State of Origin Series History: 1982 - present

Sean Fagan of RL1908.com

After witnessing Game 2 of the 2009 Origin series, a French journalist (for radio RMC) in Sydney declared "State of Origin, the Australian equivalent of the Super Bowl from the popular passion point of view."

To rugby league's advantage, in addition to the NRL Grand Final, each year's Origin series provides another three "Super Bowl" event games to boost interest in the code, and provide opportunities for its players on the national stage.

After Origin had begun as a successful one-off match in 1980, thoughts of an "Origin series" to replace the traditional inter-state contest was still considered a risky move, and to many, Origin still reeked of a contrived football circus show.

In 1981, NSW again beat the Maroons in the first two matches of the traditional series, and the third game was converted to State of Origin rules. The Maroons floundered early and were behind by 15-0, before captain Wally Lewis and Chris Close led a remarkable comeback to take the match 22-15.

The one-off Origin contests of '80 and '81 had provided large television audiences in Sydney, which ultimately convinced the NSWRL and QRL to bring an Origin series into reality for '82.

With Sydney clubs still hesitant to release players, it was agreed that the series would only include a 3rd game if a 'decider' was needed - after NSW won Game 1 and then Queesland Game 2, a third game was set for the SCG. The first ever Origin series was won by Queensland after a NSW in-goal pass by Phil Sigsworth to Phil Duke went astray, and was pounced upon by Lewis to score the match-winning try for the Maroons.

The 1983 & 84 series saw the Maroons win both by 2-1. In the face of the Sydney league community and media, who continually wrote the Queensland threat off, the Maroons took inspiration from the unfounded criticism to dismiss the Blues challenge.

Finally in 1985 NSW (players & fans alike) got the message that Origin was about spirit and emotion, as much as it was about talent. After winning at Lang Park, NSW returned home to the SCG in front of 40,000 in Game 2. Under the inspirational leadership of Steve Mortimer, the Blues won again to take their first series win. State of Origin had become one of the nation's biggest sporting events after only a few years.

The 1986 series saw three close games - but NSW won the lot to continue their hold on Origin with Parramatta's Brett Kenny and Peter Sterling leading the way. Epic encounters between the states were by now almost the norm. In 1987 the Maroons edged NSW by 2-1 in three evenly contested matches. A "4th" (non-series) game was played that season when the ARL took the showpiece to the USA (the Blues won 30-18).

By 1988 Allan Langer was combining with Lewis to produce a formidable partnership and in 1988 through to 1989 the Blues failed to win a game and on occassion were even thrashed.

In 1990 Ricky Stuart and Benny Elias took the Blues back to the top with two wins in the opening games. The 2nd match was played at Melbourne's Olympic Park in front of a ground record crowd (25,800). 1991 saw Wally Lewis back in control for the opening match as Queensland won by 6-4. The Origin matches had become much more physical than the open play seen in earlier series.

The return match in Sydney went to NSW after a goal kick by Michael O'Connor gave them a 14-12 win. The 3rd match - of one of the best series ever - produced the same score, but this time it was in the Maroons favour and they took the Origin Shield once again.

The series between 1992 and 1994 all went to NSW as the great Queensland players of the opening decade of Origin all farewelled the game. Contests were all still very close, but the experience of players such as Daley, Elias and Stuart gave the Blues the edge when it mattered. It wasn't until the upheavel of the "Super League war" in 1995 that the Maroons were able to get back a series win.

The Queenslanders won the 1995 series 3-0 in a stunning surprise given that so many of their players were not aligned with the ARL (and hence weren't selected). The 1996 series saw a brief respite in the off-field dramas when all players were given consideration for selection. It didn't help the Maroons though as the Blues cleaned them up by 3-0 to reverse the 1995 white-wash.

The 1997 series was held when League in Australia had divided itself into two rival competitions. While the Super League played a "Tri (Origin) Series" between the two states plus a New Zealand side, the ARL continued unabated with the conventional Origin series.

The fans lapped it up and crowds still flocked to the contests (85,000) which produced spirited and physical rugby league games. The Blues took the series by winning the two opening games, but both could easily have been won by Queensland with the winning margins only one and two points.

