1983 Rugby League State of Origin series
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| 1983 State of Origin series | |
|---|---|
| Won by |  Queensland (2nd series title) |
| Series margin | 2-1 |
| Points scored | 117 |
| Attendance | 77,116 (average 25,705 per match) |
| Top points scorer(s) | Mal Meninga ( 30 points) |
| Top try scorer(s) |  Chris Anderson (3 tries) |
The 1983 Australian Rugby League State of Origin series was the 4th contest and 2nd annual series between state rivals New South Wales and Queensland.
Contents |
[edit] Games
[edit] Game One
| June 7, 1983 | |||
| Queensland |
24–12 | New South Wales |
Lang Park Attendance: 29,412 Referee: Barry Gomersall Man of Match: Wally Lewis |
| (8 - 2 t) Wally Lewis (4 - 1 t) Mark Murray (12 - 6 g) Mal Meninga |
(Report) | Phil Sigsworth (4 - 2 g) Eric Grothe, Sr. (4 - 1 t) Steve Ella (4 - 1 t) |
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 borken 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.
[edit] Game Two
| June 21, 1983 | |||
| New South Wales |
10–6 | Queensland |
Sydney Cricket Ground Attendance: 21,620 Referee: John Gocher Man of Match: Peter Sterling |
| (2 - 1 g) Mick Cronin (4 - 1 t) Neil Hunt (4 - 1 t) Steve Ella |
(Report) | Mal Meninga (6 - 1t,1g) |
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.
[edit] Game Three
| June 28, 1983 | |||
| Queensland |
43–22 | New South Wales |
Lang Park Attendance: 26,084 Referee: Robin Whitfield Man of Match: Wally Lewis |
| (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 |
(Report) | Mick Cronin (6 - 3 g) Chris Anderson (12 - 3 t) Steve Mortimer (4 - 1 t) |
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.
[edit] Teams
[edit] New South Wales
| Position | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fullback |  Greg Brentnall |
 Marty Gurr |
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| Wing | Chris Anderson |
 Neil Hunt |
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| Centre |  Phil Sigsworth |
Mick Cronin |
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| Centre | Brett Kenny |
Steve Ella |
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| Wing | Eric Grothe, Sr. |
Chris Anderson |
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| Five-Eighth | Alan Thompson |
Brett Kenny |
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| Halfback | Peter Sterling |
Steve Mortimer |
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| Prop | Geoff Gerard |
Geoff Bugden |
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| Hooker | Max Krilich (c) |
Ray Brown |
Max Krilich (c) |
|||
| Prop | Geoff Bugden |
 Lindsay Johnston |
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| Second Row | Les Boyd |
 Gavin Miller |
Stan Jurd |
|||
| Second Row |  Wayne Pearce |
Paul Field | ||||
| Lock | Ray Price |
Ray Price (c) |
Gavin Miller |
|||
| Replacement | Steve Ella |
Steve Mortimer |
Kevin Hastings |
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| Replacement | Ray Brown |
Stan Jurd |
Ray Brown |
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| Coach | Ted Glossop |
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[edit] Queensland
| Position | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fullback |  Colin Scott |
|||||
| Wing | John Ribot |
Terry Butler |
Steve Stacey | |||
| Centre | Mal Meninga |
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| Centre | Gene Miles |
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| Wing | Steve Stacey | Chris Close |
Mitch Brennan | |||
| Five-Eighth |  Wally Lewis (c) |
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| Halfback | Mark Murray |
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| Prop | Brad Tessmann | |||||
| Hooker |  Greg Conescu |
|||||
| Prop |  Darryl Brohman |
Dave Brown |
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| Second Row | Bryan Niebling | |||||
| Second Row | Paul Vautin |
Wally Fullerton-Smith | ||||
| Lock | Dave Brown |
Paul Vautin |
||||
| Replacement | Brett French | Bruce Astill | ||||
| Replacement | Wally Fullerton-Smith | Ross Henrick | Gavin Jones | |||
| Coach | Arthur Beetson |
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[edit] Sources
- Big League's 25 Years of Origin Collectors' Edition , News Magazines, Surry Hills, Sydney
| State of Origin | |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | Queensland |
| The Team Players • Records Captains and Coaches |
The Team Players • History • Records Captains and Coaches |
| Series | |
| 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 |
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| Other | |
| Results & Statistics • Roy and HG's commentary Super League Tri-Series |
|
| Governing Bodies | |
| Australian Rugby League New South Wales Rugby League • Queensland Rugby League |
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