2008 Rugby League State of Origin series
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The Australian State of Origin series is an annual three match interstate representative rugby league series between the Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues. The 2008 series will be the 27th in its history, New South Wales and Queensland having both won 12 series each, with two series drawn.
New South Wales took a 1-0 series lead with victory in Game 1 on 21 May 2008. Queensland won Game 2 on 11 June 2008, levelling the series at 1-1 overall. The Origin decider will be played 2 July 2008.
The series marks Mal Meninga's third as Queensland coach with Queensland victorious in the last two series. The Melbourne Storm's Craig Bellamy debuted in 2008 as New South Wales coach. [1]
Contents |
[edit] Games
[edit] Game One
| 21 May 2008 | |||
 New South Wales |
18 - 10 |  Queensland |
ANZ Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 67,620 Referee: Tony Archer Man of Match: Greg Bird |
| Anthony Quinn (8 - 2t) Brett Stewart (4 - 1t) Anthony Laffranchi (4 - 1t) Craig Fitzgibbon (2 -1g) |
Brent Tate (4 - 1t) Israel Folau (4 - 1t) Johnathan Thurston (2 - 1g) |
The New South Wales side came to Origin I well prepared by the NRL's number one coach, Craig Bellamy, who had the inside information on the six members of his Melbourne side who were playing for the Maroons. Queensland were missing their injured captain and playmaker Darren Lockyer but were spoilt for choice for fullbacks with Melbourne's Billy Slater and the Broncos' Karmichael Hunt in tremendous season form. Maroons selectors opted to experiment with Hunt at five-eighth.
The Blues forwards ran at the Queensland playmakers and Cameron Smith and Hunt were forced to do a mountain of defence. Steady and deep kicks from Blues debutant Peter Wallace kept Slater returning from deep in his territory often without easy linkage to his wing supports.
Queensland took a long time to get out of first gear - Thurston's first kick of the night was low and travelled only 35 metres. The Blues however worked the ball through the hands with confidence and began to move it wide early. New South Wales played down their left hand side for the the first two tries, both scored by debutante winger Anthony Quinn. One came through the hands with five-eighth Greg Bird, creating space via a cut out pass to Ryan Hoffman The other resulted from a well executed kick from Peter Wallace - a late call up to the side during the week following the withdrawal of Kurt Gidley.
Queensland scored late in an almost penalty and error free first-half and made a better showing of it after half-time with a few breaks and picking up on some errors made by New South Wales. But their efforts came to nothing in the face of an all round defensive effort from the Blues, including a number of try-saving and punishing tackles by try-scorer Quinn supported by his three-quarter teammate Matt Cooper.
Thurston lifted in the second-half and threatened with a number of well-paced grubber kicks in behind but he was marked closely by the man-of-the-match Greg Bird and the vigilant defence of Ryan Hoffman who also kept Folau and Inglis well contained. Slater showed touches of brilliance but at times was outshone by Mark Gasnier who was dangerous all night and had a hand in two Blues tries. Hunt defended heroically throughout but every big tackle he made sapped something from his attacking spark. Eventually the Maroons ran out of steam and another Blues debutant in Anthony Laffranchi crossed in the 68th minute, taking the score to 18-4. Again at the death of the second half Queensland picked up another late try out wide through debutant Folau.
[edit] Game Two
[edit] Player changes
Queensland: Boyd debuts as Winger replacing Tate; Tate moves to Centre replacing Hodges suspended (tackling charge in the regular round 11); Thurston moves to Five-eighth after Lockyer is ruled out unfit having been initially named in the side; Prince called into side at Half-back to replace Thurston; Price back from injury as Prop replacing Webb (dropped); Hunt moves to Interchange replacing Marsh (dropped);Harrison onto the Interchange bench replacing Lillyman (dropped).
New South Wales: Turner debuts as Winger replacing Hayne suspended (tackling charge in the regular round 11); Fitzgibbon moves to starting Prop replacing Cross (injured in game I); Simpson onto Interchange bench for Fitzgibbon; Gidley (who had been named for game I, but suffered an eye injury in the club round prior) replaces Hornby who moves to 18th Man.
[edit] Match report
| 11 June 2008 | |||
| Queensland |
30 - 0 | New South Wales |
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 52,416 Referee: Tony Archer |
| Johnathan Thurston (14 - 7g) Darius Boyd (8 - 2t) Ben Hannant (4 - 1t) Israel Folau (4 - 1t) |
Queensland leved the series with a 30-0 win - only the second time in history that New South Wales were held scoreless. Darius Boyd on debut scored Queensland's first two tries, and with two penalty goals kicked by Thurston before half-time Queensland held an 18-0 lead at the break. Two further converted tries between the 65th and the 70th minute and another penalty made it 30-0 to Queensland.
[edit] Players
[edit] New South Wales
| Position | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fullback |  Brett Stewart |
||
| Wing |  Jarryd Hayne |
 Steve Turner |
|
| Centre |  Matt Cooper |
||
| Centre | Mark Gasnier |
||
| Wing | Anthony Quinn |
||
| Five-Eighth |  Greg Bird |
||
| Halfback |  Peter Wallace |
||
| Prop | Brett White |
||
| Hooker |  Danny Buderus (c) |
||
| Prop |  Craig Fitzgibbon |
||
| Second Row | Ryan Hoffman |
||
| Second Row | Willie Mason |
||
| Lock | Paul Gallen |
||
| Interchange |  Anthony Laffranchi |
||
| Interchange | Anthony Tupou |
||
| Interchange | Ben Cross |
Steve Simpson |
|
| Interchange | Ben Hornby |
Kurt Gidley |
|
| 18th man1 |  Luke Lewis |
Ben Hornby |
|
| Coach | Craig Bellamy |
||
[edit] Queensland
| Position | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fullback | Billy Slater |
Karmichael Hunt |
|
| Wing |  Brent Tate |
Darius Boyd |
|
| Centre | Greg Inglis |
||
| Centre | Justin Hodges |
Brent Tate |
|
| Wing | Israel Folau |
||
| Five-Eighth | Karmichael Hunt |
 Johnathan Thurston |
|
| Halfback | Johnathan Thurston |
Scott Prince |
|
| Prop | Carl Webb |
Steve Price |
|
| Hooker | Cameron Smith (c) |
||
| Prop | Petero Civoniceva |
||
| Second Row | Michael Crocker |
||
| Second Row | Sam Thaiday |
Ashley Harrison |
|
| Lock | Dallas Johnson |
||
| Interchange | PJ Marsh |
Billy Slater |
|
| Interchange | Jacob Lillyman |
Sam Thaiday |
|
| Interchange | Ben Hannant |
||
| Interchange | Nate Myles |
||
| 18th Man1 | Ashley Harrison |
Carl Webb |
|
| Coach |  Mal Meninga |
||
1 - Injury replacement (does not play).
[edit] See also
| 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 |
|
| 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 |
|
