1982 Rugby League State of Origin series

Infobox_State_of_Origin_series
year = 1982


count = 1st series
imagesize = 100px
caption = Logo of the Australian Rugby League
winners =
margin = 2-1
points = 69
attendance = 67003
top points scorer = ( 12 points)
top try scorer = ( 2 tries)The 1982 State of Origin series was the 3rd annual Australian Rugby League State of Origin contest but the first full best of three series between New South Wales and Queensland. It marked the year that the Origin concept was fully embraced being the first time that all three matches of the interstate series were played under Origin selection criteria.__TOC__

Games

Game One

rugbyleaguebox
bg = #eeeeee
date = June 1, 1982
report = [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/game3.html (Report)]
|team1 =
team2 =
score = 20–16
points1 = (6 - 2 t) Ziggy Niszczot
(3 - 1 t) Steve Mortimer
(3 - 1 t) Brad Izzard
(8 - 4 g) Mick Cronin
points2 = Mal Meninga (10 - 5 g)
John Ribot (3 - 1 t)
Mitch Brennan (3 - 1 t)
stadium = Lang Park
attendance = 27,326
referee= Kevin Roberts
manofmatch= Mal Meninga

New South Wales won their first Origin match in game I of the 1982 series at Lang Park 20-16, inspired by a fine display from halfback Steve Mortimer but not before resisting another valiant comeback by Queensland. The Blues led 17-6 and appeared to be coasting toward a comfortable victory until centre Mal Meninga – who achieved the rare feat of winning the man-of-the-match award from a losing side – cut a swathe through the New South Wales defence. His destructive bursts led to tries for winger John Ribot and centre Mitch Brennan which cut the Blues’lead to one point.

Mortimer laid on a late try for Penrith's powerful young replacement back Brad Izzard to lift the Blues to a 20-16 lead and the Maroons were then required to battle desperately to hold their line intact for the final minutes. Fullback Greg Brentnall kept the scores tight when he leapt spectacularly to claim a Queensland bomb a minute from full-time.

Game Two

rugbyleaguebox
bg = #eeeeee
date = June 8, 1982
report = [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/game4.html (Report)]
|team1 =
team2 =
score = 11–7
points1 = (3 - 1 t) John Ribot
(3 - 1 t) Gene Miles
(3 - 1 t) Paul Vautin
(2 - 1 g) Colin Scott
points2 = Brad Izzard (3 - 1 t)
Tony Melrose (4 - 2 g)
stadium = Lang Park
attendance = 19,435
referee = Barry Gomersall
manofmatch = Rod Morris

For game II, also played at Lang Park, the Maroons made several changes as they tried to keep the series alive. Meninga was sidelined with a shoulder injury, opening the way for the debut of Gene Miles who would go on to star in 20 Origins for Queensland throughout the 1980s and would form a regular Australian Test side pairing with his Origin opposite Brett Kenny, who also debuted in this game.

Maroons' coach Arthur Beetson sprang a late surprise when he replaced second-rower Paul Vautin in the starting line-up with veteran front-rower Rod Morris. Morris had played only a handful of club games for Wynnum-Manly after emerging from retirement, but Beetson's move proved a masterstoke. The Queensland plan was to bustle the Blues out of the contest and they were aided in this by referee Barry Gomersall making his own Origin debut and allowing the Maroons enormous latitude in the tackles.

With Morris leading from the front in a man-of-the-match winning performance, Queensland ground New South Wales out of the contest, scoring three tries to one to win 11-7. Miles scored the first try when he ran over the top of Blues fullback Greg Brentnall. The Maroons led 8-7 before Vautin sealed the result with a late try scored after second-rower Rohan Hancock punched a hole in the Blues defence close to the line.

Game Three

rugbyleaguebox
bg = #eeeeee
date = June 22, 1982
report = [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/game5.html (Report)]
team1 =
team2 =
score = 10–5
points1 = (4 - 2 g) Mal Meninga
(3 - 1 t) Rohan Hancock
(3 - 1 t) Wally Lewis
points2 = Phillip Duke (3 - 1 t)
Mick Cronin (2 - 1 g)
stadium = Sydney Cricket Ground
attendance = 20,242
referee = Don Wilson
manofmatch = Wally Lewis

Fittingly, the first three-match series came down to a game III decider played out at the Sydney Cricket Ground and officiated by a neutral referee - New Zealander Don Wilson. The Blues made wholesale changes and among the new faces were Brett Kenny, Manly centre Phil Sigsworth at fullback and virtual unknown Moree Boomerangs winger Phillip Duke who had starred for NSW Country in the annual match in Sydney.

Duke and Sigsworth were involved in the greatest bungle in State of Origin history. With the series poised on a knife’s edge and Queensland ahead by two points, Sigsworth scrambled to field a Lewis kick in the Blues in-goal. Trapped by Second-rower Paul McCabe, Sigsworth threw a pass to Duke who fumbled the ball and Wally Lewis dived on it for a try that rocked the Blues.

Queensland went on to win 10-5, claming the fist three match series 2-1 and Lewis won the first on his record eight man-of-the-match awards and beginning an extraordinary run of five Origin best player awards in six games.

Teams

New South Wales

Queensland

ources

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