The State of Origin series is an annual best-of-three
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 ...
series between two
Australian state
The states and territories are federated administrative divisions in Australia, ruled by regional governments that constitute the second level of governance between the federal government and local governments. States are self-governing ...
representative sides, the
New South Wales Blues and the
Queensland Maroons.
Referred to as “Australian sport's greatest rivalry”, the State of Origin series is one of Australia's premier sporting events, attracting huge television audiences and usually selling out the stadiums in which the games are played. It is regularly described as being the pinnacle of rugby league, even in comparison with international competitions.
Players are selected to represent the Australian state in which they played their first senior rugby league game (either high school or local senior club). Before 1980 players were only selected for interstate matches based on where they were playing their club football at the time. Queensland was not generally competitive under these selection rules, with a total record of 54 wins, 8 draws, and 159 losses, as their smaller economy and ban on poker machines meant that leagues clubs could not compete and the vast majority of elite players ended up playing in the much richer
NSWRL Premiership.
In both 1980 and 1981, there were two interstate matches under the old selection rules and one experimental "State of Origin" match. From 1982 onwards a best-of-three match series has been played around the middle of the rugby league season for the State of Origin shield. During the early years the overall series results remained relatively even, but Queensland surged ahead between 2006 and 2017, winning 11 out of 12 series, including a record eight series in a row.
Teams
Since the 1908 establishment of
rugby league in Australia
Rugby league in Australia has been one of Australia's most popular sports since it started being played there in 1908. It is the dominant winter football code in the states of New South Wales and Queensland. In 2009, it was the most watched spor ...
, the sport's two major states,
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 ...
and
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
, establishe ...
, have played representative matches against each other which have continued into the "state of origin" era which began in the 1980s. The two states' teams are frequently referred to as the Blues and Maroons, reflecting the respective colours of their jerseys. These were the colours of the
Australia national rugby league team
The Australian National Rugby League Team, the Kangaroos, have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the 'Northern Union game' in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian ...
's jersey until the adoption of the green and gold. The Blues team is administered by the
New South Wales Rugby League
The New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory and is a member of the Australian Rugby League Commission. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was ...
and the Maroons by the
Queensland Rugby League
The Queensland Rugby Football League QRL Constitution, 2009: 3 (QRL QRL Constitution, 2009: 2) is the governing body for rugby league in Queensland. It is a member of the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARL Commission) and selects the membe ...
. The New South Wales team are sometimes referred to by the nickname "
Cockroach
Cockroaches (or roaches) are a paraphyletic group of insects belonging to Blattodea, containing all members of the group except termites. About 30 cockroach species out of 4,600 are associated with human habitats. Some species are well-known ...
es" and the Queensland team as "
Cane Toads
The cane toad (''Rhinella marina''), also known as the giant neotropical toad or marine toad, is a large, terrestrial true toad native to South and mainland Central America, but which has been introduced to various islands throughout Ocean ...
", due to names given to them by Barry Muir and Johnny Raper respectively. It was reinforced by a marketing campaign used in the 1980s where the respective teams were caricatured as such.
While other Australian states also have representative rugby league teams, they have not competed in the State of Origin.
History
Interstate rugby league before 1980
The first calls for a state of origin selection policy in interstate
rugby football
Rugby football is the collective name for the team sports of rugby union and rugby league.
Canadian football and, to a lesser extent, American football were once considered forms of rugby football, but are seldom now referred to as such. The ...
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
)
, 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 ...
.
Since the beginning of Australian rugby league in 1908, an interstate competition between
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 ...
and
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
, establishe ...
has been conducted almost annually (apart from during WWI, Spanish flu and WWII). 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
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
, 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
Kangaroos are four marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern ...
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
The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARL), formerly the Australian Rugby Football League known as the Australian Rugby League is an Australian rugby league football competition operator. It was founded in 1986 as the Australian Rugby Footbal ...
informed the media that the
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league in England, and until 1995 for the whole British Isles. The name Rugby Football League previously also referred to the main league competition run by the organisat ...
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 legalised 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.
Conception of State of Origin football
By the 1970s the prestige of interstate matches had been seriously downgraded, in most part due to the fact that a number of Queensland players signed to NSW clubs could not unseat the NSW incumbent and also were not eligible for Queensland selection, so they did not play at all. 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.
[ ] Interstate football reached its nadir in 1977 when the
New South Wales Rugby Football League
The New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory and is a member of the Australian Rugby League Commission. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was ...
(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.
Brisbane ''Courier-Mail'' reporter
Hugh Lunn
Hugh Duncan Lunn (born 1941 in Brisbane, Queensland) is an Australian journalist and author.
Writing career
Early journalism
Lunn served his journalism cadetship with '' The Courier-Mail''. Upon completing his cadetship, he worked overseas f ...
,
Barry Maranta
Barry Maranta (born 18 December 1934), is an Australian businessman and co-founder of the Brisbane Broncos rugby league team. As well as being a founder of the Broncos he is currently a Sky Shades president. His grandson Lachlan Maranta, became ...
(the future co-founder of the
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club Ltd., commonly referred to as the Broncos, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos play in Australia's elite c ...
