State of Origin series

State of Origin series
Company type	Sports competition
Industry	Rugby league
Founded	1980
Area served	Australia
Products	Rugby league matches

The State of Origin series is an annual best-of-three rugby league contest featuring two Australian state representative teams: the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons.

Regarded as "the greatest rivalry in Australian sport," this series stands as a marquee event, attracting substantial television viewership and regularly selling out venues. It is widely recognized as the highest level of rugby league competition domestically, often likened to international tournaments in prestige.

Player eligibility is determined by the state where they first played senior rugby league, whether at high school or local club level. Before 1980, selection depended on the club for which players competed, a system that disadvantaged Queensland due to economic challenges and restrictions such as the poker machine ban, which weakened their leagues clubs’ competitiveness. Consequently, many top Queensland players transferred to the wealthier Sydney Rugby League premiership, leading to Queensland’s historically poor interstate record of 54 wins, 8 draws, and 159 defeats.

In 1980 and 1981, two interstate matches were held under the traditional selection criteria alongside one experimental "State of Origin" fixture. From 1982 onwards, a best-of-three series has been conducted mid-season for the State of Origin shield. Initial series outcomes were fairly even; however, Queensland asserted dominance from 2006 through 2017, securing victory in 11 out of 12 series, including a record streak of eight consecutive championships.

Teams

Since the inception of rugby league in Australia in 1908, the sport’s two principal states—New South Wales and Queensland—have contested representative matches that evolved into the State of Origin series beginning in 1980. The teams are known as the Blues and Maroons, named after their jersey colours—originally those worn by the Australia national rugby league team before switching to green and gold. The Blues are governed by the New South Wales Rugby League, while the Maroons fall under the Queensland Rugby League. Informal nicknames include "Cockroaches" for New South Wales and "Cane Toads" for Queensland, terms popularized through a marketing campaign during the 1980s.

Although other Australian states and territories have representative squads, they have not participated in the State of Origin series.

Interstate rugby league before 1980

Advocacy for a state of origin selection system predates the division between rugby union and league codes. As early as 1900, a journalist proposed that star player Stephen Spragg should represent his native state of New South Wales, despite playing club football in Queensland.

From 1908 onward, an annual interstate rivalry between New South Wales and Queensland was established, interrupted only by World War I, the Spanish flu pandemic, and World War II. Up until 1982, player selections were restricted exclusively to those competing for clubs within their respective states, disregarding their place of origin.

The first interstate match took place on 11 July 1908 at Sydney's Agricultural Ground, where New South Wales triumphed over Queensland with a scoreline of 43–0. Media outlets criticized Queensland’s performance as lackluster.

New South Wales dominated early encounters except for a notable Queensland resurgence during the 1920s when they won 11 out of 12 matches between 1922 and 1925. However, political decisions during this era prevented Australian tours to Great Britain, limiting international exposure for players.

After 1956, New South Wales clubs benefited financially from legalized gaming machines, allowing them to lure top talent from Queensland into the stronger Sydney competition. Players who moved became ineligible for Queensland selection under existing rules, further contributing to New South Wales’ dominance. In 1977, Paul Hogan famously quipped that Queensland’s finest players were “processed through a New South Wales poker machine.”

Before 1956, New South Wales secured approximately three-quarters of series victories; from 1956 until 1981 their supremacy intensified with Queensland winning only once (in 1959) and capturing just 3.8% of matches overall.

Origin of State of Origin football

During the 1970s, interstate rugby league contests had diminished in significance, primarily because numerous Queensland players who joined New South Wales clubs were ineligible to represent Queensland and frequently did not participate. To avoid conflicting with the Sydney club competition, these matches were arranged midweek, attracting limited audiences at local venues. By 1977, interstate football had significantly declined when the New South Wales Rugby Football League (NSWRFL) declined to host Queensland’s team, resulting in both fixtures being held in Queensland.

Jack Reardon, a former Queensland captain and Australian vice-captain who later became a journalist, initially suggested that Queenslanders based in Sydney should be allowed to play for their home state. Brisbane Courier-Mail journalist Hugh Lunn, along with Barry Maranta—who would later co-found the Brisbane Broncos—and his business associate Wayne Reid, persuaded QRL chairman Ron McAullife to embrace the idea. Lunn famously remarked to McAullife, "you can take the Queenslander out of Queensland, Ron, but you can't take the Queensland out of the Queenslander." Although McAullife was initially doubtful about recalling players from Sydney clubs, he was convinced when Reid proposed using a single State of Origin match as a trial for Test Match selection.

