1990 Rugby League State of Origin series

Infobox_State_of_Origin_series
year = 1990


count = 3rd
imagesize = 100px
caption =
winners =
margin = 2 - 1
points = 50
attendance = 98451
top points scorer = (8 points)
top try scorer = (2 tries)The 1990 State of Origin series was the 11th annual Rugby League State of Origin series between New South Wales and Queensland. It was the first year that the Australian Rugby League took an Origin match to Melbourne to showpiece the code. New South Wales broke an eight game losing streak in game I and took the series for the first time since 1986.__TOC__

Games

Game One

rugbyleaguebox
bg = #eeeeee
date = May 9, 1990
report = [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/game28.html (Report)]
team1 =
team2 =
score = 8–0
points1 = (4 - 1 t) Mark McGaw
(4 - 2 g) Michael O'Connor

points2 =
stadium = Sydney Football Stadium
attendance = 41,235
referee= David Manson
manofmatch= Ben Elias

Game I at the Sydney Football Stadium was a typical Origin arm-wrestle and resulted in the lowest score in the series' 10 year history to that point. Queensland's Wally Lewis withdrew pre-match due to a hamstring tear (only the 2nd Origin match he had missed in the series' history), Maroon's hero Gene Miles had retired and Tony Currie, Michael Hancock and Kerrod Walters were all out with injuries.

New South Wales' captain Benny Elias played what was regarded as his finest representative performance with a copybook dummy-half display. Photogenic Blues' centre Mark "Sparkles" McGaw , who went on to become a Gladiator in the Australian television series, played like one on the night and scored the only try of the match. He outplayed his opposite, the formidable Mal Meninga and pulled off a covering tackle on winger Alan McIndoe that was so comprehensive that both McIndoe's boots came flying from his feet. The win was the Blues' first since the post-series exhibition match in 1987.

Game Two

rugbyleaguebox
bg = #eeeeee
date = May 30, 1990
report = [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/game29.html (Report)]
team1 =
team2 =
score = 12–6
points1 = (4 - 1 t) Ricky Stuart
(4 - 1 t) Brad Mackay
(4 - 2 g) Rod Wishart
points2 = Les Kiss (4 - 1 t)
Mal Meninga (2 - 1 g)
stadium = Olympic Park, Melbourne
attendance = 25,800
referee= Greg McCallum
manofmatch= Ricky Stuart

The public relations exercise to showcase the game in Melbourne proved a success with a sell-out crown of 28,500 cramming into Olympic Park. As one of the toughest and most intense Origin duels it gave Victorians a taste of what the contest is all about, with the match hanging in the balance till the end.

In his halcyon days Allan Langer like Wally Lewis and Steve Mortimer was always able to leave an indelible mark on an Origin series. Unfortunately his stealing of the ball from Blues replacement prop Glenn Lazarus was not among his finest moments and it helped spell the end of three years of Queensland State of Origin dominance which had included two consecutive series clean sweeps from 1988. Langer's steal was a defining moment giving Rod Wishart the chance to put the Blues ahead 8-6. Shortly afterwards Brad Mackay swooped on an intercept and streaked away for the try that put the game out of reach for the Maroons.

Game Three

rugbyleaguebox
bg = #eeeeee
date = June 13, 1990
report = [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/game30.html (Report)]
team1 =
team2 =
score = 14–10
points1 = (8 - 1 t, 2 g) Gary Belcher
(4 - 1 t) Steve Jackson
(2 - 1 g) Wally Lewis
points2 = Glenn Lazarus (4 - 1 t)
Mark McGaw (4 - 1 t)
Rod Wishart (2 - 1 g)
stadium = Lang Park
attendance = 31,416
referee= David Manson
manofmatch= Bob Lindner

In game III the Blues led 10-4 after just 24 minutes and looked set for a series whitewash. Then the Maroons clawed back to 10-all early in the second half with their Origin "King" Wally Lewis landing a wide conversion after Gary Belcher had taken the earlier kicks. Canberra Raiders' forward Steve Jackson who the year before had scored a Grand Final try to give his club the premiership scored an almost identical try to give Queensland the game and a face-saving sole victory in the series.

Teams

New South Wales

Queensland

ources

* "Big League's 25 Years of Origin Collectors' Edition" , News Magazines, Surry Hills, Sydney