) and Maranta's business partner
Wayne Reid
Wayne Vivian Reid OBE (12 January 1938 – 30 June 2021) was a tennis player and sports administrator who was president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia (LTAA), the Melbourne Football Club, the Asian Tennis Circuit, the Confederatio ...
played a part in persuading QRL chairman
Ron McAullife
Ronald Edward McAuliffe OBE (25 June 1918 – 16 August 1988) was a politician and sports administrator in Queensland, Australia. He is best remembered for his years running the Queensland Rugby League, and his instrumental role in the formation ...
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
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are an Australian professional rugby league club based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales. They compete in the National Rugby League (NRL), Australasia's premier rugby leag ...
official.)
Three Sydney clubs remained opposed to the plan:
St. George Dragons,
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are a professional Australian rugby league club based in Redfern, a suburb of inner-southern Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership and are one of nine existing tea ...
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.
Experimentation
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
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 ...
in Brisbane. The
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 ...
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
Robert Fulton (1 December 1947 – 23 May 2021), also nicknamed "Bozo", was an Australian international rugby league footballer, coach and later commentator. Fulton played, coached, selected for and has commentated on the game with great succe ...
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.
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.
Adoption
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.
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, 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 39,068 spectators at the
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is a sports stadium in Sydney, Australia. It is used for Test, One Day International and Twenty20 cricket, as well as, Australian rules football and occasionally for rugby league, rugby union and association f ...
, 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.
1987: American match
After Queensland had won the 1987 series 2–1, a fourth game was played at
Long Beach
Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California.
Incorporat ...
, California to showcase
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 ...
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'."
1990s
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 in the opening game with two wins in 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
Ben Elias (Arabic: بن الياس; born 15 November 1963 in Tripoli, Lebanon),is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played primarily as a for Balmain in the New South Wales Rugby League premie ...
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
The Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club Ltd., commonly referred to as the Broncos, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos play in Australia's elite c ...
, its players and many other Queenslanders were not aligned with the
ARL
ARL may refer to:
Military
* US Navy hull classification symbol for repair ship
* Admiralty Research Laboratory, UK
* United States Army Research Laboratory
* ARL 44, a WWII French tank
Organizations
* Aero Research Limited, a UK adhesives com ...
prohibiting any players signed with the
Super League
The Super League (officially known as the Betfred Super League due to sponsorship from Betfred and legally known as Super League Europe), is the top-level of the British rugby league system. At present the league consists of twelve teams, of w ...
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
ARL may refer to:
Military
* US Navy hull classification symbol for repair ship
* Admiralty Research Laboratory, UK
* United States Army Research Laboratory
* ARL 44, a WWII French tank
Organizations
* Aero Research Limited, a UK adhesives com ...
and one by the News Limited-owned
Super League
The Super League (officially known as the Betfred Super League due to sponsorship from Betfred and legally known as Super League Europe), is the top-level of the British rugby league system. At present the league consists of twelve teams, of w ...
, 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
ARL may refer to:
Military
* US Navy hull classification symbol for repair ship
* Admiralty Research Laboratory, UK
* United States Army Research Laboratory
* ARL 44, a WWII French tank
Organizations
* Aero Research Limited, a UK adhesives com ...
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
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 ...
, 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.
2000s
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
)
, 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 ...
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.
2010s
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
1080i (also known as Full HD or BT.709) is a combination of frame resolution and scan type. 1080i is used in high-definition television (HDTV) and high-definition video. The number "1080" refers to the number of horizontal lines on the scree ...
DVB-T
DVB-T, short for Digital Video Broadcasting – Terrestrial, is the DVB European-based consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television that was first published in 1997 and first broadcast in Singapore in Feb ...
as well as being simultaneously broadcast in regular
576i
576i is a standard-definition digital video mode, originally used for digitizing analog television in most countries of the world where the utility frequency for electric power distribution is 50 Hz. Because of its close association wit ...
and
1080i
1080i (also known as Full HD or BT.709) is a combination of frame resolution and scan type. 1080i is used in high-definition television (HDTV) and high-definition video. The number "1080" refers to the number of horizontal lines on the scree ...
DVB-T
DVB-T, short for Digital Video Broadcasting – Terrestrial, is the DVB European-based consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television that was first published in 1997 and first broadcast in Singapore in Feb ...
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
David Gallop is an Australian sports administrator, lawyer and served as the chief executive of the Football Federation Australia until December 2019. He previously served as the chief executive officer of the National Rugby League between Febr ...
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.
In 2014, New South Wales defeated Queensland 12–8 in the first game of the series, and 6–4 in the second. 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.
2020s
In 2020,
Ampol
Ampol Limited is an Australian petroleum company headquartered in Sydney, New South Wales. Ampol is the largest transport energy distributor and retailer in Australia, with more than 1,900 Ampol-branded stations across the country . It also ope ...
became the naming rights partner of the series until at least 2023, taking over from
Holden
Holden, formerly known as General Motors-Holden, was an Australian subsidiary company of General Motors. It was an Australian automobile manufacturer, importer, and exporter which sold cars under its own marque in Australia. In its last thr ...
