Brilliant tries, contentious cards, and a classic QLD-NSW grudge match - the final clash of Super Rugby Pacific Round 1 had it all.
Les Kiss' Queensland showed enough to stay ahead of Darren Coleman's Waratahs but both sides will take plenty from a 40-22 hitout at Suncorp Stadium.
Don't miss Super Round 2024 in Melbourne from March 1-3. Get your tickets now!
So what did we learn?
Where you sit on this one depends on what side of the Tweed you call home.
Teenage NSW star Max Jorgensen was controversially sin-binned for tackling Jordan Petaia without the ball in a try-scoring position, resulting in a penalty try on the stroke of halftime.
On Stan Sport, Coleman branded the decision "50-50" and he's probably right.
Replays showed Jorgensen's tackle and Petaia's attempted catch to be almost simultaneous but history will show a card at a crucial time will Queensland posting a 21-15 lead at oranges.
Super Rugby might brand itself as a running rugby competition but it was Queensland's kicking prowess that steered them home at a rain-soaked Suncorp Stadium.
While Tom Lynagh and Harry McLaughlin Phillips split the points with rivals Tane Edmed and Jorgensen, Jordan Petaia's boot was a cut above.
Two massive clearances from Petaia in the 15th and 64th minutes led to try-scoring opportunities while a deft Seru Uru boot also deserves credit for pinning the Tahs down during the second half.
The Reds lineout earns a shoutout in the wet with Matt Faessler burrowing over for two well-worked maul tries.
A 40-22 result means the Reds won't take these two contentious forward pass call to heart but these first-half calls certainly riled up the Brisbane faithful.
The first saw a try to standout Fraser McReight called back after Harry Wilson picked up a fumbled Tom Lynagh ball.
Minutes late, the Suncorp faithful saw Jorgensen's flat ball to Pietsch deemed a fair try - and didn't they let their feelings known?
In any case, the right decision was made but it's great to see a hostile crowd in any QLD-NSW clash.
NSW showed plenty of fight but Waratah leaders Angus Bell and Jake Gordon believe there were two key areas to work on.
Post-game on Stan Sport, Bell paid credit to the Reds but said discipline proved costly.
"They're a great team and it's hard to win at Suncorp … but there were too many errors near our line. its not so much our defence as our disciple," Bell said.
"There were moments in that second half where we couldn't seem to get any momentum in the second half," Gordon added.
"In moments and patches we were competitive but some of those moments didn't go our way."
Their stories couldn't be more different heading into Round 2.
At Queensland, new coach Les Kiss is being heralded as bringing an expansive gameplan and "New Era" to Ballymore and has come up trumps early by winning the Bob Templeton Cup.
It's a dream start for Queensland fans, who turned out a decent crowd despite the Brisbane rain.
On the other hand, Darren Coleman entered 2024 under increasing speculation and pressure to perform.
He now faces a date with defending champions Crusaders coming off a loss at next week's Super Round.
NSW return home to face the Highlanders on Friday March 8 for Round 3 and they'll need just as parochial a crowd as Queensland to get behind their team and coach.
