for the most unlikely catch, laying off to Cameron Munster for the sealer.

"I don't like to focus on the scoreboard too much," Slater said.

"But with 10 minutes left in the game, you probably need to a little bit.

"We went after the game. And some players made some big plays, but the whole team had to get into position.

""We didn't play overly smart at times ... but I tell you what, there is a lot of guts and determination and courage in this footy team.

"This is an almighty win."

And it leaves an almighty task for NSW and their coach Brad Fittler to save the series.

Game two is in Brisbane on June 21. No NSW side, from one-down, has gone to the Queensland capital, squared the series, and then won it.

"Nothing is impossible," Fittler said.

"It's obviously very tough.

"But it is what it is. We need to regroup and be better, we have got to be better.

"But that's the challenge ahead. Can't avoid it."

Fittler was bewildered why the Blues, in his words, "went backwards" in the last 10 minutes in Adelaide.

"We got to the front. Got to a restart," he said.

"And then from there it just went downhill ... the last 10 minutes, we didn't handle it very well at all, especially when they were down to 12 (men).

"And I will go back and look at how that all happened ... but it felt like we had enough opportunities to adapt."