.
The
2020 series was originally due to be played during the middle of the
season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and ...
, but was shifted to the post-season for the first time in history, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
which forced the suspension of all non-essential services in March. The series was played on consecutive Wednesday nights in November (4th, 11th, and 18th), with the venues for the fixtures designated as:
Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the city centre and North Adelaide. The venue is predominantly used for cricket and Australian rules football, but has also played host to rugby l ...
,
ANZ Stadium and
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 ...
. 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 Maroons 10–0, but a huge upset secured the game for Queensland. Game 2 held in Sydney, New South Wales, at ANZ Stadium, was a blue wave. Queensland scored the first try but eventually lost the game to New South Wales 34–10. Game 3 was held in Brisbane on the 18th of November at 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.
Game 1 of the
2021 series was held at
Queensland Country Bank Stadium in
Townsville
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 180,820 as of June 2018, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland; it is unofficially considered its capital. Estimated resident population, 3 ...
on 9 June, moved from the MCG after another COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne. This became the first Origin match to be played in a regional centre. New South Wales then recorded their biggest win in series history, defeating Queensland 50–6.
![2021 State of Origin Game 1 Queensland Country Bank Stadium National Anthem](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/2021_State_of_Origin_Game_1_Queensland_Country_Bank_Stadium_National_Anthem.jpg)
![Queensland Country Bank Stadium for State of Origin Game 1 2021](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Queensland_Country_Bank_Stadium_for_State_of_Origin_Game_1_2021.jpg)
NSW would go on to win the series with a 26-0 win against Queensland at Suncorp, with Queensland gaining a consolation win by defeating NSW 20-18 on the Gold Coast, with the venue being required due to the resurgence of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
.
Venues
Queensland
New South Wales
Interstate & International
Popularity
![State of Origin 2 (24 June 2009, Sydney)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/State_of_Origin_2_%2824_June_2009%2C_Sydney%29.jpg)
In 2013, each individual game in the series drew a higher Australian television audience than any other sporting event, the only time this has ever happened.
In recent years the series has gained popularity outside of New South Wales and Queensland, with games played in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
drawing record crowds for rugby league and local television ratings comparable to those of major
AFL
AFL may refer to:
Sports
* American Football League (AFL), a name shared by several separate and unrelated professional American football leagues:
** American Football League (1926) (a.k.a. "AFL I"), first rival of the National Football Leagu ...
matches. Internationally, the series is televised in 91 countries, and is a national obsession in
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
, occasionally sparking riots, violence and deaths. It also draws a strong following in neighbouring
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...
.
Broadcasting
Within Australia,
Nine Network
The Nine Network (stylised 9Network, commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of five main free-to-air television netw ...
is the main broadcaster for the series, with replays airing on
Fox Sports
Fox Sports is the brand name for a number of sports channels, broadcast divisions, programming, and other media around the world.
The ''Fox Sports'' name has since been used for other sports media assets. These assets are held mainly by the F ...
. The series is also broadcast on radio by
ABC Grandstand.
Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports is a sports television company based in Dublin, Ireland broadcasting throughout select Eurasian. The company was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events to international audiences. The company previ ...
broadcasts live matches in Asia. In the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
,
Fox Soccer
Fox Soccer (formerly Fox Soccer Channel & Fox Sports World before that) was an American television specialty channel specializing in soccer, owned by Fox Corporation, which operated from 1997 to 2013. It formerly broadcast rugby and Australia ...
televised all matches live using the Nine feed since 2011, with the coverage moving to
Fox Sports 2
Fox Sports 2 (FS2) is an American sports-oriented pay television channel owned by the Fox Sports Media Group, a unit of Fox Corporation. The channel is based at the Fox Sports division's headquarters on the Fox Studio Lot in the Century Cit ...
when Fox Soccer was discontinued in August 2013.
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is a group of British subscription sports channels operated by the satellite pay television company Sky Group (a division of Comcast), and is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It ...
broadcasts live coverage of State of Origin in the UK.
Roy and HG's State of Origin commentary was once broadcast on Australian youth radio network
Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
. This broadcast was presented by the characters "Rampaging"
Roy Slaven and
HG Nelson (played by
John Doyle and
Greig Pickhaver), who commentated the game with a unique comedic style. Roy and HG's broadcasts began in the late 1980s and continued until 2008. Roy and HG moved from Triple J to radio network
Triple M
Triple M is an Australian commercial radio network owned and operated by Southern Cross Austereo. The network consists of 40 radio stations broadcasting a mainstream rock music format and 5 digital radio stations.
The network dates back to th ...
in 2009, at which point the duo ceased their State of Origin commentary.
Selection rules
Under State of Origin rules players were previously selected for the state in which they first played senior (or registered) rugby league. In 2012, the NSWRL, CRL, QRL and ARLC agreed on new criteria in determining Origin eligibility, to encompass other factors, such as place of birth. Players must also be eligible to represent Australia at international level.
Controversy
From time to time the selection of players under the
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 Ov ...
rules creates controversy. Since 1980, Queensland has completed just 7 series with a team completely made up of players of a Queensland birth, while for New South Wales the total is only 6, although every New South Wales player has been legally eligible for the state, unlike some of Queensland's.
