The Blues broke a 17-year run of Queensland dominance last season and proved the breakthrough was no fluke, running in  tries to five tries to one to keep an emphatic hold on the Cup.

After racing the clock with rehab on a broken leg to make it onto the park, former Bega Chick and now Helensburgh Tigerllilies star Kezie Apps picked up back-to-back player of the match awards for a dominant first-half display.

“I was actually quite surprised to get he award, I think the whole team deserved it, but I was just trying to turn up for my mates,” Apps said.

“It was an awesome team performance. We didn’t just win this year we put a few points on them so it was good to see our structures and everything we’ve trained for paid off.”

Helensburgh product Maddie Studdon was also outstanding for the hosts, laying two tries with deft kicks, as she and halves partner Caitlin Moran steered their side to perfection.

The only thing to sour the victory was an injury to star fullback Sam Bremner that may jeopardise her chances of featuring in the end-of-season World Cup.

Bremner saved a try and laid on the Blues first of three tries for debutant winger Jessica Stergis inside the opening six minutes but was left writhing in pain 12 minutes before the break clutching at a right ankle.

She braved the remainder of the half but lasted just five minutes in second half before hitting the turf untouched, leaving the Blues a player down.

“I got twisted in a tackle at the first half and went over on my ankle,” Bremner said.

“They strapped it up at halftime and then I was just taking off on it in the second half and felt it pop. The girls said they heard it pretty loud and clear.

“Hopefully it’s nothing too serious, I’m a bit fed up with getting injured but it’s just another test of my resilience.

“Not being able to play the second half of footy was very disappointing but even if it is something major I know I’ll be able to bounce back from it.”

The Blues opened the scoring through Stergis crossed from a Bremner long ball. lead swelled to 10 five minutes later after Kezie Apps put Nakia Davis-Welsh away with a deft off-load. Davis-Welsh was dragged down inches short before Studdon produced a perfectly weighted cross-field kick for Stergis’ second try.

The Maroons hit back came midway through the half with Steph Handcock turning Jenni-Sue Hoepper inside close to the line to open their account.

Chelsea Baker made no mistake with the conversion to cut the margin back to four. Corban McGregor extended the lead 12 minutes after the resumption from another perfectly placed kick from Studdon to extend the lead to eight.

They extended the margin minutes later with Vanessa Foliaki carrying two defenders across the line in the western corner, seeing the lead swell to 12.

Stergis completed her hat-trick in the 61^st minute as the Blues cruised to the finish.