The NSW clubs were reluctant and set two conditions: the deciding third game would not be used as a selection trial, and expatriate Queensland players would be overseen by an NSWRFL official to safeguard club interests—Bob Abbott assumed this role starting in 1980. Three Sydney clubs—St. George Dragons, South Sydney Rabbitohs, and Eastern Suburbs Roosters—resisted releasing their players. NSWRFL president Kevin Humphreys threatened to classify the game as an official Australian Rugby League trial, which would require player release, prompting the clubs to comply.

Trial phase

Queensland suffered defeats in the first two interstate games of 1980 (35–3 and 17–7), leading to scheduling a 'state of origin' match on 8 July at Lang Park in Brisbane. Despite skepticism from the New South Wales press and figures such as Australia's 1978 captain Bob Fulton, who dismissed it as "the non-event of the century," Ron MacAullife vigorously championed the initiative. The event sold out with an attendance of 33,210—the highest yet recorded—and Queensland fans celebrated seeing stars like Arthur Beetson representing their state. Queensland emerged victorious with a decisive 20–10 win.

In 1981, the initial two interstate games adhered to traditional selection rules, with New South Wales winning both encounters. The third match reverted to state of origin criteria; although New South Wales established an early 15–0 lead, Queensland mounted a comeback to win 22–15.

Formal establishment

The positive outcomes and financial rewards from the 1980 and 1981 trials convinced officials to apply state of origin regulations for all three matches beginning in 1982. Commentator Frank Hyde emphasized that this change was crucial for preserving the interstate series.

Queensland dominated early under captain Wally Lewis, though New South Wales media tended to minimize their threat. Queensland secured victories in two of the initial three series. However, in 1985, captained by Steve Mortimer, New South Wales triumphed in the deciding match before a crowd of 39,068 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, earning their inaugural series win. The following year saw the Blues complete a clean sweep by winning all three games in their first State of Origin whitewash.

1987: American match

Following Queensland's 2–1 triumph in the 1987 series, a fourth encounter was arranged in Long Beach, California to introduce rugby league to the United States audience. Held at Veterans Memorial Stadium, the game attracted 12,349 spectators, with the Blues emerging victorious 30–18.

On 15 July 2003, the Australian Rugby League (ARL) formally acknowledged this additional match as an official fixture. ARL CEO Geoff Carr affirmed its status, highlighting that the 1987 ARL chief executive Ken Arthurson had referred to it as "an exciting experiment" rather than a mere exhibition.

1990s

The Queensland halves duo of Allan Langer and Wally Lewis spearheaded the Maroons to consecutive 3–0 series victories in 1988 and 1989. The emergence of the Canberra Raiders in the Winfield Cup brought forth New South Wales’ formidable halves pairing of Ricky Stuart and Laurie Daley, who turned the tide with two wins in the 1990 series. This period saw the rivalry intensify, with Origin encounters evolving into a more physical contest emphasizing forward play.

As many prominent Queensland players from the 1980s retired, the Maroons faced challenges due to inexperience, resulting in NSW securing series wins in 1992, 1993, and 1994. The Blues' strength in key positions—backs like Brett Mullins, Daley, Stuart, alongside forwards Benny Elias and Bradley Clyde—proved decisive during crucial moments. Queensland reclaimed supremacy amid the disruptions caused by the Super League war in 1995.

A significant obstacle for Queensland was that numerous players from the Brisbane Broncos and other Queensland representatives aligned with Super League were barred from participating in ARL-sanctioned Origin games. Despite this setback, Queensland remarkably achieved a clean sweep with a 3–0 series win in 1995. By 1996, contract disputes had eased, allowing all players to compete regardless of their affiliations; however, NSW responded with their own 3–0 series victory.

In 1997, Australian rugby league fractured into two separate competitions: the ARL and News Limited's Super League. Each organized distinct interstate contests; Super League introduced a Tri-Origin series including New Zealand, while ARL continued with traditional NSW versus Queensland matches. These games are excluded from official Origin statistics.

The competitions reunited in 1998 to establish the current National Rugby League. That year’s series was closely fought: both teams secured away victories before Queensland won the deciding game at Sydney Football Stadium before an audience of 39,000. The decade concluded dramatically with a tied series; Queensland retained the title as defending champions.

2000s

During the early to mid-2000s, New South Wales reestablished its historical interstate superiority, prompting speculation about State of Origin's future. This dynamic shifted dramatically in the decisive third match of the 2006 State of Origin series, which marked the beginning of Queensland's extraordinary era of dominance. Queensland captured both the 2007 State of Origin series and 2008 State of Origin series, achieving three consecutive series wins. Although New South Wales claimed Game 1 in 2008, Queensland secured victories in Games 2 and 3 to take the series. Their dominance extended into 2009 as they won the first two matches of that year's series, becoming the first state to achieve four straight series championships.

