2001 State of Origin series

2001 State of Origin series
Won by	Queensland (11th title)
Series margin	2-1
Points scored	138
Attendance	158,599 (ave. 52,866 per match)
Top points scorer(s)	Darren Lockyer (34)
Top try scorer(s)	Chris Walker (4)
	← 2000 ; State of Origin series ; 2002 → ;

Last updated March 03, 2019

The 2001 State of Origin series was the 20th year that the annual three-game series between the Queensland and New South Wales representative rugby league football teams was contested entirely under 'state of origin' selection rules. The series was notable for marking the first time an England-based player was selected for State of Origin: Maroons legend Allan Langer was asked to make his comeback for the third and deciding match of the series and did so, helping Queensland re-claim the shield in Brisbane.^[1]

The State of Origin series is the annual best-of-three rugby league football match series between two Australian state representative sides, the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons.

The Queensland rugby league team represents the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football. Nicknamed the "Maroons", after the colour of their jersey, the team plays three times a year against arch-rivals New South Wales in the State of Origin series. Captained by Greg Inglis and coached by Kevin Walters, the team is administered by the Queensland Rugby League and plays all of its home matches at Brisbane's Lang Park.

The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Also known as the Blues due to their sky blue jerseys, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against neighbouring team, the Queensland rugby league team. This annual event is a series of three games competing for the State of Origin shield. As of 2018, the team is coached by Brad Fittler and captained by Boyd Cordner.

Game I

Queensland stalwart coach Wayne Bennett made it a personal mission to regain the great loss of credibility suffered from the 2000 series whitewash and 40 point last game defeat and decided he wanted his old Maroon coaching job back after a two-year sojourn.

Wayne James Bennett AM is an Australian professional rugby league coach and former player. He is the head coach of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL, and since 2016 he has been head coach of the England national team, the first non-English coach to hold the position. He has also been head coach of Australia, in 1998 and from 2004 to 2005, and was an assistant coach of New Zealand in 2008. Widely regarded as one of the sport's greatest ever coaches, he holds Australian coaching records for most grand final wins (7) and most seasons with a single club.

Sunday, May 6, 2001

Queensland	34–16	New South Wales
Darren Lockyer (14 - 1t,5g) Darren Smith (4 - 1t) John Buttigieg (4 - 1t) John Doyle (4 - 1t) Carl Webb (4 - 1t) Chis Walker (4 - 1t)	(Report)	(4 - 2g) Michael De Vere (4 - 1t) Matthew Gidley (4 - 1t) Brad Fittler (4 - 1t) Trent Barrett

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 38,909
Referee: Bill Harrigan
Man of the Match: Gorden Tallis

In game I Queensland blooded no less than ten new players^[2] and Wayne Bennett gambled on the likes of Brisbane Broncos forward Carl Webb and North Queensland Cowboys John Buttigieg and John Doyle who were relative unknowns. But they each announced their representative arrival in dramatic style with a try each in the first game, won 34-16 by the Maroons in the last match played at the "old" Suncorp Stadium. The most spectacular was Webb's two minutes before half-time when he brushed off three defenders before powering his way across the line.

The Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club Ltd., commonly referred to as the Brisbane Broncos or colloquially as Red Hill, are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in April 1988, the Broncos play in Australia's elite competition, the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership. They have won six premierships, and they also choked the 2015 grand final. including two NSWRL titles, a Super League premiership and three NRL premierships. They also have two World Club Challenges. The Broncos have achieved four minor premierships during their 29 years in multiple competitions, making them Rugby League's most successful club over the past three decades. Until 2015, Brisbane had never been defeated in a grand final, and since 1991, have only failed to qualify for the finals twice. They are the most successful club in the National Rugby League, since it began in 1998, winning three premierships. It is also one of the most successful clubs in the history of rugby league, having won 62.5% of games played since its induction in 1988, second only to Melbourne Storm with 65.2%. Since the club's founding, Brisbane has never received the wooden spoon.

Carl Webb is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 2000s and 2010s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he played in the National Rugby League for the Brisbane Broncos, North Queensland Cowboys and Parramatta Eels.

