2004 State of Origin series

New South Wales players Anthony Minichiello and Mark Gasnier were dropped following a drunken incident during the Blues' training camp when it was made public that Gasnier had left a lewd message on a female acquaintance's phone.[1]

Wednesday, 26 May 2004

New South Wales	9–8	Queensland
Shaun Timmins (5 - 1t, 1fg) Craig Fitzgibbon (4 - 2g)	(Report)	(4 - 1t) Brent Tate (4 - 1t) Scott Prince

Telstra Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 68,344 Referee: Sean Hampstead Man of the Match: Shaun Timmins[2]

Game one featured the first ever Golden point decision in State of Origin football in the very first game where the ruling became available. With scores locked at 8-all and three minutes of extra time played, St George Illawarra Dragons player Shaun Timmins, who had returned to top-class and representative football against unlikely odds after two career-threatening knee injuries and operations, stepped up and kicked a 37-metre left-foot field goal to steal victory for New South Wales. Blues halfback Craig Gower had already missed three earlier field goal attempts, was struggling with a knee injury and was closely marked by Queensland at every kick opportunity so it was left to Timmins to create his own moment of Origin folklore.

Game II had plenty of hype surrounding it after Blues coach Phil Gould coaxed Brad Fittler out of representative retirement to spearhead the Blues campaign. First game hero Timmins was missing through injury as was Gower and next choice half-backs Trent Barrett and Brett Kimmorley. This left Sydney Roosters number seven Brett Finch to make his Origin debut alongside his club captain Fittler at five-eighth. Matt Orford was somewhat controversially not selected.

Wednesday, 16 June 2004

Queensland	22–18	New South Wales
Billy Slater (8 - 2t) Cameron Smith (4 - 2g) Dane Carlaw (4 - 1t) Willie Tonga (4 - 1t) Scott Prince (2 - 1g)	(Report)	(8 - 2t) Timana Tahu (6 - 3g) Craig Fitzgibbon (4 - 1t) Luke Rooney

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 52,478 Referee: Sean Hampstead Man of the Match: Billy Slater

Suncorp Stadium proved to be a graveyard for the Blues thanks to one of the greatest Origin tries ever seen. 20-year-old Billy Slater, a former track work jockey who had burst onto the rugby league scene in 2003, stormed onto a Darren Lockyer grubber kick from halfway before chipping over the top of Blues fullback Anthony Minichiello, chasing, regathering and scoring in the same instant.[3]

Gould gambled by making six changes to the side which had played in game II.

Wednesday, 7 July 2004

New South Wales	36–14	Queensland
Mark Gasnier (10 - 2t,1g) Craig Fitzgibbon (10- 5g) Anthony Minichiello (4 - 1t) Luke Rooney (4 - 1t) Brad Fittler (4 - 1t) Trent Barrett (4 - 1t)	(Report)	(6 - 3g) Cameron Smith (4 - 1t) Matt Bowen (4 - 1t) Billy Slater

Telstra Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 82,487 Referee: Paul Simpkins Man of the Match: Craig Fitzgibbon

In Game III, the Blues recalled Trent Barrett to the origin squad who along with Brad Fittler led the Blues to a big win over the Maroons. The match was also the swansong for Phil Gould, New South Wales' most successful Origin coach who had commenced his coaching association with Fittler 14 years earlier at the beginning of their respective coaching and playing careers.

Gould called on six St George Illawarra players for Game III. Debutant centres Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper dominated on the fringes for the Blues and the class of Fittler and Barrett led them to an emphatic 36-14 victory. Fittler scored the last try in the match in his last ever match for the Blues to the delight of his team-mates.[4]

• 2004 NRL season

• 2004 State of Origin at sportsphotography.net
• State of Origin 2004 at rugbyleagueproject.org

• Big League's 25 Years of Origin Collectors' Edition, News Magazines, Surry Hills, Sydney