However, the place of birth has only been a relevant factor in eligibility since 2012. The issue was parodied in the song "
That's In Queensland".
An issue of contention has been the selection of players such as
Peter Sterling,
Ken Nagas
Ken Nagas (born 18 June 1973) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the Canberra Raiders of the National Rugby League. Nagas primarily played on the .
Canberra Raiders
Nag ...
,
James McManus
}
James "Jim" McManus (born March 22, 1951) is an American teacher, writer and poker player living in Kenilworth, Illinois. He is a professor in the Master of Fine Arts program for writers at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Poker and ''Positi ...
,
Israel Folau
Israel Folau ( to, ‘Isileli Folau; born 3 April 1989) is an Australian professional rugby union footballer who plays for the Shining Arcs in the Japan Rugby League One and the Tonga national rugby union team.
He has previously played Aust ...
and
Greg Inglis
Gregory Paul Inglis (born 15 January 1987), also known by the nickname of "G.I.", is a retired Australian professional rugby league footballer. His regular playing positions were Centre, Fullback, Five-eighth and Wing.
From 2011 to 2019 he pl ...
.
NSW Controversies
Ken Nagas
Ken Nagas (born 18 June 1973) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the Canberra Raiders of the National Rugby League. Nagas primarily played on the .
Canberra Raiders
Nag ...
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. New South Wales also claim players who were born and raised in the Australian Capital Territory, including Nick Cotric and Terry Campese. Given that the Australian Capital Territory is not part of the New South Wales jurisdiction, this makes NSW eligibility for ACT players questionable.
Queensland Controversies
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.
Many other Queensland players were born and/or raised outside the state yet played for the Maroons, such as
Sam Thaiday
Samuel Arthur Thaiday (; born 12 June 1985) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League, serving as their captain from 2012 until 2013. An Australian internationa ...
(born in Sydney),
Petero Civoniceva
Petero Civoniceva ( (Thee-vo-nee-thee-vah); born 21 April 1976), is a Fijian-Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representa ...
(born in Fiji),
Adrian Lam
Adrian Lam (born 25 August 1970) is a Papua New Guinean professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the Super League Club Leigh Leopards (was Leigh Centurions), and a former rugby league footballer.
He played for the Sydney Rooste ...
(born in Papua New Guinea),
Lote Tuqiri
Lote Daulako Tuqiri (born 23 September 1979) is a former professional dual-code rugby footballer who primarily played as a winger across both codes. He represented Australia in both rugby league and rugby union, and Fiji in rugby league. Tuqi ...
(born in Fiji),
Michael Crocker
Michael "Croc" Crocker (born 21 June 1980) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin
A State of Origin competition is a typ ...
(born in Sydney),
Billy Moore (born in Tenterfield),
Tonie Carroll
Tonie Carroll (born 17 February 1976) is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian and New Zealand international and Queensland State of Origin representative, he played for the Brisbane Bron ...
(born in Christchurch),
Karmichael Hunt
Karmichael Neil Matthew Hunt (born 17 November 1986) is a former multi-code international rugby league footballer who last played for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL.
Having played professional rugby league, rugby union and Australian rules ...
(born in Auckland) and
Brad Thorn
Bradley Carnegie Thorn (born 3 February 1975) is a rugby union coach and former rugby league and rugby union footballer. Born in New Zealand, he represented Australia in rugby league and New Zealand in rugby union in a 22-season career as a pla ...
(born in Otago region, NZ).
Inglis Scandal
The selection of
Greg Inglis
Gregory Paul Inglis (born 15 January 1987), also known by the nickname of "G.I.", is a retired Australian professional rugby league footballer. His regular playing positions were Centre, Fullback, Five-eighth and Wing.
From 2011 to 2019 he pl ...
by
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
, establishe ...
was the most controversial. The
Queensland Rugby League
The Queensland Rugby Football League QRL Constitution, 2009: 3 (QRL QRL Constitution, 2009: 2) is the governing body for rugby league in Queensland. It is a member of the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARL Commission) and selects the membe ...
selected him based on the falsity that
Brisbane Norths was Inglis' first senior football club, as per the eligibility rules at the time. However some claim that schoolboy competitions count as senior football and with Inglis having previously played for Hunter Sports High School in
Newcastle, New South Wales
Newcastle ( ; Awabakal: ) is a metropolitan area and the second most populated city in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It includes the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie local government areas, and is the hub of the Greater Newcastle area, w ...
, in the
Arrive Alive Cup, he should have played for New South Wales.
Notable Cases of Odd Eligibility
Due to the clarification of selection rules, the Sims brothers are eligible for different States.
Tariq
Tariq ( ar, طارق) is an Arabic word and given name.
Etymology
The word is derived from the Arabic verb , ('), meaning "to strike", and into the agentive conjugated doer form , ('), meaning "striker". It became popular as a name after Tariq ...
and
Ashton are eligible for New South Wales while
Korbin Sims
Korbin Sims (born 2 January 1992) is a Fiji international rugby league footballer who last played as a and forward for Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League.
