1999 State of Origin series

1999 State of Origin series
Won by (drawn title)
Series margin   1-1-1
Points scored 57
Attendance 165,800 (ave. 55,267 per match)
Top points scorer(s) Mat Rogers (17)
Top try scorer(s) Matt Geyer (2)

The 1999 State of Origin series saw the 18th year that the annual three-game series between the Queensland and New South Wales representative rugby league football teams was contested entirely under 'state of origin' selection rules. The series was drawn and the shield retained by the previous year's victors, Queensland.[1] Each team claimed victory in a game and the deciding fixture finished at 10-all. It was the first series to end in a draw.


Game I

May 24, 1999
Queensland 9–8 New South Wales
Mat Rogers (9 - 4g, 1fg) (Report) (4 - 2g) Ryan Girdler
(4 - 1t) Anthony Mundine
Lang Park, Brisbane
Attendance: 38,093
Referee/s: Bill Harrigan
Man of the Match: Jason Hetherington

Game I was a dour affair played in hot and steamy conditions at Suncorp Stadium with Queensland scraping in 9-8. The match was memorable for winger Mat Rogers' debut. Despite straining a ligament and being forced from the field, the gutsy flanker returned to score all of Maroons' points including a field goal (the first of his career) six minutes from game's end to win the encounter.

Game II

9 June 1999
New South Wales 12–8 Queensland
Laurie Daley (4 - 1t)
Ryan Girdler (4 - 2g)
Robbie Ross (4 - 1t)
(Report) (8 - 1t, 2g) Mat Rogers
Stadium Australia, Sydney
Attendance: 88,336[2]
Referee/s: Steven Clark
Man of the Match: Laurie Daley

Game II was played at the new Olympic venue, Stadium Australia, in driving rain and in front of a record crowd. The conditions implied it would be another dour battle, but it turned out otherwise. Melbourne Storm fullback Robbie Ross grabbed his own piece of Origin history by scoring the fastest try in Origin after just 42 seconds. It temporarily took the wind out of the sails of Kevin Walters' Maroons.

All the scoring was done in the first half with a try to Rogers and conversion which put Queensland momentarily in front before Laurie Daley, making his final Origin appearance in Sydney, tore onto an Andrew Johns pass and scored under the posts. After the match, and in company with other NSW retirees Paul Harragon and Andrew Ettingshausen, Daley completed a lap of honour.

Game III

23 June 1999
Queensland 10–10 New South Wales
Darren Lockyer (6 - 1t, 1g)
Paul Green (4 - 1t)
(Report) (8 -2 t) Matt Geyer
(2 - 1g) Ryan Girdler
Lang Park, Brisbane
Attendance: 39,371
Referee/s: Steven Clark
Man of the Match: Wendell Sailor

Game III played at Suncorp in treacherous wet conditions, featured plenty of dropped ball, but some of the skills on show made up for the errors. Laurie Daley once again demonstrated his prowess by miraculously scooping up a ball at his feet and off-loading to Terry Hill who then sent Matt Geyer over. Queensland's Paul Green somehow found his way through Ben Kennedy and Luke Ricketson to score and with Lockyer's conversion the Maroons led 6-4.

Adrian Lam whose club doctor at the Sydney Roosters had refused to allow him to play because of a dislocated shoulder, was cleared to play for Queensland and proved his worth by squeezing out a miracle pass to put Lockyer over. Geyer then scored for the Blues after an unlikely kick through by prop Rodney Howe to level the scores. Queensland, knowing a draw would be enough to retain the shield, had no interest in a field goal and put all their energy into holding New South Wales out.

The Blues were almost there until an inside pass from Daley to Ross went to ground. The Blues players stood around dumbfounded as the Queenslanders celebrated, having retained the title as per the rules of State of Origin at the time.

New South Wales squad

Position Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
Fullback Robbie Ross
Wing Darren Albert Adam MacDougall
Centre Laurie Daley Ryan Girdler
Centre Terry Hill
Wing Matt Geyer
Five-Eighth Brad Fittler (c) Laurie Daley Laurie Daley (c)
Halfback Andrew Johns
Prop Jason Stevens Mark Carroll
Hooker Craig Gower Geoff Toovey
Prop Rodney Howe
Second Row Bryan Fletcher
Second Row David Barnhill Nik Kosef David Furner
Lock Nik Kosef Brad Fittler (c) Nik Kosef
Interchange Glenn Lazarus Michael Vella
Interchange Luke Ricketson
Interchange Ryan Girdler Ben Kennedy
Interchange Anthony Mundine
Coach Wayne Pearce

Queensland squad

Position Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
Fullback Robbie O'Davis Darren Lockyer
Wing Mat Rogers Robbie O'Davis
Centre Darren Smith Matt Sing Tonie Carroll
Centre Matt Sing Darren Smith
Wing Wendell Sailor
Five-Eighth Kevin Walters Kevin Walters (c) Ben Ikin
Halfback Adrian Lam (c) Paul Green Adrian Lam (c)
Prop Shane Webcke
Hooker Jason Hetherington
Prop Craig Greenhill
Second Row Gorden Tallis
Second Row Chris McKenna
Lock Jason Smith
Interchange Ben Ikin Paul Green
Interchange Steve Price
Interchange Tonie Carroll Brad Thorn
Interchange Martin Lang
Coach Mark Murray

See also

Sources

Footnotes

  1. Barrow, Tim (6 July 2011). "State of Origin: The deciders". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  2. Hadfield, Dave (1999-06-10). "Daley's dose for Blues". The Independent. independent.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, January 27, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.