The 2005 State of Origin series saw the 24th time that the
annual three-game series between the
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
and
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
representative
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...
football teams was contested entirely under '
state of origin
A State of Origin competition is a type of sporting event between players representing their state or territory. State of Origin began in Australian rules football on 8 October 1977 between Western Australia (WA) and Victoria, at Subiaco Oval ...
' selection rules. The three matches drew a total attendance of 187,309 and New South Wales won the series 2-1, their third consecutive series victory, and their last until
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
.
The
Wally Lewis Medal
The State of Origin series is an annual best-of-three rugby league series between two Australian state representative sides, the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons.
Referred to as “Australian sport's greatest rivalry”, the ...
for Player of the Series was awarded to New South Wales'
fullback,
Anthony Minichiello
Anthony Minichiello (born 24 May 1980) is a former professional rugby league footballer who captained the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League, and retired having set records for most games and most tries in the club's history. An Austr ...
. The
Ron McAuliffe Medal
State of Origin results and statistics have been accumulating since the 1980 State of Origin game. Every game played under State of Origin selection rules, including the additional 1987 exhibition match and the matches played between New South Wal ...
for Queensland player of the series was awarded to
Cameron Smith Cameron Smith may refer to:
* Cameron Smith (rugby league, born 1983), Australian rugby league footballer
* Cameron Smith (rugby league, born 1998), English rugby league footballer
* Cameron Smith (golfer) (born 1993), Australian golfer
* Cammy Smi ...
. The
Brad Fittler Medal
State of Origin results and statistics have been accumulating since the 1980 State of Origin game. Every game played under State of Origin selection rules, including the additional 1987 exhibition match and the matches played between New South Wa ...
for New South Wales player of the series was awarded to
Matt King Matthew or Matt King may refer to:
Matthew
* Matthew King (composer) (born 1967), British composer and pianist
* Matthew King (cricketer) (born 1977), Australian cricketer
* Matthew Yang King (born 1974), American actor, voice actor, director, prod ...
.
__TOC__
Game I
The crowd of 52,484 people at
Suncorp Stadium
Lang Park, also known as Brisbane Football Stadium, by the sponsored name Suncorp Stadium, and nicknamed: 'The Cauldron', is a multi-purpose stadium in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, located in the suburb of Milton. The current facility co ...
was a record for the ground at the time. After fifty minutes, Queensland had raced away to a 19-0 lead. However New South Wales, under new coach
Ricky Stuart
Ricky John Stuart (born 7 January 1967) is an Australian professional rugby league football coach who is the head coach of the Canberra Raiders in the NRL and a former rugby league footballer who played as a in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.
He ...
made a strong comeback, bringing the score to 20-19 in their favour. A field goal from
Johnathan Thurston
Johnathan Dean Thurston (born 25 April 1983) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the National Rugby League (NRL). Thurston was an Australian international, Queensland State of Origin and Indigenous All ...
, in his first match for the Maroons, saw the game go into '
golden point
The golden point, a sudden death overtime system, is used to resolve drawn football matches. The term is borrowed from soccer's now-defunct golden goal.
Rugby league Australia
The golden point is used to determine a winner (where applicable, see ...
' extra time.
Brett Kimmorley
Brett "Noddy" Kimmorley (born 15 September 1976) is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s and is the current interim coach of the Wests Tigers. A New South Wales inter ...
, playing halfback in place of an injured
Andrew Johns
Andrew Gary Johns (born 19 May 1974) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in rugby league history. Johns captained the Newcas ...
, threw a pass intended for
Matt King Matthew or Matt King may refer to:
Matthew
* Matthew King (composer) (born 1967), British composer and pianist
* Matthew King (cricketer) (born 1977), Australian cricketer
* Matthew Yang King (born 1974), American actor, voice actor, director, prod ...
, but was instead intercepted by
Matt Bowen, who snatched a 24-20 victory for the Maroons.
Game II
Having made his first
NRL
The National Rugby League (NRL) is an Australasian rugby league club competition which contains clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand. The NRL formed in 1998 as a joint partnership ...
reappearance just ten days earlier following recovery from injury, Andrew Johns made his State of Origin comeback for Game II with a man-of-the-match performance to help level the 2005 series. This game opened with the Blues sustaining immense pressure on their own line for the opening 15 minutes of the match before breaking through for a try to Minichiello to open the scoring.
Game III
After 25 years the 2005 decider was the 75th game between the two sides, with 36 wins for each side.
After an hour New South Wales had raced away to a 32-0 lead and late tries to Queensland proved too little too late. Matt King became only the ninth player (and fourth New South Welshman) to score a hat-trick in State of Origin.
New South Wales squad
Queensland squad
See also
*
2005 NRL season
The 2005 NRL season was the 98th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the eighth run by the National Rugby League. The lineup of clubs remained unchanged from the previous year, with fifteen teams contesting the 2005 Telst ...
Footnotes
External links
State of Origin 2005at ''rugbyleagueproject.org''
{{2005 in rugby league
State of Origin series
State of Origin series
The State of Origin series is an annual best-of-three rugby league series between two Australian state representative sides, the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons.
Referred to as “Australian sport's greatest rivalry”, the ...