Jarrod Wallace wiped away a tear of joy as Queensland tasted their first success in this year's State of Origin series - a win at the NRL judiciary.
Wallace is free to make his debut in the Maroons' must-win clash with NSW next Wednesday, after beating a grade-one shoulder charge offence on Tuesday night in Sydney.
The 25-year-old Gold Coast prop was facing a two-match ban - including Origin II in Brisbane - for Saturday's hit on re-signed Warriors centre Blake Ayshford.
However, after a nervy 25-minute deliberation, the three-man panel of Bob Lindner, Mal Cochrane and Sean Garlick sided with Wallace's version that he had too little time to avoid contact.
"I was sweating bullets the whole time," Wallace said after the hearing.
"It just hit me pretty quick. (Panel member Garlick) said it was really quick and I actually had to double think about it.
"I was like: 'Did he actually say it?'."
Wallace, decked out in a maroon tie, became the fourth player this year to beat the offence in five judiciary visits.
But none has been as vital as this.
He will join Coen Hess, Valentine Holmes and Tim Glasby as the Maroons' fourth debutant for next week's match, along with three other new faces in Queensland camp when he joins them on Wednesday night.
"When I found out I was in the team on Sunday, I couldn't get too excited because I had to wait and hear about this," Wallace said.
"I'm just stoked to be there now and to just know that I can play and prepare the best I can.
"I can just take everything in now."
In a 30-minute hearing, the NRL's counsel Justin O'Connor argued Wallace had initiated the forceful contact and that the 25-year-old had failed to wrap his arms around Ayshford as the centre fumbled an errant pass.
"In the time available for Wallace to move his right arm to the top of his body, he also had time to take evasive action," O'Connor said.
However, Wallace's lawyer Steven Johnson successfully argued Ayshford had initiated the contact that threatened to ruin his client's Origin dream.
"It was a glancing blow caused by the change of direction of Blake," Johnson said.
"Jarrod had little play in the role.
"Jarrod did all he could to minimise the impact ... He could not get out of the way - he could not become invisible."
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