2010s

Queensland made history in 2010 by securing their fifth straight State of Origin series victory with a 23–18 triumph in the final match, becoming the first team in 15 years to achieve a clean sweep of all three games. Fullback Billy Slater was awarded both Man of the Match and the Wally Lewis Medal for his outstanding performance throughout the series. Additionally, the 2010 series gained attention as the second Australian sports broadcast presented in 3D.

During the 2011 series, Queensland claimed Game 1 with a 16–12 win, while New South Wales responded by taking Game 2. However, Queensland sealed the series by winning Game 3 with a score of 34–24, marking the last Origin appearance for captain Darren Lockyer. Cameron Smith was recognized as Man of the Match twice and earned the Wally Lewis Medal.

In 2012, NRL CEO David Gallop launched the Under-20s State of Origin competition for Toyota Cup participants, which New South Wales won. That same year, Queensland narrowly captured their seventh series title by edging out New South Wales in the final game.

The 2013 series began with New South Wales winning Game 1, but Queensland bounced back to take Games 2 and 3, securing their eighth consecutive championship and setting new television viewership records.

In 2014, New South Wales won the opening two matches before Queensland dominated Game 3 to avoid a whitewash; nevertheless, New South Wales achieved their first series victory in eight years.

The 2015 series featured alternating wins: Queensland convincingly took Games 1 and 3, while New South Wales claimed Game 2. Ultimately, Queensland emerged victorious with a 2–1 series result.

Queensland clinched the 2016 series by winning the first two games, despite New South Wales taking Game 3.

In 2017, New South Wales started strongly by winning Game 1, but Queensland responded in Game 2 with key players such as Billy Slater and Johnathan Thurston—who kicked the decisive goal despite sustaining a shoulder injury that ended his representative career that year. Queensland dominated Game 3 to secure the series, with winger Dane Gagai earning the Wally Lewis Medal. Thurston concluded his career on a high note by lifting the Origin Shield alongside captain Cameron Smith.

New South Wales ended a four-year drought in 2018 by winning Games 1 and 2; Queensland managed a consolation victory in Game 3.

In 2019, Queensland took Game 1, but New South Wales rebounded with commanding victories in Games 2 and 3, achieving their first consecutive series win since 2005 and their first deciding match triumph since that year.

2020s

In 2020, Ampol assumed naming rights sponsorship of the series through at least 2023, succeeding Holden.

Originally planned for mid-season, the 2020 series was postponed to post-season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The matches were held on consecutive Wednesdays in November at Adelaide Oval, ANZ Stadium, and Suncorp Stadium. Despite criticism branding Queensland as possibly their weakest Maroons team ever, they won Games 1 and 3 while New South Wales secured Game 2. Cameron Munster was awarded the Wally Lewis Medal for his exceptional contributions.

Game 1 of the 2021 series took place at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville—the first Origin match hosted in a regional location—after a COVID-19 outbreak affected Melbourne. New South Wales recorded their largest margin series win by defeating Queensland 50–6. NSW clinched the series with a shutout 26–0 victory at Suncorp Stadium; Queensland earned a consolation win on the Gold Coast amid ongoing pandemic challenges.

The venues for the 2022 series included Accor Stadium (Sydney), Optus Stadium (Perth), and Suncorp Stadium (Brisbane). Former player Billy Slater was appointed as Queensland’s coach. Queensland captured Games 1 and 3 victories, with Game 3 featuring Ben Hunt’s game-winning intercept try—widely regarded as one of Origin’s finest moments. New South Wales dominated Game 2.

The opening match of the 2023 series was held in Adelaide where Queensland overcame a halftime deficit to win Game 1. They secured the overall series by delivering an emphatic 32–6 victory in Brisbane during Game 2. New South Wales avoided being swept by winning Game 3. Following this defeat, Brad Fittler stepped down as NSW head coach.

The venues for the 2024 series were Accor Stadium, Melbourne Cricket Ground, and Suncorp Stadium. New South Wales won Games 2 and 3 in Melbourne and Brisbane to claim the series.

The matches for the 2025 series took place at Suncorp Stadium, Optus Stadium, and Accor Stadium. After New South Wales won Game 1 (18–6), Queensland rallied to capture Games 2 (26–24) and 3 (24–12), reclaiming the title once again.