He previously played for the Newcastle Knights, Brisbane Broncos and the St. G ...
is eligible for Queensland. Previously father and son combinations, such as
Steve and
Mat Rogers
Mathew Steve Rogers (born 1 February 1976) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He also played rugby union at the highest level, becoming a dual-code international.
The son of ...
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
Bradley Carnegie Thorn (born 3 February 1975) is a rugby union coach and former rugby league and rugby union footballer. Born in New Zealand, he represented Australia in rugby league and New Zealand in rugby union in a 22-season career as a pla ...
,
Ben Te'o
Ben Te'o (born 27 January 1987) is a former profesional rugby union and rugby league footballer who last played as a er for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL.
He previously played for both the Wests Tigers and the South Sydney Rabbitohs with wh ...
,
Craig Smith,
Willie Mason
Viliami William Marshall Mason (born 15 April 1980), also nicknamed "Big Willie", is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australia and Tonga international and New South Wales State of Origin rep ...
,
Tonie Carroll
Tonie Carroll (born 17 February 1976) is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian and New Zealand international and Queensland State of Origin representative, he played for the Brisbane Bron ...
,
James Tamou
James Tamou (born 13 December 1988) is an Australia international professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League.
He previously played for the North Queensland Cowboys and was ...
and
Karmichael Hunt
Karmichael Neil Matthew Hunt (born 17 November 1986) is a former multi-code international rugby league footballer who last played for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL.
Having played professional rugby league, rugby union and Australian rules ...
play Origin. Tamou's selection by New South Wales in 2012 was controversial as he was born in
Palmerston North
Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...
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
The New Zealand national rugby league team (Māori: Tīma rīki motu Aotearoa) has represented New Zealand in rugby league since 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of ...
training squad for the
2011 Four Nations. Both Hunt and Tamou played for
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
before being selected for the State of Origin. Other players, such as
Sam Kasiano
Sam Kasiano (born 21 September 1990) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Warrington Wolves in Super League. He is both a New Zealand and Samoan international.
Kasiano previously played for the Canterbury-Bankstow ...
and
Jason Taumalolo
Vaai "Jason" Taumalolo (born 31 May 1993) is a professional rugby league footballer who captains and plays as a or forward for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL. He has played for Tonga and New Zealand at international level.
Taumalol ...
are also eligible, creating concern in the
New Zealand Rugby League
The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. SPARC, 2009: 13 The NZRL was founded on 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year.Coffey and Wood ''T ...
. 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
The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987 ...
.
Papua New Guinea-born
Adrian Lam
Adrian Lam (born 25 August 1970) is a Papua New Guinean professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the Super League Club Leigh Leopards (was Leigh Centurions), and a former rugby league footballer.
He played for the Sydney Rooste ...
and Fijian-born
Lote Tuqiri
Lote Daulako Tuqiri (born 23 September 1979) is a former professional dual-code rugby footballer who primarily played as a winger across both codes. He represented Australia in both rugby league and rugby union, and Fiji in rugby league. Tuqi ...
,
Akuila Uate and
Petero Civoniceva
Petero Civoniceva ( (Thee-vo-nee-thee-vah); born 21 April 1976), is a Fijian-Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representa ...
have also played Origin.
Benny Elias
Ben Elias (Arabic: بن الياس; born 15 November 1963 in Tripoli, Lebanon),is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played primarily as a for Balmain in the New South Wales Rugby League premie ...
was born in Lebanon and has played for and captained NSW.
Mario Fenech
Mario Fenech (nicknamed "The Maltese Falcon", “Falcon”, or "Muzza"; born 11 November 1961) is a Maltese Australian rugby league personality. He is a former player of the game who had a lengthy career in the New South Wales/Australian Rugby ...
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
Ben Te'o (born 27 January 1987) is a former profesional rugby union and rugby league footballer who last played as a er for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL.
He previously played for both the Wests Tigers and the South Sydney Rabbitohs with wh ...
, by Queensland in game three of the 2012 season.
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
orn
Orn or ORN may refer to:
*Orn (name), a given name and surname
* ''Orn'', the second book in Piers Anthony's trilogy Of Man and Manta
* Offshoring Research Network, an international network researching the offshoring of business processes and ser ...
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
orn
Orn or ORN may refer to:
*Orn (name), a given name and surname
* ''Orn'', the second book in Piers Anthony's trilogy Of Man and Manta
* Offshoring Research Network, an international network researching the offshoring of business processes and ser ...
players across the series – revealing a 38.5% dependency."
Anomalies
# In 1995 and 1997
Super League
The Super League (officially known as the Betfred Super League due to sponsorship from Betfred and legally known as Super League Europe), is the top-level of the British rugby league system. At present the league consists of twelve teams, of wh ...
players were made ineligible for the
ARL
ARL may refer to:
Military
* US Navy hull classification symbol for repair ship
* Admiralty Research Laboratory, UK
* United States Army Research Laboratory
* ARL 44, a WWII French tank
Organizations
* Aero Research Limited, a UK adhesives com ...
State of Origin series selection. This included most of Queensland's usual team, who now played for the Super League affiliated
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club Ltd., commonly referred to as the Broncos, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos play in Australia's elite c ...
