State of Origin series

The first calls for a state of origin selection policy in interstate rugby football came before the schism between the union and league codes eventuated in Australia. In 1900 a journalist known as 'The Cynic' wrote in The Referee that star rugby player and recent immigrant to Queensland, Stephen Spragg, should be able to play for his home state of New South Wales.

Since the beginning of Australian rugby league in 1908, an interstate competition between New South Wales and Queensland has been conducted from time to time. Until 1982 each team drew its players from the clubs based in that state. No consideration was given to the origins of the players themselves.

The first of these interstate games was played at Sydney's Agricultural Ground on 11 July 1908, before Queensland had even commenced its club competition. New South Wales easily accounted for Queensland in a 43–0 victory. The local media were unimpressed.

There can be no doubt the NSW men are improving a good deal... They cannot be blamed for the farce, for it was nothing else. If the Australian team depends on Queenslanders to strengthen it, one is afraid it will be found wanting. They are quite the weakest lot of footballers I have even seen come down from Queensland. The play needs no detailed description as it was simply a practice match for NSW, and certainly did not advantageously advertise the new game.

-The Sydney Morning Herald, 13 July 1908

The interstate series was dominated by New South Wales, apart from a golden period for Queensland in the 1920s. From 1922 to 1925 Queensland defeated New South Wales 11 times in 12 matches. At the end of the 1925 season, a Kangaroo team was to be picked for touring Great Britain. Instead of announcing an Australian team dominated by Queenslanders, the Australian Rugby League Board of Control informed the media that the Rugby Football League had decided that the Kiwis would provide stronger opposition and that there would be no Australian tour. The period spanning 1922 to 1929 saw no Australian team play in Great Britain, the only such hiatus outside the two World Wars.

The New South Wales dominance of interstate football increased after 1956 when gaming machines were legalized for all registered clubs in New South Wales. This provided New South Wales football clubs with a revenue source unmatched by Queensland clubs. From this time on an increasing number of Queensland, players moved to the much stronger Sydney competition, becoming ineligible for Queensland state selection. Paul Hogan famously told a Queensland Rugby League gathering in 1977 that "every time Queensland produces a good footballer, he finishes up being processed through a New South Wales poker machine."

Before 1956, NSW had won 75% and Qld only 25% of series played. From 1956 to 1981, NSW dominance soared even higher and Qld wins dwindled to only 3.8% with only 1 series win, in 1959.

By the 1970s the prestige of interstate matches had been seriously downgraded. Matches were played mid-week, so as not to interfere with the Sydney club competition, and the small crowds in New South Wales were hosted at suburban grounds.[11] Interstate football reached its nadir in 1977 when the New South Wales Rugby Football League (NSWRFL) declined to host the Queensland team, and both interstate games were played in Queensland.

Former Queensland captain and Australian vice-captain Jack Reardon, who had later become a journalist, was the first to suggest that Sydney-based Queenslanders should be available for selection to represent their state.[12]

Brisbane Courier-Mail reporter Hugh Lunn, Barry Maranta (the future co-founder of the Brisbane Broncos) and Maranta's business partner Wayne Reid played a part in persuading QRL chairman Ron McAullife that the concept could be used in rugby league. Lunn told McAullife that "you can take the Queenslander out of Queensland, Ron, but you can't take the Queensland out of the Queenslander." McAuliffe was initially skeptical. "What if we recall our boys from Sydney to play, and we are beaten. Where would we go from there?" Reid spoke to NSWRFL president Kevin Humphreys and suggested that a one-off state of origin match could be used as a Test Match selection trial.

New South Wales clubs were reticent in their support of the concept and set two conditions:

• If the third game was to decide the series it was not to act as a selection trial, and also,
• that the expatriate Queenslanders would be under the supervision of a representative of the NSWRFL whose duty it would be to protect the interests of both the NSWRFL and the clubs to which they were contracted. (From 1980 this role was filled by Bob Abbott, a Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks official.)

Three Sydney clubs remained opposed to the plan: St. George Dragons, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Eastern Suburbs Roosters. As these clubs were refusing to release players, Humphreys threatened to make the game an official Australian Rugby League trial, which would make release mandatory. The clubs backed down.

