2001 State of Origin series

2001 State of Origin series
Won by Queensland (10th title)
Series margin   2-1
Points scored 138
Attendance 158,599 (ave. 52,866 per match)
Top points scorer(s) Darren Lockyer (34)
Top try scorer(s) Chris Walker (4)

The 2001 State of Origin series was the 20th 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 notable for marking the first time an England-based player was selected for State of Origin: Maroons legend Allan Langer was asked to make his comeback for the third and deciding match of the series and did so, helping Queensland re-claim the shield in Brisbane.[1]

Game I

Queensland stalwart coach Wayne Bennett made it a personal mission to regain the great loss of credibility suffered from the 2000 series whitewash and 40 point last game defeat and decided he wanted his old Maroon coaching job back after a two-year sojourn.

May 22, 2001
Queensland 34–16 New South Wales
Darren Lockyer (14 - 1t,5g)
Darren Smith (4 - 1t)
John Buttigieg (4 - 1t)
John Doyle (4 - 1t)
Carl Webb (4 - 1t)
Chis Walker (4 - 1t)		 (Report) (4 - 2g) Michael De Vere
(4 - 1t) Matthew Gidley
(4 - 1t) Brad Fittler
(4 - 1t) Trent Barrett
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 38,909
Referee/s: Bill Harrigan
Man of the Match: Gorden Tallis

In game I Queensland blooded no less than ten new players[2] and Wayne Bennett gambled on the likes of Brisbane Broncos forward Carl Webb and North Queensland Cowboys John Buttigieg and John Doyle who were relative unknowns. But they each announced their representative arrival in dramatic style with a try each in the first game, won 34-16 by the Maroons in the last match played at the "old" Suncorp Stadium. The most spectacular was Webb's two minutes before half-time when he brushed off three defenders before powering his way across the line.

Game II

Queensland went into game 2 without captain Gorden Tallis who was out with a neck injury.

June 10, 2001
New South Wales 26–8 Queensland
Brad Fittler (8 - 2t)
Ryan Girdler (6 - 3g)
Jamie Ainscough (4 - 1t)
Trent Barrett (4 - 1t)
Luke Ricketson (4 - 1t)		 (Report) (4 - 2g) Darren Lockyer
(4 - 1t) Chris Walker
Telstra Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 70,249
Referee/s: Bill Harrigan
Man of the Match: Trent Barrett

Played before 70,000 at Telstra Stadium, Blues skipper Brad Fittler scored two tries in what was to be his last match for NSW on home soil and inspired his side to a 26-8 victory. Man of the match was Trent Barrett playing halfback for the first time due to injuries to Brett Kimmorley and Andrew Johns. Debutante Mark O'Meley was particularly impressive, setting up Fittler's first try after 53 minutes with a smashing run that sent defenders skittling.

Game III

The lead up to Game III was dominated by emotion regarding Brad Fittler's pending retirement from representative football after 29 Origin appearances. But with the series tied at one game apiece Queensland needed some special emotion of their own to avoid a loss. Without inspirational captain Tallis and an established halves pairing, coach Bennett undertook furtive negotiations with Maroon's veteran Allan Langer, then in his second English season and captain of the Warrington Wolves, and the rumours were only confirmed after Langer had boarded a plane (under a false name) for the flight home, bound for his 31st career Origin appearance.[3] At almost 35 years of age, Langer was named in his famous No.7 jersey for the first time since leaving Australia part-way through the 1999 NRL season.

1 July
Queensland 40–14[4] New South Wales
Darren Lockyer (16 - 2t,4g)
Chris Walker (8 - 2t)
Paul Bowman (8 - 2t)
Allan Langer (4 - 1t)
Dane Carlaw (4 - 1t)		 (Report) (14 - 2t,3g) Ryan Girdler
ANZ Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 49,441
Referee/s: Bill Harrigan
Man of the Match: Darren Lockyer

Despite NSW centre Ryan Girdler scoring the fastest try in Origin history after 39 seconds, Queensland took a 28-8 lead into the break with Langer heavily involved in three of the Maroons' first half tries. Alongside Darren Lockyer who created his own form of havoc, Langer tore New South Wales to shreds and capped his comeback in the 54th minute when he scored a trademark solo try from close range to sentence the Blues to a series-deciding loss and Fittler to his own bittersweet representative farewell (although he would make a comeback three years later and help his state to a victory in his final year before retirement).

Sydney's The Daily Telegraph reacted to the New South Wales team's Origin loss with this headline on the front of its paper on July 2, 2001: "BLOODY ALF".[5]

New South Wales squad

Position Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
Fullback Mark Hughes
Wing Jamie Ainscough
Centre Michael De Vere Ryan Girdler
Centre Matt Gidley
Wing Adam MacDougall
Five-Eighth Brad Fittler (c)
Halfback Brett Kimmorley Trent Barrett Brett Kimmorley
Prop Jason Stevens
Hooker Luke Priddis
Prop Robbie Kearns Mark O'Meley
Second Row Bryan Fletcher
Second Row Nathan Hindmarsh Adam Muir
Lock Jason Croker Luke Ricketson Andrew Ryan
Interchange Trent Barrett Craig Gower
Interchange Michael Vella
Interchange Ben Kennedy Matt Adamson
Interchange Rodney Howe Andrew Ryan Steve Menzies
Coach Wayne Pearce

Queensland squad

Position Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
Fullback Darren Lockyer Darren Lockyer (c)
Wing Lote Tuqiri
Centre Darren Smith Chris Walker
Centre Paul Bowman
Wing Wendell Sailor
Five-Eighth Daniel Wagon
Halfback Paul Green Allan Langer
Prop Shane Webcke
Hooker Kevin Campion Paul Green
Prop John Buttigieg Russell Bawden John Buttigieg
Second Row Gorden Tallis (c) Dane Carlaw Brad Meyers
Second Row Petero Civoniceva
Lock Brad Meyers Darren Smith
Interchange Chris Walker Kevin Campion
Interchange Chris Beattie Carl Webb
Interchange Carl Webb Dane Carlaw
Interchange John Doyle Nathan Fien John Doyle
Coach Wayne Bennett

See also

Sources

  1. ↑ Roberts, Michael (2008). Great Australian Sporting Moments. Australia: The Miegunyah Press. ISBN 978-0-522-85547-0. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  2. ↑ Prichard, Greg (2010-06-15). "Scandals, losing streaks, injuries but there's never been a lost cause". The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia: Fairfax Media). Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  3. ↑ Crawley, Steve (2001-06-25). "Alf's back". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Digital). p. 21. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
  4. ↑ Barrow, Tim (6 July 2011). "State of Origin: The deciders". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  5. ↑ Steve Ricketts, Barry Dick, Paul Malone (23 May 2012). "The 30 greatest controversies in 30 years of State of Origin series". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
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