Queensland

Venue	City	Number of matches	Years active	Peak attendance	Minimum attendance	Average attendance	Total attendance
Lang Park	Brisbane	59	1982–2001, 2003–2025	52,540	16,559	42,544.05	2,510,099
QSAC	Brisbane	2	2001, 2002	49,441	47,989	48,715	97,430
Queensland Country Bank Stadium	Townsville	1	2021	27,533	—	—	—
Robina Stadium	Gold Coast	1	2021	26,307	—	—	—

New South Wales

Venue	City	Number of matches	Years active	Highest attendance	Lowest attendance	Average attendance	Total attendance
Stadium Australia	Sydney	32	1999–2020, 2022–2025	88,336	36,212	74,333.53	2,378,673
Sydney Football Stadium	Sydney	14	1988–1998	41,955	16,910	37,345.43	522,836
Sydney Cricket Ground	Sydney	6	1982–1987	42,048	20,242	32,128.83	192,773

Interstate & International

Venue	City	State/Region	Country	Number of matches	Years active	Maximum crowd	Minimum crowd	Average crowd	Total crowd
Melbourne Cricket Ground	Melbourne	Victoria	Australia	6	1994,1995,1997,2015,2018,2024	91,513	25,105	72,329.83	433,979
Docklands Stadium	Melbourne	Victoria	Australia	3	2006,2009,2012	56,021	50,967	53,940.3̅	161,821
Perth Stadium	Perth	Western Australia	Australia	3	2019,2022,2025	59,721	59,358	59,539.5	119,079
Adelaide Oval	Adelaide	South Australia	Australia	2	2020,2023	48,613	25,218	36,915.5	73,831
Olympic Park Stadium	Melbourne	Victoria	Australia	1	1990	25,800	—	—	—
Veterans Memorial Stadium	Long Beach	California	United States	1	1987	12,439	—	—	—

Popularity

The series recorded the highest television audience for any sporting event in Australia in 2013. Its appeal has grown beyond New South Wales and Queensland; matches held in Melbourne have attracted record-breaking rugby league attendances and television ratings rivaling those of major AFL fixtures. Broadcast internationally to viewers in 91 countries,the series enjoys a dedicated fan base in Papua New Guinea—where it sometimes triggers notable social tensions—as well as a strong following in New Zealand.

Broadcasting

In Australia, the Nine Network serves as the main broadcaster for the series with replays available on Fox Sports. Radio commentary is delivered by ABC Radio Grandstand.

Live coverage across Asia is provided by Setanta Sports Asia. In the United States market, from 2011 until its closure in 2013 all matches were aired live on Fox Soccer, utilizing the Nine Network feed; subsequent broadcasts shifted to Fox Sports 2. The United Kingdom's live broadcast rights are held by Sky Sports.

Historically, Australian youth radio station Triple J featured the comedic commentary duo "Rampaging" Roy Slaven and HG Nelson through their program Roy and HG's State of Origin commentary, which ran from the late 1980s until their move to Triple M in 2009.

  |   G1   |   1.771
(2.529)   |   1
(6)   |   -     |   G2   |   1.797
(2.632)   |   1
(4)   |   -     |   G3   |   1.792
(2.611)   |   1
(5)   |

Australian metropolitan TV viewership figures since 2010
Year		Viewers (millions)	Yearly rank
2010	G1	2.468	8
	G2	2.172	13
	G3	1.786	31
2011	G1	2.245	12
	G2	2.165	14
	G3	2.492	8
2012	G1	2.532	12
	G2	2.512	14
	G3	2.694	9
2013	G1	2.450	7
	G2	2.250	13
	G3	2.600	5
2014	G1	2.530	7
	G2	2.600	5
	G3	2.057	18
2015	G1	2.349	4
	G2	2.517	2
	G3	2.255	5
2016	G1	2.735	3
	G2	2.424	5
	G3	2.141	6
2017	G1	2.374	7
	G2	2.404	6
	G3	2.523	5
2018	G1	2.347	3
	G2	2.132	5
	G3	1.769	13
2019	G1	2.192	2
	G2	1.989	6
	G3	2.020	4
2020	G1	1.606	9
	G2	1.654	7
	G3	1.894	5
2021	G1	1.911	7
	G2	1.862	8
	G3	1.746	11
"2023 State of Origin series" \| G1 \| 1.981 (3.293) \| 1 (8) \|-style="background:lightgrey; color:black;" \| \| G2 \| 1.833 (3.044) \| 1 (11) \|-style="background:lightgrey; color:black;" \| \| G3 \| 1.476 (2.505) \| 1 (14) \|-	"2024 State of Origin series**"	G1	3.436	1
		G2	3.263	1
		G3	3.650	1
"2025 State of Origin series**"	G1	3.755	1
	G2	3.751	1
	G3	3.904	1