The 1998 series opened with a cliff-hanger of a match eventually won by the Maroons by 24-23 with Langer proving to be the best on the field. NSW faced the Lang Park gauntlet to keep the series alive, and played remarkably well to beat the Maroons by 16 points. In Sydney for the decider, nearly 39,000 watched the final Origin match to be played at the SFS. The Northerners dominated and won easily to take the series 2-1.

The series of 1999 ended in uproar and controversy. Mat Rogers scored all of the Maroons points as they held out NSW by 9-8 in the opening game. Almost 90,000 were on hand for the first Origin match at Stadium Australia. They witnessed a fight back in the series by NSW as Laurie Daley orchestrated one final win for the Blues.

The deciding match ended in a draw - Queensland were aware that as holders of the Origin Shield a tied series was enough for them to retain the interstate honours.

The series in 2000 and 2001 produced marked contrasts and demonstrate that no state can be assured of long term domination. The Blues were simply awesome in 2000, culminating in a record win in Game 3 by 56-16.

Many pundits saw the result as the demise of the Origin concept - even with the Origin rules the Queenslanders had no hope they said. It was a welcome - and stunning - surprise in the opening match of 2001 when Queensland smashed NSW by 34-16 in the (temporary) farewell to Lang Park.

The Blues turned the result around in Game 2, before the Maroons produced the biggest selection shock seen in many seasons - they called back Allan Langer from Warrington for Game 3. Coach Bennett had his faith in Langer to lift his young side. What eventuated is one of Origin's finest moments.

Langer and Lockyer ruined Brad Fittler's farewell Origin match by completely destroying NSW by 40-14 before 50,000 rabid Queenslanders. The Maroons had climbed back from the debacle of 2000 much more quickly than anyone could have predicited.

The 2002 series opened with the Blues easily accounting for the Queenslanders - perhaps too easily. In the second match the Maroons surprised most with a good home win to square the series.

Back in Sydney the NSW side looked to have sealed a win in Game 3 on a number of occassions, but Queensland didn't give in and posted a last minute try to Dane Carlaw to bring the scores level at fulltime. The series was drawn, meaning Queensland retained the Origin Shield. It caused the 'golden point' rule to be adopted for future series.

The 2003 began with a return to a re-built Lang Park, in front of over 52,000 Queenslanders. It wasn't enough though for the home team to hold out NSW and Andrew Johns in what many judges called 'one of the greatest Origin games ever'. Johns delivered another knock-out blow in the return match in Sydney, with NSW winning easily 27-4.

The 2003 series win by the Blues once again squared-up the overall tally at 10 series wins each.

NSW found little trouble in winning both the 2004 and 2005 series by 2-1. The wins took the Blues to a 12-10 lead in the overall series tally. The NSW winning streak (3 seasons) matched their best previous run in '92-'94.

With ten minutes left in the 2006 Game 3 'decider', the Blues led 14-4 and seemed to have an Origin-record fourth series in a row in hand.

However, the Mal Meninga coached Queenslanders clawed back to 14-10, and then a wayward dummy-half pass from the Blues near fulltime was swooped on by Lockyer, giftting the Maroons a 16-14 win and the series victory.

On reflection the NSW team had in fact come tantalisingly close to not only winning four series, but actually five - if not for the last minute Maroon tries in 2002 (Carlaw) and 2005 (Lockyer).

It was then, with some irony, that Queensland not only recovered from their seemingly darkest ebb by snatching away the 2005 series, but going on to win in '06 and '07, and giving themselves a shot at the 'Origin four-peat'.

While previous teams facing the prospect of losing four series in a row had responded with all the fury of a wild dog, the 2008 Blues produced performances that were closer to a 'kangaroo caught in the headlights' - the Maroons blitzed NSW in the opening half of both Games 1 and 2, and repelled the lacklustre Blues all the way to the final siren.

Despite the dominance of Queensland over recent seasons, the overall series tally (Qld 14-12) and matches won (Qld 44-40) still stand neck-and-neck. The 2009 series produced near sell-out attendances in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and continued to set television ratings records, and be screened live across the globe.

With State of Origin secure as one of Australia's premier annual sporting events, the series is still as compelling today as it was back in 1982.

"Le State of Origin, l'équivalent australien du Super Bowl du point de vue engouement populaire."
Source: www.RMC.fr