After Queensland lost the first two interstate matches in 1980 (35–3 and 17–7, the second game in front of only 1,638 Sydneysiders) it was announced that a 'state of origin' match would take place on 8 July at Lang Park in Brisbane. The New South Wales media gave both the event and Queensland's chance of winning it, little credence, calling the game a "three-day wonder". Australia's 1978 captain Bob Fulton called the match "the non-event of the century". Ron MacAullife however, was now committed to the concept and vigorously promoted the match. Thousands of tickets were sold before the game had been officially sanctioned. Although interstate matches in Brisbane had still been well attended (24,653 had attended the opening match of the 1979 series), few expected the sell-out crowd of 33,210 Queensland rugby league fans, delighted to see their heroes in the likes of Arthur Beetson representing their home state for the first time. Queensland convincingly beat New South Wales 20–10.

I was strongly against such a match, but last night's gripping clash showed that such a fixture would be a welcome addition to the League program.[13]

— Alan Clarkson, journalist for The Sydney Morning Herald, 6 October 1980

In 1981 the first two interstate matches were again played under the old selection rules. As New South Wales won the first two matches in the series, state of origin selection rules were used once more in the third match. Although New South Wales ran out to an early 15–0 lead in the game, Queensland rallied to win 22–15.

The first State of Origin shield, depicting Queensland's Wally Lewis and New South Wales' Brett Kenny.

The interest generated by the experimental state of origin matches of 1980 and 1981 and the potential for financial rewards were enough to convince the authorities to play all three games under the state of origin rules the following year.

The State of Origin format is the only possible way to allow the interstate series to survive.

— Frank Hyde (2 June 1982)[14]

Despite the Maroons' success so far in the State of Origin experiments, the New South Wales media dismissed the seriousness of the Queensland threat to the Blues' long-held dominance in series wins. Queensland however, under the leadership of immortal captain Wally Lewis, was inspired by this, and for the first three State of Origin series, Queensland won 2 matches to 1.

However, in 1985, under the leadership of captain Steve Mortimer, New South Wales won the deciding match in front of 29,068 spectators at the Sydney Cricket Ground, claiming the series for the first time. The following year the Blues were able to go one better and complete the first state of origin whitewash, taking the series 3–0.

After Queensland had won the 1987 series 2–1, a fourth game was played at Long Beach, California to showcase rugby league to the American public.

The match was played at the Veterans Memorial Stadium in Long Beach, California in front of 12,349 fans. The Blues won the game 30–18.

On 15 July 2003 the Australian Rugby League announced that the fourth 1987 game was to be classified as an official match, and that a win in the state of origin match on 16 July 2003 would take New South Wales into the overall lead.

ARL chief executive Geoff Carr said: "There had been some debate over whether the Origin fixture . . . in 1987 was counted as an official match but a search of ARL records has confirmed the status conferred on that clash by the game's governing body at the time. In announcing the match in Big League in April 1987, Ken Arthurson, the ARL's chief executive in 1987, was quoted as saying 'It's an exciting experiment but the match isn't and won't be billed as an exhibition match'."

The Queensland halves pairing of Allan Langer and Wally Lewis led the Maroons in their 3–0 series wins in both 1988 and 1989. The rise of the Canberra Raiders in the then Winfield Cup club competition produced for the Blues the formidable halves combination of Ricky Stuart and Laurie Daley who brought New South Wales back from defeat with two wins in the opening games of the 1990 series. It was evident that as the rivalry between the two states grew, the Origin matches had become much more physical forward orientated game than the open running play seen in earlier series.

As the great Queensland players from the 1980s began to retire from the game, the Maroons struggled with a team of fresh faces and considerable inexperience. 1992, 1993 and 1994 series all went to NSW as the talent and experience of Blues players such as Brett Mullins, Daley and Stuart in the backs and Benny Elias and Bradley Clyde in the forwards gave the Blues the edge when the games were on the line. It wasn't until the upheaval of the Super League war in 1995 that the Maroons were able to again clinch a series.

The main cause for concern for Queensland was the fact that the Brisbane Broncos, its players and many other Queenslanders were not aligned with the ARL prohibiting any players signed with the Super League to play for the Maroons. Despite this, the Queenslanders won the 1995 series 3–0 in a shocking white-wash. The 1996 series saw the off-field contract dramas put aside as all players were allowed, regardless of contract, state of origin selection. Having the majority of the Queenslanders back didn't help the Maroons though as the Blues 1996 white-wash with a 3–0 series win of their own.