Figures include both overnight and total viewership (total shown in parentheses)
- From the year 2024 onwards ratings reflect total audience only and exclude metro-specific numbers

Selection criteria

In earlier times, the basis for selecting players for State of Origin was the state where they first competed in senior rugby league. However, in 2012, the NSWRL, CRL, QRL, and ARLC updated the eligibility requirements to incorporate factors such as birthplace. Additionally, players must be qualified to represent Australia at the international level. Those who have been capped by tier one countries like New Zealand and England are excluded from selection.

Debates and disputes

The player selection process under State of Origin regulations has occasionally generated debate. Since 1980, Queensland has fielded teams composed entirely of Queensland-born players in only seven series, while New South Wales has done so in just six. Despite this, all New South Wales participants have met eligibility rules without dispute, unlike certain Queensland selections. The consideration of birthplace as a criterion only came into effect from 2012 onward. This topic was humorously addressed in the song That's In Queensland.

Controversial choices have involved players such as Peter Sterling, Ken Nagas, James McManus, Israel Folau, and Greg Inglis.

Controversies involving New South Wales

Ken Nagas, though born and raised in Queensland, opted to represent New South Wales. Peter Sterling was born in Toowoomba, Queensland but grew up in Wagga Wagga, Newcastle, and Sydney—all located in New South Wales. James McManus, originally from Scotland and raised in the Northern Territory, qualified to play for New South Wales in 2009. Additionally, New South Wales includes athletes born and brought up in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), such as Nick Cotric and Terry Campese; this is because the ACT competition falls under the governance of the NSWRL, thereby validating NSW eligibility for ACT-based players.

Controversies involving Queensland

Israel Folau, despite being born and raised in New South Wales, became eligible for Queensland as he played his initial senior rugby league game there.

Several Queensland representatives were born outside the state yet played for the Maroons, including Sam Thaiday (Sydney), Petero Civoniceva (Fiji), Adrian Lam (Papua New Guinea), Lote Tuqiri (Fiji), Michael Crocker (Sydney), Billy Moore (Tenterfield), Tonie Carroll (Christchurch), Karmichael Hunt (Auckland), and Brad Thorn (Otago region, NZ).

Inglis eligibility dispute

The selection of Greg Inglis by Queensland caused significant controversy. The Queensland Rugby League determined his eligibility based on Brisbane Norths being his first senior club under the rules at that time. Nevertheless, some contested this by asserting that schoolboy competitions should count as senior-level football; Inglis had played for Hunter Sports High School in Newcastle, New South Wales, leading to arguments that he should have represented New South Wales instead.

Unusual eligibility cases

Refinements in selection guidelines have resulted in distinctive State of Origin eligibilities among players. The Sims brothers serve as an example: Tariq and Ashton Sims qualify to represent New South Wales, whereas Korbin Sims is eligible for Queensland. Similarly, father-son duos like Steve and Mat Rogers have played for opposing states—Mat Rogers, born in New South Wales, represented Queensland; Steve Rogers, born in Queensland, played for New South Wales. Steve Rogers started his senior career with the Southport Tigers on Queensland’s Gold Coast within an NSW CRL competition.

Players born overseas have also had a notable presence. Several individuals from New Zealand—including Brad Thorn, Ben Te'o, Willie Mason, Tonie Carroll, James Tamou, and Karmichael Hunt—have participated in State of Origin matches. Tamou’s 2012 inclusion by New South Wales stirred controversy due to his birth in New Zealand and previous involvement with Junior Kiwis and New Zealand training squads. Both Hunt and Tamou had represented Australia prior to their Origin appearances. Other players like Sam Kasiano and Jason Taumalolo retain eligibility that has caused concern within the New Zealand Rugby League community. Brad Thorn is distinguished as a dual international athlete who played rugby league for Australia and rugby union for the All Blacks.

Players originating from Papua New Guinea and Fiji—such as Adrian Lam, Lote Tuqiri, Akuila Uate, and Petero Civoniceva—have also taken part in Origin matches. Furthermore, Benny Elias (born in Lebanon) and Mario Fenech (born in Malta) have represented and captained New South Wales teams.

