What is State of Origin?

State of Origin is the annual best-of-three series of rugby league football matches between the Blues and the Maroons, who represent the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland, respectively. Touted as Australian sport's greatest rivalry, the State of Origin series is one of the country's and the region's premier sporting events, attracting a huge television audience and usually selling out the stadiums in which the games are played.^[7] Despite the existence of international tournaments and State of Origin being a domestic competition, it is frequently cited as being the highest-level of rugby league played anywhere in the world.

Players are selected to represent the Australian state in which they played their first senior rugby league, hence the name 'state of origin'. Prior to 1980 players were only selected for interstate matches on the basis of where they were playing their club football at the time. In both 1980 and 1981 there were two interstate matches under the old selection rules and one experimental "State of Origin" match. From 1982 onwards a best-of-three match series has been played around the middle of the rugby league season for the State of Origin shield. Since its inception, total victories for each side were once extraordinarily even; although since 2006, Queensland have won every series.

THE TEAMS
 

Since 1908 Australia's two major rugby league-playing states, New South Wales and Queensland, have played representative matches against each other and this has continued into the "state of origin" era which began in the 1980s.
 
The two states' teams are frequently referred to as the Blues and Maroons, reflecting the respective colours of their jerseys. The Blues team is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League and the Maroons by the Queensland Rugby League. Players of the New South Wales team are sometimes referred to as the cockroaches and the Queensland team as the cane toads, due to a marketing campaign used in the 1980s where the respective teams were depicted by caricatures in such a manner.

Whilst other Australian states have also had representative rugby league sides, they have not competed in State of Origin.
 
SELECTION FOR STATE OF ORIGIN
 
Under State of Origin rules players were previously selected for the state in which they first played senior (or registered) rugby league. In 2012, the NSWRL, CRL, QRL and ARLC agreed on new criteria in determining Origin eligibility, to encompass other factors, such as place of birth. Players must also be eligible to represent Australia at international level.
 
YEAR BY YEAR

Year	Winner	Wins	Losses	Drawn	Shield Holder
1980	Queensland	1	0	0	Queensland
1981	Queensland	1	0	0	Queensland
1982	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
1983	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
1984	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
1985	New South Wales	2	1	0	New South Wales
1986	New South Wales	3	0	0	New South Wales
1987	Queensland	2	2[25]	0	Queensland
1988	Queensland	3	0	0	Queensland
1989	Queensland	3	0	0	Queensland
1990	New South Wales	2	1	0	New South Wales
1991	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
1992	New South Wales	2	1	0	New South Wales
1993	New South Wales	2	1	0	New South Wales
1994	New South Wales	2	1	0	New South Wales
1995	Queensland	3	0	0	Queensland
1996	New South Wales	3	0	0	New South Wales
1997	New South Wales	2	1	0	New South Wales
1998	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
1999	Drawn - Queensland	1	1	1	Queensland
2000	New South Wales	3	0	0	New South Wales
2001	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
2002	Drawn - Queensland	1	1	1	Queensland
2003	New South Wales	2	1	0	New South Wales
2004	New South Wales	2	1	0	New South Wales
2005	New South Wales	2	1	0	New South Wales
2006	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
2007	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
2008	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
2009	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
2010	Queensland	3	0	0	Queensland
2011	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
2012	Queensland	2	1	0	Queensland
2013	In Progress	1	0	0	In Progress

 INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
  

Playing

Queensland

• Most Games – 36 Darren Lockyer (1998–2011)
• Most Games as Captain – 30 Wally Lewis (1981–1991)
• Most Tries – 14 Greg Inglis (2006–present)
• Most Points – 161 Mal Meninga (1980–1994)
• Most Consecutive Games – 25 Johnathan Thurston (2005–present)

New South Wales

• Most Games – 31 Brad Fittler (1990–2004)
• Most Games as Captain – 15 Danny Buderus (2004–2008)
• Most Tries – 11 Michael O'Connor (1985–1991)
• Most Points – 129 Michael O'Connor (1985–1991)
• Most Consecutive Games – 21 Danny Buderus (2002–2008)

Total State of Origin

• Most Games – 36 Darren Lockyer (1998–2011) (Queensland)
• Most Games as Captain – 30 Wally Lewis (1981–1991) (Queensland)
• Most Tries – 14 Greg Inglis (2006–present) (Queensland)
• Most Points – 161 Mal Meninga (1980–1994) (Queensland)
• Most Consecutive Games – 25 Johnathan Thurston (2005–present) (Queensland)

Coaching

Queensland

• Most Games – 21 Mal Meninga (2006–present)
• Most Wins – 15 Mal Meninga (2006–present)
• Most Series Wins – 7 Mal Meninga (2006–present)

New South Wales

• Most Games – 24 Phil Gould (1992–1996, 2002–2004)
• Most Wins – 14 Phil Gould (1992–1996, 2002–2004)
• Most Series Wins – 6 Phil Gould (1992–1994, 1996, 2003–2004)

Total State of Origin

• Most Games – 24 Phil Gould (1992–1996, 2002–2004) (New South Wales)
• Most Wins – 15 Mal Meninga (2006–present) (Queensland)
• Most Series Wins – 7 Mal Meninga (2006–present) (Queensland)

STATE OF ORIGIN 2 @ THE COMM - WED 26th JUNE 2013

CALLING ALL QUEENSLAND SUPPORTERS

WE NEED YOU!

Do you own a maroons jersey?

Wear it to The Comm next Wednesday 26th June for SOO 2 and take advantage of the Great XXXX Giveaways, Drinks Specials, Fantastic Meals & a Great Bar Snacks Menu

WITH 12 SCREENS there is nowhere else to be!

Purchase any XXXX product between now and the 3rd State of Origin game.

Fill out an entry form and go into the draw to win a 50L Origin cooler (RRP $300).

We have 2 to be won: 1 in the Bar & 1 in the Drive Thru.

Drawn: 3rd State Origin Game 17th July 2013

CATCH YOU @ THE COMM! Roma's Number 1 Footy Pub!