The Australian game divided in 1997 into two competitions, one run by the ARL and one by the News Limited-owned Super League, and an interstate series was played in each. Under the Super League banner, there was a Tri-Origin series with a New Zealand side added to the competition. The ARL meanwhile stuck to its traditional format. The teams were selected using origin rules, and New South Wales and Queensland met twice. These matches do not count towards the official state of origin record. As with the premiership, players were spread between two representative tournaments as well.

The competitions merged again in 1998 as the current National Rugby League, and the series that year proved to be enthralling as both sides won a game each away from home, setting up a decider at the Sydney Football Stadium where 39,000 fans witnessed the visiting Queenslanders take the series 2–1. The end of the decade saw a dramatic series with each side taking one game each and game three ending in a draw. Queensland was awarded the series as at the time the previous winners retained the interstate honors.

The early to mid-2000s saw New South Wales starting to assert its traditional interstate dominance, causing some critics to question the future of State of Origin. However, this imbalance tipped in the third and deciding game of the 2006 State of Origin series, which is seen as the starting point of Queensland's unprecedented dynasty. Queensland followed by winning the 2007 series, as well as the 2008 series, which made Queensland's streak three series in a row. New South Wales won Game 1 on 21 May 2008, however, Queensland won Game 2 on 11 June 2008, and Game 3 on 2 July 2008. Queensland continued to follow this up by winning the first two games of the 2009 series becoming the first state to win four series in a row.

In 2010, Queensland won its historic, record-breaking, fifth consecutive Origin series with a 23–18 win in the third and final match. This was the first Queensland team to win all three consecutive State of Origin Games in 15 years. Queensland full back Billy Slater won the man of the match in the third game and was awarded the Wally Lewis Medal as Man of the Series in 2010. The 2010 State of Origin series was also the second televised program in Australia to be shot in 3D 1080i DVB-T as well as being simultaneously broadcast in regular 576i and 1080i DVB-T and PAL.

In the first game of the 2011 series, Queensland defeated New South Wales 16–12. In the second game, New South Wales defeated Queensland 18–8. Queensland won the series 34–24 in the 2011 decider in what was Queensland captain Darren Lockyer's 36th and final game. Cameron Smith won the man of the match in both the first and third game and was awarded the Wally Lewis Medal as Man of the Series.

In 2012, then NRL CEO David Gallop introduced the Under-20s State of Origin for Toyota Cup players which saw New South Wales winning. Queensland went on to win a historic 7th series win in 2012, winning the final game by 1 point.

In 2013, New South Wales defeated Queensland 14 to 6 in game 1, Queensland defeated New South Wales 26 to 6 in game 2, while in-game 3 Queensland defeated New South Wales 12 to 10 to take out the overall Origin title for the eighth consecutive time. The 2013 series set a new State of Origin television rating record for a whole series since the 2001 introduction of the rating system.[15]

In 2014, New South Wales defeated Queensland 12–8 in the first game of the series, and 6–4 in the second.[16] In the third game Queensland defeated New South Wales 32-8 after scoring the first try of the game in the 37th minute, with Queensland leading 6–2 in the first half. This gave the Blues the first series win in 8 years.

In 2015, Queensland defeated New South Wales 11–10 in game 1 played in Sydney, New South Wales defeated Queensland 26–18 in game 2 played in Melbourne, Queensland defeated New South Wales 52–6 in game 3 played in Brisbane, winning the series 2–1.

In 2016, Queensland defeated New South Wales 6–4 in game 1 and clinched the series with a 26–16 win in the second match. New South Wales closed off the series with an 18–14 win over Queensland.