. The ARL hence decided to relax the rules in those years, allowing Queensland to select
Adrian Lam
Adrian Lam (born 25 August 1970) is a Papua New Guinean professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the Super League Club Leigh Leopards (was Leigh Centurions), and a former rugby league footballer.
He played for the Sydney Rooste ...
who had previously played for
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
. The 1995 Origin series was the scene of the biggest upset in Origin history when the relatively inexperienced Maroons swept aside NSW, who even without their Super League players could still boast several senior Origin and international players, 3–0.
# During the
2000 World Cup several Australian players were granted dispensations to appear for other nations under the
grandparent rule
The grandfather rule, in sports which usually only permit participants to play for the team of their country of birth, is an exception which gives participants the option to play for the country of any of their ancestors up to the grandparents. ...
. The players affected were
David Barnhill
David Barnhill (born 8 June 1969) is a former Ireland international rugby league footballer who
played as a Second row forward in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. His club career was with the Canberra Raiders, St. George Dragons, Sydney City and ...
(NSW, Ireland),
Kevin Campion (Qld, Ireland),
Tonie Carroll
Tonie Carroll (born 17 February 1976) is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian and New Zealand international and Queensland State of Origin representative, he played for the Brisbane Bron ...
(Qld, New Zealand),
Graham Mackay
Graham Mackay (born 12 October 1968) is a former international and state representative rugby league footballer whose club career spanned Ten Australian and English clubs, including Western Suburbs, Penrith, Gold Coast Chargers, Hull FC and ...
(NSW, Scotland),
Willie Mason
Viliami William Marshall Mason (born 15 April 1980), also nicknamed "Big Willie", is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australia and Tonga international and New South Wales State of Origin rep ...
(NSW, Tonga),
Luke Ricketson
Luke Ricketson (born 5 February 1973) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian and Ireland international, and New South Wales State of Origin representative back-row forward, ...
(NSW, Ireland),
Lote Tuqiri
Lote Daulako Tuqiri (born 23 September 1979) is a former professional dual-code rugby footballer who primarily played as a winger across both codes. He represented Australia in both rugby league and rugby union, and Fiji in rugby league. Tuqi ...
(Qld, Fiji) and
Adrian Vowles
Adrian Vowles (born 30 May 1971) is a former professional Scotland international rugby league footballer who played as a or in the 1990s and 2000s. He played in Australia for several years, gaining State of Origin selection in 1994, but spent ...
(Qld, Scotland),
Results
Year by year
Of the 41 full series played, Queensland has won 23, New South Wales 16, 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 126. Queensland have won 67, New South Wales have won 57, with 2 matches being drawn.
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
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 ...
method.
Wally Lewis Medal
The Wally Lewis Medal was awarded by the
Queensland Rugby League
The Queensland Rugby Football League QRL Constitution, 2009: 3 (QRL QRL Constitution, 2009: 2) is the governing body for rugby league in Queensland. It is a member of the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARL Commission) and selects the membe ...
for the Queensland player of the series from 1992 to 2003, when 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 Wa ...
replaced it as the Queensland exclusive award. From 2004 onwards it has been awarded to the player of the series irrespective of state, to the following players:
* ''italics'' denotes player won it from the losing state.
Overall Interstate Results Since 1908
Including the Interstate Series and State of Origin results, NSW has won 70 titles, and Queensland has won 37 titles. The all time record of games played is 347 with New South Wales having 216 wins, Queensland 121 wins, and 10 matches have been drawn.
Asterisk (*): includes 1980, 1981 and 1987 exhibition game results in Win-Loss-Draw columns even though they were not part of any series
Records
Team
*Most points scored in a game: 72, New South Wales 56 - 16 Queensland (Game III,
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
)
*Most points scored by a team: 56, New South Wales 56 - 16 Queensland (Game III,
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
)
*Largest winning margin: 46, Queensland 52 - 6 New South Wales (Game III,
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
)
*Most consecutive games won: 8, Queensland (Game II,
1987
File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, k ...
- Game III,
1989)
*Most consecutive series won: 8, Queensland (
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
–
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
)
*Most series clean sweeps: 4, Queensland (
1988
File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...
–
1989,
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
,
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
)
Individual
*Oldest player: 36 years 74 days,
Petero Civoniceva
Petero Civoniceva ( (Thee-vo-nee-thee-vah); born 21 April 1976), is a Fijian-Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representa ...
(2012) (Queensland)
*Youngest player: 18 years and 83 days,
Ben Ikin
Benjamin Ikin (born 21 February 1977) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and works as the Football & Performance Director for the Brisbane Broncos. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representat ...
(1995) (Queensland)
Playing
*Most games: 42
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 ...
(2003–2017) (Queensland)
*Most consecutive games: 36
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 ...
(2005–2017) (Queensland)
*Most games as captain: 30
Wally Lewis (1981–1991) (Queensland)
*Most games won: 24
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 ...
(2003–2017) (Queensland)
*Most series won: 11
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 ...
(2006–2013, 2015–2017) (Queensland) &
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 ...
