An eye-gouging allegation from NSW hooker Keeley Davis headlined an eventful first match since the Blues coughed up their 1-0 lead last year to lose the inaugural three-match series 2-1.
But to begin the second, the Blues cashed in on Strange's call to overhaul the team and finished with their biggest-ever women's Origin win.
"It was a good result, obviously," Strange said after Thursday night's victory in Brisbane.
"We spoke at half-time about being a little bit cleaner defending them coming out of yardage and then trying to win the field position battle, which I thought the girls did brilliantly.
"Through doing that, and earning the right to play, opportunities came."
New halfback Jesse Southwell's control of her left edge was game-defining while the four NSW debutants shone before a Suncorp Stadium crowd of 26,022 - the largest in women's rugby league history.
First-gamer Jayme Fressard scored twice down the left wing, Ellie Johnston scored the go-ahead try pummelling through Maroons in the second half before fullback Abbi Church sealed the result.
NSW will fancy their chances of clinching the Origin shield for the first time since 2022 given they host the final two matches of the series.
In a moment of high drama, Davis claimed she was eye-gouged just before Isabelle Kelly scored NSW's second try and lodged an official complaint with referee Belinda Sharpe.
Davis would not name the player she believed responsible but appeared to first gesture towards her eyes following a tackle from Keilee Joseph and Romy Teitzel.
"She wasn't sure who (did it). There were a couple in the tackle. She told the ref, they put it on report so they'll have a look at it," Strange said.
Tiana Penitani Gray also risks the ire of the match review committee after pulling Tamika Upton's hair as the Queensland fullback made a break late in the first half.
Penitani Gray had limited chances to shine on her much-discussed move to five-eighth as the majority of traffic went through Southwell's left edge.
After Jess Sergis scored the opener down the right within four minutes, halfback Southwell had a hand in the Blues' next three tries.
In her first Origin game since 2023, Southwell combined seamlessly with new captain Kelly and second-rower Yasmin Clydsdale, with the former crashing over before Fressard's double.
Prop forward Johnston put the Blues on the path to victory when she burrowed over with 20 minutes to play and could have had a second, but was narrowly held up in the final 10 minutes.
Fellow debutant Church confirmed the victory later in that set as Southwell threw the last pass to help make it a four-score game.
Five-eighth Tarryn Aiken was Queensland's best, sending up the bomb that helped Sienna Lofipo score the Maroons' first before putting debutant Rory Owen over with a short ball.
But the Maroons could be thankful the deficit was not larger with Southwell missing three conversion attempts.
"It just reminds me of last year, actually," Maroons coach Tahnee Norris said referencing the 2024 game-one loss.
"Disappointing, parts of that game. The first half we scrapped really well and got back into the fight there, and just errors and defensive errors let us down."
One of eight Origin debutants across the two sides, Jasmine Peters suffered a game-ending head knock colliding with Sarah Togatuki just before the break.
But the Queenslander is set to clear concussion protocols by the second game of the series in Sydney on May 15.
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