In 2017, New South Wales won Game 1, 28-4 sparking the New South Wales media to start proclaiming the beginning of the Blues Dynasty. Queensland won Game 2, 18-16 after making changes to the team with the returning Billy Slater and Johnathan Thurston, who kicked the winning goal for Queensland. Thurston injured his shoulder in the 30th minute of the match, essentially disabling it as he played out the whole match. Thurston was later ruled out for the rest of the year after scans revealed his shoulder needed a reconstruction, ending his representative career as he announced 2017 would be his last representative year. In Game 3, New South Wales went in with an unchanged lineup for all three games, the first to do so since 1996. Queensland dominated the Blues, winning 22–6, with Queensland winger Dane Gagai winning the Wally Lewis Medal for Best Player in the series. It also had Johnathan Thurston raise the Origin Shield with Queensland Captain Cameron Smith, before being chaired off the ground by his teammates, ending Thurston's representative career on a high note.

In 2018, New South Wales won their first State of Origin series in four years, defeating Queensland 22–12 and 18–14 in the first two games. Queensland scored a consolation victory 18–12 in the final game.

In 2019, Queensland defeated New South Wales in the first match 18–14. New South Wales then defeated Queensland 38–6 in the second and also won the third game 26–20. This was the first time since 2005 which New South Wales won a series decider and a consecutive series win.

The 2020 series was originally due to be played during the middle of the season, but was shifted to the post-season for the first time in history, due to the COVID-19 pandemic which forced the suspension of all non-essential services in March. The series will be played on consecutive Wednesday nights in November (4-11-18), with the venues for the three fixtures designated as: Adelaide Oval, ANZ Stadium and Suncorp Stadium. Game 1, held for the first time in Adelaide saw Queensland beat New South Wales in a nail biting 18–14 win. At half time, the Blues were leading the Marrons 10–0, but a huge upset from Queensland, secured the game for Queensland. Game 2 held in Sydney, New South Wales at the Olympic Stadium (ANZ Stadium) was a blue wave. Queensland scored the first try but couldn't manage to keep scoring and lost the game to New South Wales 34–10. Game 3 was held in Brisbane on Wednesday the 18/11/20 at Lang Park (Suncorp Stadium) and was a physical match which saw Queensland regain the shield with a 20–14 win over New South Wales. Cameron Munster was awarded the Wally Lewis Medal for his exceptional performances throughout the series, despite being out due to HIA for most of Game 2.

Ampol will be the sponsor of the series starting from 2020 until at least 2023, taking over from Holden.[17]

From time to time the selection of players under the State of Origin rules creates controversy. Since 1980, Queensland has completed just the 7 series with a team completely made up of players of a Queensland birth, while for New South Wales the total is only 6.[39] However, the place of birth has only been a relevant factor in eligibility since 2012.

An issue of contention has been the selection of players such as Peter Sterling, Ken Nagas, James McManus, Israel Folau and Greg Inglis. Israel Folau was born and raised in New South Wales but is eligible to play for Queensland as he played his first senior rugby league match in Queensland. Ken Nagas was born and raised in Queensland but decided to play for New South Wales, Peter Sterling was born in Toowoomba, Queensland but raised in Wagga Wagga, Newcastle and Sydney, all in New South Wales, while McManus was born in Scotland and was raised in the Northern Territory, but was ruled eligible to play for New South Wales in the 2009 series.

The selection of Greg Inglis by Queensland was disputed. The Queensland Rugby League selected him based on the fact that either Wavell State High School or Brisbane Norths was Inglis' first senior football, making him eligible for both states per the rules at the time.[40][41][42] However Inglis had previously played for Hunter Sports High School in Newcastle, New South Wales, in the Arrive Alive Cup; considered to be a senior competition. Hunter Sports High coach Steve Dunn said "there was some talk the other day that he was brought to Queensland before his 16th birthday but I was the coach of the team. He played for us at 16, he's a Blue".[43] The controversy led to the creation of the "That's In Queensland" viral video.

Due to the clarification of selection rules, the Sims brothers are eligible for different States. Tariq and Ashton are eligible for New South Wales while Korbin Sims is eligible for Queensland.[44] Previously father and son combinations, such as Steve and Mat Rogers have represented different states. This duo was especially notable because Mat was born in New South Wales and played for Queensland while Steve was born in Queensland and played for New South Wales. Steve Rogers played his first senior game of rugby league for the Southport Tigers on Queensland's Gold Coast, in an NSW CRL competition.