(2006–2013, 2015–2017) (Queensland)
*Most Man of the Match Awards won: 8
Wally Lewis (1982–1991) (Queensland)
*Most points: 224
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 ...
(2005–2017) (Queensland)
*Most tries: 18
Greg Inglis
Gregory Paul Inglis (born 15 January 1987), also known by the nickname of "G.I.", is a retired Australian professional rugby league footballer. His regular playing positions were Centre, Fullback, Five-eighth and Wing.
From 2011 to 2019 he pl ...
(2006–2018) (Queensland)
*Most goals: 101
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 ...
(2005–2017) (Queensland)
*Most field goals: 4
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 ...
(1995–2005) (New South Wales)
*Most points in one game: 32
Ryan Girdler
Ryan Girdler (born 19 September 1972) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australia international representative goal-kicking centre, he played h ...
(Game III, 2000) (New South Wales)
*Most points in one series: 52
Ryan Girdler
Ryan Girdler (born 19 September 1972) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australia international representative goal-kicking centre, he played h ...
(2000) (New South Wales)
*Most tries in one game: 3 (
Chris Anderson Chris Anderson may refer to:
Sports
* Chris Anderson (baseball) (born 1992), American baseball player
* Chris Anderson (cheese roller), 22-time winner of annual cheese rolling
* Chris Anderson (footballer, born 1925) (1925–1986), Scottish footb ...
,
Kerry Boustead
Kerry Boustead (born 12 August 1959) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. A talented representative for Queensland and Australia, at the time he was picked for the national team he was the younges ...
,
Ryan Girdler
Ryan Girdler (born 19 September 1972) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australia international representative goal-kicking centre, he played h ...
,
Lote Tuqiri
Lote Daulako Tuqiri (born 23 September 1979) is a former professional dual-code rugby footballer who primarily played as a winger across both codes. He represented Australia in both rugby league and rugby union, and Fiji in rugby league. Tuqi ...
,
Matt Sing
Matthew Charles Sing (born 13 March 1975) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian and Queensland representative, Sing played his club football for the Penrith Panthers, Sydn ...
,
Matt King,
Dane Gagai
Dane Gagai () (born 3 January 1991) is a professional rugby league footballer and boxer who plays as a and er for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL. He has played for Australia and the New Zealand Maori at international level.
He previously ...
,
Valentine Holmes
Valentine Holmes (born 24 July 1995) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays across the backline as a or er for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL and Australia at international level.
He began his career with the ...
,
Tom Trbojevic
Thomas Peter Trbojevic (born 2 October 1996), also nicknamed "Tommy Turbo", is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a as well as a wing and centre for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the NRL and plays for Austra ...
)
*Most tries in one series: 5
Ryan Girdler
Ryan Girdler (born 19 September 1972) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australia international representative goal-kicking centre, he played h ...
(2000) (New South Wales),
Lote Tuqiri
Lote Daulako Tuqiri (born 23 September 1979) is a former professional dual-code rugby footballer who primarily played as a winger across both codes. He represented Australia in both rugby league and rugby union, and Fiji in rugby league. Tuqi ...
(2002) (Queensland)
*Most goals in one game: 10
Ryan Girdler
Ryan Girdler (born 19 September 1972) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australia international representative goal-kicking centre, he played h ...
(Game III, 2000) (New South Wales)
*Most goals in one series: 16
Ryan Girdler
Ryan Girdler (born 19 September 1972) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australia international representative goal-kicking centre, he played h ...
(2000) (New South Wales)
*Most field goals in one game: 2
Ben Elias
Ben Elias (Arabic: بن الياس; born 15 November 1963 in Tripoli, Lebanon),is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played primarily as a for Balmain in the New South Wales Rugby League premi ...
(Game III, 1994) (New South Wales)
*Most field goals in one series: 2
Ben Elias
Ben Elias (Arabic: بن الياس; born 15 November 1963 in Tripoli, Lebanon),is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played primarily as a for Balmain in the New South Wales Rugby League premi ...
(1994) (New South Wales),
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 ...
(2003) (New South Wales)
:1.Smith, and Thurston competed in at least one game associated with each series wins.
Coaching
*Most games: 30
Mal Meninga
Malcolm Norman Meninga (; born 8 July 1960) is an Australian professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the Australian national team and a former professional rugby league footballer. Meninga is widely regarded as one of the fin ...
(2006–2015) (Queensland)
*Most games won: 19
Mal Meninga
Malcolm Norman Meninga (; born 8 July 1960) is an Australian professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the Australian national team and a former professional rugby league footballer. Meninga is widely regarded as one of the fin ...
(2006–2015) (Queensland)
*Most series won: 9
Mal Meninga
Malcolm Norman Meninga (; born 8 July 1960) is an Australian professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the Australian national team and a former professional rugby league footballer. Meninga is widely regarded as one of the fin ...
(2006–2015) (Queensland)
Other Records
Players still currently active are listed in bold.
Source
Asterisk (*) indicates series with limited attendance due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
.