Irregularities

During 1995 and 1997, players affiliated with the Super League were barred from selection for the ARL State of Origin teams. This notably impacted many of Queensland’s regular members, particularly those from the Super League-associated Brisbane Broncos. To address this, the ARL eased eligibility criteria permitting Queensland to include Adrian Lam, who had previously represented Papua New Guinea. The 1995 series produced a significant surprise as the relatively inexperienced Maroons achieved a clean sweep over NSW with a 3–0 victory, despite NSW fielding several seasoned Origin and international representatives.
At the 2000 Rugby League World Cup, certain Australian players were granted exemptions to compete for other countries under the grandparent eligibility rule. Among those affected were David Barnhill (NSW/Ireland), Kevin Campion (Qld/Ireland), Tonie Carroll (Qld/New Zealand), Graham Mackay (NSW/Scotland), Willie Mason (NSW/Tonga), Luke Ricketson (NSW/Ireland), Lote Tuqiri (Qld/Fiji), and Adrian Vowles (Qld/Scotland).

Annual breakdown

Out of 44 complete series contested, Queensland has emerged victorious in 25, New South Wales in 17, with 2 series ending tied. In both drawn series, the incumbent champion retained the trophy, resulting in Queensland accumulating 27 titles compared to New South Wales’ 17. Including three standalone matches held in 1980, 1981, and 1987, a total of 132 games have been played: Queensland has won 70 games, New South Wales 60, and there have been 2 draws.

The series in 1999 and 2002 concluded as draws, each featuring one win per team and a tied final game. At that time, no extra time was implemented to determine a winner; therefore, Queensland kept the shield as the reigning holder. This situation sparked debate and led to modifications in the rules, introducing the golden point system to settle tied matches and series.

... [table continues similarly for remaining years] ...

State of Origin series
Year	Champion	Victories	Defeats	Draws	Shield holder
1982	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
1983	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
1984	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
1985	NSW	2	1	0	NSW
1986	NSW	3	0	0	NSW
1987	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
1988	Queensland	3	0	0	Queensland
1989	Queensland	3	0	0	Queensland
1990	NSW	2	1	0	NSW
1991	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
1992	NSW	2	1	0	NSW
1993	NSW	2	1	0	NSW
1994	NSW	2	1	0	NSW
1995	Queensland	3	0	0	Queensland
1996	NSW	3	0	0	NSW
1997	NSW	2	1	0	NSW
1998	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
1999	Draw	1	1	1	Queensland
2000	NSW	3	0	0	NSW
2001	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
2002	Draw	1	1	1	Queensland
2003	NSW	2	1	0	NSW
2004	NSW	2	1	0	NSW
2005	NSW	2	1	0	NSW
2006	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland

Standalone State of Origin matches outside full series
Year	Champion	Victories	Defeats	Draws
1980		Queensland		1	0	0
(1981)	Queensland	1	0	0
(1987)	New South Wales	1	0	0

Wally Lewis Medal

From 1992 until 2003, the Wally Lewis Medal was presented by the Queensland Rugby League to the standout Queensland player of the series. After this period, it was succeeded as Queensland's sole accolade by the Ron McAuliffe Medal. Beginning in 2004, the Wally Lewis Medal has been awarded to the most outstanding player of the series, without regard to state affiliation:

Recipients
Year	Player	State	Position	Club
2004	Craig Fitzgibbon	NSW	Template:Rlp	Sydney Roosters
2005	Anthony Minichiello	NSW	Template:Rlp	Sydney Roosters
2006	Darren Lockyer	QLD	Template:Rlp	Brisbane Broncos
2007	Cameron Smith	QLD	Template:Rlp	Melbourne Storm
2008	Johnathan Thurston	QLD	Template:Rlp, Template:Rlp	North Queensland Cowboys
2009	Greg Inglis	QLD	Template:Rlp	Melbourne Storm
2010	Billy Slater	QLD	Template:Rlp	Melbourne Storm
2011	Cameron Smith	QLD	Template:Rlp	Melbourne Storm
2012	Nate Myles	QLD	Template:Rlp	Gold Coast Titans
2013	Cameron Smith	QLD	Template:Rlp	Melbourne Storm
2014	Paul Gallen	NSW	Template:Rlp, Template:Rlp	Cronulla Sharks
2015	Corey Parker	QLD	Template:Rlp	Brisbane Broncos
2016	Cameron Smith	QLD	Template:Rlp	Melbourne Storm
2017	Dane Gagai	QLD	Template:Rlp	Newcastle Knights
2018	Billy Slater	QLD	Template:Rlp	Melbourne Storm
2019	James Tedesco	NSW	Template:Rlp	Sydney Roosters
2020	Cameron Munster	QLD	Template:Rlp	Melbourne Storm
2021	Tom Trbojevic	NSW	Template:Rlp	Manly Sea Eagles
2022	Patrick Carrigan	QLD	Template:Rlp	Brisbane Broncos
2023	Reuben Cotter	QLD	Template:Rlp	North Queensland Cowboys

Players highlighted in bold earned the medal despite their team not winning the series.