Foreign-born players have also represented each state. New Zealand has had several players, such as Brad Thorn, Ben Te'o, Craig Smith, Willie Mason, Tonie Carroll, James Tamou and Karmichael Hunt play Origin. Tamou's selection by New South Wales in 2012 was controversial as he was born in Palmerston North and played for the Junior Kiwis, lived in New Zealand until he moved to Sydney when he was 13 and was included in the New Zealand national rugby league team training squad for the 2011 Four Nations.[45] Both Hunt and Tamou played for Australia before being selected for the State of Origin. Other players, such as Sam Kasiano and Jason Taumalolo are also eligible, creating concern in the New Zealand Rugby League.[46] Apart from representing Queensland, Brad Thorn is also a dual rugby international, having played international rugby league for Australia, and international rugby union for the All Blacks.

Papua New Guinea-born Adrian Lam and Fijian-born Lote Tuqiri, Akuila Uate and Petero Civoniceva have also played Origin. Benny Elias was born in Lebanon and has played for and captained NSW. Mario Fenech was born in Malta and has played for NSW. The most recent case of a foreign-born player being selected was the selection of former Samoan international, Ben Te'o, by Queensland in game three of the 2012 season.[47]

A report into eligibility based on a player's birth state showed; "Of the 18 series that QLD has won, it had the greater percentage of non-State [born] players in its side on 14 of those occasions – revealing a 77.8% dependency. Of the 13 series that NSW has won, on five of those occasions, it had a higher percentage of non-State [born] players across the series – revealing a 38.5% dependency."[39]

1. In 1995 and 1997 Super League players were made ineligible for the ARL State of Origin series selection. This included most of Queensland's usual team, who now plays for the Super League affiliated Brisbane Broncos. The ARL hence decided to relax the rules in those years, allowing Queensland to select Adrian Lam who had previously played for Papua New Guinea. The 1995 Origin series was the scene of the biggest upset in Origin history when the relatively inexperienced Maroon's swept aside NSW, who even without their Super League players could still boast several senior Origin and international players, 3–0.
2. During the 2000 World Cup several Australian players were granted dispensations to appear for other nations under the grandparent rule. The players affected were David Barnhill (NSW), Kevin Campion (Qld), Tonie Carroll (Qld), Graham Mackay (NSW), Willie Mason (NSW), Luke Ricketson (NSW), Lote Tuqiri (Qld) and Adrian Vowles (Qld),

Of the 38 full series played, Queensland has won 21, New South Wales 15, with 2 series drawn (Queensland retained the Shield on both occasions as the previous year's winner). With the addition of three one-off games that were played in 1980, 1981 and 1987, the total number of games played is 117. Queensland have won 62, New South Wales have won 53, with 2 matches being drawn.[48]

The series of 1999 and 2002 are considered drawn series, as both New South Wales and Queensland won a single game of each 3 match series, with the final game concluding in a draw. At that time there was no overtime rule to break the deadlock, and by the same set of rules, Queensland retained the shield as they were the previous holders, but did not win the series. Due to the controversy around the second drawn series, and the rule awarding the series champions to Queensland, the rules were subsequently changed to rule out drawn matches and series. Equal points at the close of full-time are now resolved with the golden point method.

• Most points scored in a game: 72, New South Wales 56 - 16 Queensland (Game III, 2000)
• Most points scored by a team: 56, New South Wales 56 - 16 Queensland (Game III, 2000)
• Largest winning margin: 46, Queensland 52 - 6 New South Wales (Game III, 2015)
• Most consecutive games won: 8, Queensland (Game II, 1987 - Game III, 1989)
• Most consecutive series won: 8, Queensland (2006–2013)
• Most series clean sweeps: 4, Queensland (1988–1989, 1995, 2010)

• Oldest player: 36 years 74 days, Petero Civoniceva (2012) (Queensland)
• Youngest player: 18 years and 83 days, Ben Ikin (1995) (Queensland)

