The 1980 State of Origin game between the Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues was the inaugural match under the newly configured rules by which a player would represent his "state of origin", i.e. the state in which he was born or in which he started playing registered first grade rugby league football. Only a single experimental match took place in 1980 (after two matches using the traditional residential selection rules), unlike today where a three-match series is played.
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In the first two matches of the annual 3-match series of representative games between New South Wales and Queensland, the Blues players could only be sourced from clubs south of the border and the Maroons only from north of it. Game one was played in Brisbane and won by NSW 35-3. In game two the Maroons put up more of a fight but were defeated again, this time in Sydney, 17 - 7.
Prior to the experimental match, the State of Origin concept was derided by the Sydney Media.[1]
| 8 July[2] | Queensland | 20–10 | New South Wales | Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 33,210[3] Referee/s: Billy Thompson Man of the Match: Chris Close |
| Mal Meninga (14) Kerry Boustead (3) Chris Close (3) |
(Report) | (4) Mick Cronin (3) Greg Brentnall (3) Tommy Raudonikis |
In front of an over-capacity Brisbane crowd, which included State of Origin's instigator, senator Ron McAulliffe, Defence Minister Jim Killen, and journalist Hugh Lunn, Queensland were led out by Arthur Beetson, playing for Queensland for the first time.[4]
After a match involving intense all-in brawling, the Maroons won the first ever state of origin game 20-10. the first points were scored by Mal Meninga's penalty kick - the first of several over the match. New South Wales' Greg Brentnall had the honour of scoring the first Origin try. After an all-in brawl in the first half[5] and leading 9-5 at the break, Queensland took over the game, with Chris Close named man of the match.
Alan Clarkson, a journalist for The Sydney Morning Herald wrote of the State of Origin experiment, "I was strongly against such a match, but last night's gripping clash showed that such a fixture would be a welcome addition to the League program."[6]
| Position | Name | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Fullback | Graham Eadie | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Wing | Chris Anderson | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
| Centre | Mick Cronin | Parramatta Eels |
| Centre | Steve Rogers | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
| Wing | Greg Brentnall | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
| Five-Eighth | Alan Thompson | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Halfback | Tommy Raudonikis (c) | Newtown Jets |
| Prop | Gary Hambly | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Hooker | Steve Edge | Parramatta Eels |
| Prop | Craig Young | St. George Dragons |
| Second Row | Bob Cooper | Western Suburbs Magpies |
| Second Row | Graeme Wynn | Parramatta Eels |
| Lock | Jim Leis | Western Suburbs Magpies |
| Interchange | Robert Stone | St. George Dragons |
| Interchange | Steve Martin | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Coach | Ted Glossop | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
With Queenslanders playing for New South Welsh clubs now available for selection, six of the Maroons' starting thirteen were selected from Sydney clubs.
| Position | Name | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Fullback | Colin Scott | Wynnum-Manly Seagulls |
| Wing | Kerry Boustead | Eastern Suburbs Roosters |
| Centre | Mal Meninga | Souths Magpies |
| Centre | Chris Close | Redcliffe Dolphins |
| Wing | Brad Backer | Eastern Suburbs Tigers |
| Five-Eighth | Alan Smith | North Sydney Bears |
| Halfback | Greg Oliphant | Balmain Tigers |
| Prop | Rod Morris | Balmain Tigers |
| Hooker | John Lang | Eastern Suburbs Tigers |
| Prop | Arthur Beetson (c) | Parramatta Eels |
| Second Row | Rohan Hancock | Toowoomba Clydesdales |
| Second Row | Rod Reddy | St. George Dragons |
| Lock | Wally Lewis | Fortitude Valley Diehards |
| Interchange | Norm Carr* | Western Suburbs Panthers |
| Interchange | Bruce Astill* | Souths Magpies |
| Coach | John McDonald |
* Didn't play[7]
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