Under 19s
The Under 19s State of Origin has only had one season so far (2022 to present)
Under 20s
The Under 20s State of Origin has only had eight seasons so far (2012 to 2019) with only one game a year, instead of three. New South Wales has won seven of the eight, with Queensland winning their first in 2018.
They play for the Darren Lockyer Shield. It became Under 19 Origin in 2022, after the 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
.
Women's State of Origin
The
Women's State of Origin
The Women's State of Origin is an annual rugby league fixture between two Australian state representative women's sides, the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons.
First played in 1999 as the Women's Interstate Challenge, the game ...
is the
Women's rugby league
Women's rugby league is the female-only version of Rugby league. There are women's clubs in Australia, Great Britain, and New Zealand, overseen internationally by the Women & Girls Rugby League.
Australia, France, England and New Zealand co ...
version of the game and has been running since 1999. The players play for the Nellie Doherty Cup. The current record for number of series won in the competition is held by Queensland, which won every series from 1999 to 2014 (a longer straight record than their male counterparts).
All-Team Records
* Points
Queensland: 1994 Points
New South Wales: 2000 Points
Women's Under 19s State of Origin
The Under 19s
Women's State of Origin
The Women's State of Origin is an annual rugby league fixture between two Australian state representative women's sides, the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons.
First played in 1999 as the Women's Interstate Challenge, the game ...
in the
Women's rugby league
Women's rugby league is the female-only version of Rugby league. There are women's clubs in Australia, Great Britain, and New Zealand, overseen internationally by the Women & Girls Rugby League.
Australia, France, England and New Zealand co ...
is a new version of the game and has been running since 2021.
In popular culture
In an episode of the third season of the
ABC Kids animation
Bluey titled "The Decider", Bluey and her family watch a third State of Origin match where Queensland win the series.
See also
*
National Rugby League
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 ...
*
City vs Country Origin
City vs Country Origin was an annual Australian rugby league football match that took place in New South Wales between City and Country representative sides. The City side represented the Sydney metropolitan area. While technically it was Sydne ...
*
Super League Tri-series The Super League Tri-series was an international rugby league football tournament contested in 1997 between Queensland, New South Wales, and New Zealand representative rugby league teams. It was run by the breakaway Super League organisation as an a ...
*
International Origin
International Origin was an annual series of rugby league football matches between England national rugby league team, England RL and the Exiles rugby league team, Exiles. The International Origin was created by the Rugby Football League (RFL) to ...
*
Rugby League War of the Roses
The War of the Roses, (also known in its last years as the County of Origin Series) was the inter-county rugby league matches between representative teams from Yorkshire and Lancashire, the areas where rugby league has traditionally been mo ...
*
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 Ov ...
*
Rugby league in Australia
Rugby league in Australia has been one of Australia's most popular sports since it started being played there in 1908. It is the dominant winter football code in the states of New South Wales and Queensland. In 2009, it was the most watched spor ...
*
Affiliated States Championship
*
Australian regional rivals – NSW vs. QLD
Notes
References
History
#
"State of Origin 30 Years: 1980 – 2009"by Liam Hauser, Rockpool Publishing,
by Sean Fagan, ''RL1908'', Retrieved 15 November 2005
by Sean Fagan, ''RL1908'', Retrieved 15 November 2005
by Sean Fagan, ''RL1908'', Retrieved 15 November 2005
by Sean Fagan, ''RL1908'', Retrieved 15 November 2005
#
#
#
#
by Jeff Wall, ''Crikey'' 12 April 2005, Retrieved 18 November 2005
#
by Jeff Wall, ''Crikey'' 23 May 2005, Retrieved 15 November 2005
#
"We Still Want Hunt"National Rugby League, 21 March 2005, Retrieved 18 November 2005
#
"How it all began"stateoforigin.com.au, no date, retrieved 8 May 2007
General records and statistics
"State of Origin 30 Years: 1980 – 2009"by Liam Hauser, Rockpool Publishing,
# Fagan, Sean (2005
''RL1908'', Retrieved 15 November 2005
"History: State of Origin Results 1980–2003"by the Australian Rugby League, Retrieved 15 November 2005
"History"by The Roar, Retrieved 8 July 2016
"State of Origin Records"by the Queensland Rugby League, Retrieved 15 November 2005
by World of Rugby League, Retrieved 15 November 2005
# Official State of Origin website http://www.stateoforigin.com.au, Retrieved 15 November 2006
Sources disputing the 1987 Los Angeles match
# Colman, Mike (26 November 2005) "Assigning History by asterisks" ''The Courier-Mail'' (page 61)
# Dick, Barry (16 July 2003) "Origin Battle Rages On and Off the Field" ''The Courier-Mail'' (page 1)
Player lists
State of Origin website
Further reading
*
*
*
*
External links
State of Origin news sectionHugh Lunn talks about the origin of State of Origin
{{Australasian Rugby League links
1982 establishments in Australia
Rugby league competitions in Australia
Rugby league rivalries
Rugby league in Queensland
Rugby league in New South Wales
Annual sporting events in Australia
Recurring sporting events established in 1908
1908 establishments in Australia
Sports leagues established in 1908
Nine's Wide World of Sport
Sports rivalries in Australia
Winter events in Australia