Queensland Rugby League team
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The Queensland Rugby League team represents Queensland in the sport of rugby league. They are known as The Maroons or The Cane Toads and are administered by the Queensland Rugby League.
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[edit] History
The Maroons first played New South Wales in 1908, but did not win a match until 1922. The was the start of Queensland's only golden period before the introduction of State of Origin. After Queensland won the series in 1926 there was no Kangaroo Tour to Great Britain. It has been suggested that the New South Wales Rugby League had the tour called off as there would have been no choice but to select a majority of Queenslanders in the Australian team.
As the twentieth century progressed, New South Wales proved to be the dominant team. Sydney teams funded by poker machine revenue attracted many Queenslanders south of the border, and the "residential" selection policy meant that the Maroons would often be losing to a New South Wales team with many Queenslanders in it.
In the 1970s Queensland only won four matches, and it was decided that if New South Wales won the first two games of the 1980 series that there would be a State of Origin selection policy for the last game. This meant that selection would be based on the state a player made his senior debut in, not the state that he currently played in. Queensland won the first State of Origin match 20-10 on 8 July 1980. After Queensland lost the first two games in 1981 the third match was again a State of Origin match. Queensland also won this game, and all subsequent series have been played under State of Origin rules.
[edit] Tour Matches
Between 1908 and 1979 Queensland would play matches against a number of touring Test teams. In 1983 the Queensland team toured Papua New Guinea and Great Britain.
[edit] Against Great Britain
Played: 16 Won: 5
[edit] Against France
Played: 4 Won: 3
[edit] Against South Africa
Played: 1 Won: 1
[edit] Queensland Residents
Since 1988 a Queensland Residents team has been selected from players in QRL competitions (as opposed to the National Rugby League or its antecedents).
[edit] Against New South Wales Residents
The Queensland Residents team has played a New South Wales Residents (consisting of New South Wales players not in the top grade competition) team since 1994 as a curtain-raiser to one of the State of Origin matches. Queensland has won the Residents game in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2003.
[edit] Against Western Australia
Each year since 2003 the Queensland Residents team has played Western Australia. Queensland has the matches in 2003 and 2004, both of which were played in Perth. Western Australia will travel to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland to play the match in 2005.
[edit] Tours
The Queensland Residents team under took a number of overseas tours between 1988 (when the Brisbane Broncos were formed and 1995. They have toured New Zealand (1988, 1990, 1992), Papua New Guinea (1989, 1995), France (1989), Fiji (1992, 1993), Western Samoa (1993), Tonga (1993) and South Africa (1994).
