1983 Rugby League State of Origin series

Infobox_State_of_Origin_series
year = 1983


count = 2nd series
imagesize = 100px
caption = Logo of the Australian Rugby League
winners =
margin = 2-1
points = 117
attendance = 77116
top points scorer = ( 30 points)
top try scorer = (3 tries)The 1983 Australian Rugby League State of Origin series was the 4th annual contest and 2nd full series between state rivals New South Wales and Queensland.__TOC__

Games

Game One

rugbyleaguebox
bg = #eeeeee
date = June 7, 1983
report = [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/game6.html (Report)]
|team1 =
team2 =
score = 24–12
points1 = (8 - 2 t) Wally Lewis
(4 - 1 t) Mark Murray
(12 - 6 g) Mal Meninga
points2 = Phil Sigsworth (4 - 2 g)
Eric Grothe, Sr. (4 - 1 t)
Steve Ella (4 - 1 t)
stadium = Lang Park
attendance = 29,412
referee= Barry Gomersall
manofmatch= Wally Lewis

Game I of 1983 was referreed leniently by Barry Gomersall who had "controlled" his previous Origin fixture (game II, 1982) in a similar fashion. Penrith's Darryl Brohman was making his Origin debut and had been considered a strong possibility to force his way into the Australian national side due to play New Zealand a few days later. Early in the first half Brohman's jaw was broken by a sickening elbow from Blues' second-rower Les Boyd. Incredibly, Gomersall allowed Boyd to stay on the field and didn't even issue a penalty.

Boyd was later cited by the judiciary and received a twelve month suspension - the first of two massive barrings that eventually saw him relocate his career to England. It was to be Boyd's last representative appearance after 17 Tests and two Kangaroo Tours. Brohman meanwhile spent three months on the sideline nursing the injury and never represented for Australia.

On the scoreboard Wally Lewis took control of the match. He scored twice in the first half and with Mal Meninga landing the conversions and potting three penalty goals, the Maroons lead 18-0 after 30 minutes and were able to ward off a magnificent New South Wales comeback.

Game Two

rugbyleaguebox
bg = #eeeeee
date = June 21, 1983
report = [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/game7.html (Report)]
|team1 =
team2 =
score = 10–6
points1 = (2 - 1 g) Mick Cronin
(4 - 1 t) Neil Hunt
(4 - 1 t) Steve Ella
points2 = Mal Meninga (6 - 1t,1g)
stadium = Sydney Cricket Ground
attendance = 21,620
referee= John Gocher
manofmatch= Peter Sterling

For game II of 1983 every member of the Blues' backline, excepting fullback Marty Gurr came from the defending premiers, the Parramatta Eels. Players then were required to represent their clubs in the season rounds between Origin clashes and a number of New South Wales players from game I were injured in that weekend's round and unavailable for game II. The Eels backline consisted of Neil Hunt, Mick Cronin, Steve Ella, Eric Grothe, Sr., Brett Kenny and Peter Sterling. The club also provided forwards Ray Price and Stan Jurd giving them eight of the Blues' 15 players.

The match became a battle of attrition on a muddy SCG and the Blues kept the series alive with a 10-6 victory in which the Parramatta connection scored all the points - tries to Hunt and Ella, converted by Cronin. For Queensland Mal Meninga scored and converted a try.

Peter Sterling continued his ongoing selection battle with Steve Mortimer and fully repaid the selectors' confidence masterfully orchestrating the Blues' play and winning the first of his four Origin man-of-the-match awards.

Game Three

rugbyleaguebox
bg = #eeeeee
date = June 28, 1983
report = [http://stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/game8.html (Report)]
team1 =
team2 =
score = 43–22
points1 = (4 - 1 t) Gene Miles
(4 - 1 t) Steve Stacey
(4 - 1 t) Bryan Neibling
(4 - 1 t) Dave Brown
(12 - 6 g) Mal Meninga
(4 - 1 t) Greg Conescu
(2 - 1 g) Colin Scott
(1 - 1 fg) Wally Lewis
(8 - 2 t) Mitch Brennan
points2 = Mick Cronin (6 - 3 g)
Chris Anderson (12 - 3 t)
Steve Mortimer (4 - 1 t)
stadium = Lang Park
attendance = 26,084
referee= Robin Whitfield
manofmatch= Wally Lewis

The series decider at Lang Park was billed as "the clash of the decade" but Lewis was brilliant and the game was never a contest. Queensland led 21-0 at half-time and 33-0 before the Blues scored four late consolation tries.

The 43-22 Maroons victory set the standing record for the most points scored by Queensland in an Origin match and also featured another record - the first time three tries were scored by a single player in an Origin match (by Blues' winger Chris Anderson). Another record was set a week later when Queensland had nine players selected in the Australian side to meet the Kiwis.

Peter Sterling missed the deciding game due to injury and with Steve Mortimer nipping at his heels it proved an expensive absence enabling Mortimer to go on to retain the New South Wales position, win back his Australian jumper and keep Sterling at bay in their representative rivalry for the next two years.

Teams

New South Wales

Queensland

ources

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