• Most games: 42 Cameron Smith (2003–2017) (Queensland)
• Most consecutive games: 36 Johnathan Thurston (2005–2017) (Queensland)
• Most games as captain: 30 Wally Lewis (1981–1991) (Queensland)
• Most games won: 24 Cameron Smith (2003–2017) (Queensland)
• Most series won: 11 Cameron Smith (2006–2013, 2015–2017) (Queensland) & Johnathan Thurston (2006–2013, 2015–2017) (Queensland)¹
• Most Man of the Match Awards won: 8 Wally Lewis (1982–1991) (Queensland)
• Most points: 224 Johnathan Thurston (2005–2017) (Queensland)
• Most tries: 18 Greg Inglis (2006–2018) (Queensland)
• Most goals: 101 Johnathan Thurston (2005–2017) (Queensland)
• Most field goals: 4 Andrew Johns (1995–2005) (New South Wales)
• Most points in one game: 32 Ryan Girdler (Game III, 2000) (New South Wales)
• Most points in one series: 52 Ryan Girdler (2000) (New South Wales)
• Most tries in one game: 3 (Chris Anderson, Kerry Boustead, Ryan Girdler, Lote Tuqiri, Matt Sing, Matt King, Dane Gagai, Valentine Holmes, Tom Trbojevic)
• Most tries in one series: 5 Ryan Girdler (2000) (New South Wales), Lote Tuqiri (2002) (Queensland)
• Most goals in one game: 10 Ryan Girdler (Game III, 2000) (New South Wales)
• Most goals in one series: 16 Ryan Girdler (2000) (New South Wales)
• Most field goals in one game: 2 Ben Elias (Game III, 1994) (New South Wales)
• Most field goals in one series: 2 Ben Elias (1994) (New South Wales), Andrew Johns (2003) (New South Wales)

1.^ Smith, and Thurston competed in at least one game associated with each series wins.

• Most games: 30 Mal Meninga (2006–2015) (Queensland)
• Most games won: 19 Mal Meninga (2006–2015) (Queensland)
• Most series won: 9 Mal Meninga (2006–2015) (Queensland)

Players still currently active are listed in bold.

Source

• Points

Queensland: 1808 Points

New South Wales: 1842 Points

1. ^ Fagan, Sean (2005). The Rugby Rebellion. RL1908. ISBN 0-9757563-0-3.
2. "State of Origin 30 Years: 1980 – 2009" by Liam Hauser, Rockpool Publishing, ISBN 9781921295386
3. "NSW v Queensland: 1908 – 1980" by Sean Fagan, RL1908, Retrieved 15 November 2005
4. ^ "The First State of Origin" by Sean Fagan, RL1908, Retrieved 15 November 2005
5. ^ "State of Origin History 1981–2004" by Sean Fagan, RL1908, Retrieved 15 November 2005
6. ^ "The Origin of State of Origin" by Sean Fagan, RL1908, Retrieved 15 November 2005
7. ^ Gallaway, Jack (2001). The Brisbane Broncos: The Team To Beat. University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0702233420.
8. ^ Gallaway, Jack (2003). Origin: Rugby League's Greatest Contest 1980–2002. University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0-7022-3383-8.
9. ^ McGregor, Adrian (2004). Wally Lewis: Forever the King. University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0-7022-3434-6.
10. ^ "Overseas Players and State of Origin" by Jeff Wall, Crikey 12 April 2005, Retrieved 18 November 2005
11. ^ "The Origins of State of Origin" by Jeff Wall, Crikey 23 May 2005, Retrieved 15 November 2005
12. ^ "We Still Want Hunt" National Rugby League, 21 March 2005, Retrieved 18 November 2005
13. ^ "How it all began" stateoforigin.com.au, no date, retrieved 8 May 2007

1. "State of Origin 30 Years: 1980 – 2009" by Liam Hauser, Rockpool Publishing, ISBN 9781921295386
2. ^ Fagan, Sean (2005) "State of Origin Results 1980–2005" RL1908, Retrieved 15 November 2005
3. ^ "History: State of Origin Results 1980–2003" by the Australian Rugby League, Retrieved 15 November 2005
4. ^ "History" by The Roar, Retrieved 8 July 2016
5. ^ "State of Origin Records" by the Queensland Rugby League, Retrieved 15 November 2005
6. ^ "State of Origin Statistics" by World of Rugby League, Retrieved 15 November 2005
7. ^ Official State of Origin website http://www.stateoforigin.com.au, Retrieved 15 November 2006

1. ^ Colman, Mike (26 November 2005) "Assigning History by asterisks" The Courier-Mail (page 61)
2. ^ Dick, Barry (16 July 2003) "Origin Battle Rages On and Off the Field" The Courier-Mail (page 1)

1. ^ State of Origin website