Team

Queensland holds the record for the highest number of games won: 70
Queensland has secured the most series victories: 24
The team with the greatest number of titles is Queensland, with 26
Queensland also leads in most consecutive game wins, with 8 straight victories (Game II, 1987 to Game III, 1989)
The longest streak of series wins belongs to Queensland, who won 8 consecutively from 2006 to 2013
Queensland has achieved the most series clean sweeps, totaling 4 (1988–1989, 1995, 2010)
The largest margin of victory recorded is 46 points by Queensland, defeating New South Wales 52–6 in Game III, 2015
New South Wales holds the record for most points scored in a single match with 72 (56–16 against Queensland in Game III, 2000)
The highest points scored by a single team in one game is 56 by New South Wales (2000)

Individual

Oldest player to participate: Daly Cherry-Evans at 36 years and 98 days (2025), representing Queensland
Youngest player to appear: Ben Ikin at 18 years and 83 days (1995), also representing Queensland

Playing

Cameron Smith holds the record for most appearances with 42 games played (2003–2017) for Queensland
Johnathan Thurston has the longest streak of consecutive matches played: 36 (2005–2017) for Queensland
Wally Lewis captained the team in the most games, leading in 30 matches (1981–1991) for Queensland
Cameron Smith also leads in most games won as a player, with 24 victories (2003–2017) for Queensland
Both Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston share the record for most series won as players, each with 11 titles (2006–2013, 2015–2017) for Queensland
Wally Lewis earned the highest number of Man of the Match awards at eight (1982–1991) for Queensland
Johnathan Thurston accumulated the most points overall: 224 (2005–2017) for Queensland
Greg Inglis scored the most tries with a total of 18 (2006–2018) representing Queensland
Johnathan Thurston also leads in goals kicked with a total of 101 (2005–2017) for Queensland
Andrew Johns holds the record for most field goals: four (1995–2005) for New South Wales
Ryan Girdler scored the highest points in a single game: 32 points during Game III, 2000 for New South Wales
Ryan Girdler also amassed the most points in one series: 52 points in 2000 for New South Wales
The record for most tries scored in one match is three, achieved by multiple players including Chris Anderson and Lote Tuqiri
Most tries within a single series is five, shared by Ryan Girdler (2000) and Lote Tuqiri (2002)
Ryan Girdler holds records for most goals both in one game (10 during Game III, 2000) and one series (16 in 2000)
Ben Elias set the record for field goals in one game with two (Game III, 1994) and shares the series record of two field goals with Andrew Johns (1994 and 2003 respectively)

1. Both Smith and Thurston featured in at least one game during every series they won.

Coaching

Mal Meninga coached the most games with a total of 30 matches from 2006 to 2015 for Queensland
He also holds the record for most wins as coach with 19 victories during that period
Additionally, Meninga secured the highest number of series wins as coach, totaling nine between 2006 and 2015

Other Records

Active players are highlighted in bold.

Source

Fundamental records
Venue	Matches	NSW Wins	Draws	QLD Wins	NSW Points	QLD Points	Total Points
Lang Park	61	21	1	39	877 (145–151–5)	1151 (194–189–8)	2028 (339–340–13)
S.C.G	6	3	0	3	68 (12–10–1)	76 (14–11–0)	144 (26–21–1)
Long Beach	1	1	0	0	30 (5–5–0)	18 (3–3–0)	48 (8–8–0)
S.F.S	14	6	0	8	189 (33–28–1)	199 (34–31–1)	388 (67–59–2)
Olympic	1	1	0	0	12 (2–2–0)	6 (1–1–0)	18 (3–3–0)
M.C.G	6	5	0	1	127 (22–19–1)	82 (14–13–0)	209 (36–32–1)
Stadium Australia	32	20	1	11	609 (105–92–5)	444 (79–63–2)	1053 (184–155–7)
QEII	2	0	0	2	32(5-6-0)	66(13-7-0)	98(18-13-0)
Docklands	3	0	0	3	42(8-5-0)	62(11-9-0)	104(19-14-0)
Perth Stadium	2	2	0	0	82(13-15-0)	18(3-3-0)	100(16-18-0)
Adelaide Oval	2	0	0	2	32(6-4-0)	44(8-6-0)	76(14-10-0)
North Queensland Stadium	1	1	0	0	50(8-9-0)	6(1-1-0)	56(9-10-0)
Robina Stadium	1	0	0	1	18(3-3-0)	20(3-4-0)	38(6-7-0)
Totals	132	60	2	70	2168(367–349–13)	2192(378–341–11)	4360(745–690–24)

Top try scorers
Player	State	Appearances	Tries	Tries per Match Average
Greg Inglis	QLD	32	18	0.56
Darius Boyd	QLD	28	17	0.61
Valentine Holmes	QLD	22	13	0.59
Dale Shearer	QLD	26	12	0.46
Billy Slater	QLD	31	12	0.39
Dane Gagai	QLD	22	12	0.55
Josh Addo-Carr	NSW	15	11	0.73
Brian To'o	NSW	15	11	0.73
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow	QLD	10	11	1.10
Michael O'Connor	NSW	19	11	0.58

Leading point scorers
Player	State	Games Played	Tries Scored	Goals Kicked	Field Goals	Total Points	Average Points Per Match
Johnathan Thurston	QLD	37	5	99	2	220	5.95
Mal Meninga	QLD	32	6	69	0	161	5.03
Michael O'Connor	NSW	19	11	42	1	129	6.79
Valentine Holmes	QLD	16	13	(28)	(0)	(108)	(6.75)

Attendance statistics by venue					Venue	State	Matches Played	Total Attendance	Average Attendance Per Match

Highest individual scoring performances per game							Player	State	Tries Scored	Goals Kicked	Field Goals Made	Total Points :: Match Details

Series Overview				Year	Series Winner	Number of Games	Average Crowd Size

Note: An asterisk (*) denotes series affected by restricted attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under 19s

The Under 19s State of Origin competition has been held for four seasons, starting in 2022 and continuing to the present.

Year	Champion	Victories
2022	NSW	1
2023	NSW	1
2024	NSW	1
2025	QLD	1

Under 20s

The Under 20s State of Origin was contested annually over eight seasons from 2012 through 2019, with a single game each year. New South Wales claimed seven titles, while Queensland earned their inaugural victory in 2018. The teams competed for the Darren Lockyer Shield during this period. Following cancellations in both 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the competition evolved into the Under 19 Origin format beginning in 2022.

Year	Champion	Victories
2012	NSW	1
2013	NSW	1
2014	NSW	1
2015	NSW	1
2016	NSW	1
2017	NSW	1
2018	QLD	1
2019	NSW	1

Women's State of Origin

The Women's State of Origin, serving as the female counterpart to the men's rugby league contest, commenced in 1999 under the name Interstate Challenge. From the year 2005 onward, victors were awarded the Nellie Doherty Cup until the event was rebranded as the State of Origin in 2018, at which point a shield replaced the cup as the trophy. The Nellie Doherty Medal was introduced that same year to honor the player-of-the-match and has been presented to the player deemed best across the entire series since its extension in 2023.

Women's Under-19s

In a precursor event during 2019, a Women's Under-18 match was featured as a preliminary game before the Women's State of Origin fixture. The first official Women's Under-19s State of Origin encounter took place in the year 2021.

Wheelchair State of Origin

The inaugural wheelchair rugby league contest between Queensland and New South Wales occurred in 2015 under the title Wheelchair Interstate Challenge. Between the years of 2019 and 2022, these matches were conducted under the State of Origin banner before being renamed to Wheelchair State Challenge starting in 2023.

In popular culture

In season three of the ABC Kids animated series Bluey, an episode named "The Decider" depicts Bluey and her family watching a crucial State of Origin match where Queensland clinches the series victory.

Additional resources

Maxwell Leo Howell, Peter Hastie, Reet Howell, State of Origin: The First Twelve Years, Herron, 1992, https://books.google.com/books?id=jf5BAAAACAAJ, ISBN 9780947163969
Norman Tasker, Australian Rugby Football League, John Macdonald, Mike Colman, Andrew Webster, State of Origin: Celebrating 25 Years of Sport’s Greatest Rivalry, Playright Publishing, 2005, https://books.google.com/books?id=I2bmAAAACAAJ, ISBN 9780949853936
Helen Elward, Graeme Langlands, State of Origin: Gods of the Grounds, Best Legenz, 2003, https://books.google.com/books?id=2ksiAAAACAAJ, ISBN 9780958043311
Bret Harris, Winfield State of Origin 1980–1991, Pan Macmillan, 1992, https://books.google.com/books?id=2OUwAAAACAAJ, ISBN 9780725106973

External resources