The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest city in North Queensland. They compete in Australia’s premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership. Since their foundation in 1995, the club has appeared in three grand finals winning in 2015, and has reached the finals ten times. The team's management headquarters and home ground, the Willows Sports Complex, currently known as 1300SMILES Stadium due to sponsorship rights, are located in the Townsville suburb of Kirwan.

Game II

Queensland went into game 2 without captain Gorden Tallis who was out with a neck injury.

Gorden James Tallis is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative second-row forward, he captained both these teams as well as the Brisbane Broncos with whom he won the 1997, 1998 and 2000 Grand Finals, after starting his career with the St. George Dragons in Sydney. Nicknamed the "Raging Bull" for his on-field aggression, at the peak of his career Tallis was considered as the best second-row forward in the world and in 2008 was named in an Indigenous Australian rugby league team of the century. He is currently a commentator and pundit for the Fox Sports network. He served as a National Rugby League board member and was a member of the board of directors for the North Queensland Cowboys. Tallis also worked on the coaching staff of the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Sunday, June 10, 2001

New South Wales	26–8	Queensland
Brad Fittler (8 - 2t) Ryan Girdler (6 - 3g) Jamie Ainscough (4 - 1t) Trent Barrett (4 - 1t) Luke Ricketson (4 - 1t)	(Report)	(4 - 2g) Darren Lockyer (4 - 1t) Chris Walker

Telstra Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 70,249
Referee: Bill Harrigan
Man of the Match: Trent Barrett

Played before 70,000 at Telstra Stadium, Blues skipper Brad Fittler scored two tries in what was to be his last match for NSW on home soil and inspired his side to a 26-8 victory. Man of the match was Trent Barrett playing halfback for the first time due to injuries to Brett Kimmorley and Andrew Johns. Debutante Mark O'Meley was particularly impressive, setting up Fittler's first try after 53 minutes with a smashing run that sent defenders skittling.

Bradley Scott 'Freddy' Fittler is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional player who is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team. He also works as a commentator and as a television presenter. Fittler has been named among the finest rugby league footballers of the first century of rugby league in Australia.

Trent Barrett is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He was the head coach of the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League (NRL). A former Australia international and New South Wales State of Origin representative five-eighth, he played during the 1990s and 2000s for the Illawarra Steelers before they merged to form the St George Illawarra Dragons, with whom he won the 2000 Dally M Medal. Barrett also had a two-season spell in the Super League with England's Wigan Warriors and was named in 2007's Super League Dream Team before finishing his career back in Australia with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. After co-coaching the St George Illawarra under 20's side and coaching the Country New South Wales rugby league team for four seasons Barrett started coaching in the NRL with the Sea Eagles.

Brett "Noddy" Kimmorley is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales interstate and Australian international representative halfback, he last played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs of the NRL. He previously played for five other clubs: Newcastle Knights, Hunter Mariners, Melbourne Storm, Northern Eagles, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Kimmorley also represented Country NSW four times and New South Wales ten times as well as playing 15 times for his country including the 2000 World Cup. He also played two Super League Tests. He retired at the end of the 2010 NRL season.

Game III

The lead up to Game III was dominated by emotion regarding Brad Fittler's pending retirement from representative football after 29 Origin appearances. But with the series tied at one game apiece Queensland needed some special emotion of their own to avoid a loss. Without inspirational captain Tallis and an established halves pairing, coach Bennett undertook furtive negotiations with Maroon's veteran Allan Langer, then in his second English season and captain of the Warrington Wolves, and the rumours were only confirmed after Langer had boarded a plane (under a false name) for the flight home, bound for his 31st career Origin appearance.^[3] At almost 35 years of age, Langer was named in his famous No.7 jersey for the first time since leaving Australia part-way through the 1999 NRL season.

Allan Jeffrey "Alfie" Langer AM is an Australian former multi-award-winning rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s and works as an assistant coach for the Australian national team and the Brisbane Broncos. He was one of the pre-eminent halfbacks of his era, representing Australia on many occasions and holding the record for most State of Origin appearances, until being surpassed by his club, state and country team-mate Darren Lockyer. Langer played most of his career as captain of the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won the 1992 Clive Churchill Medal and Rothmans Medal, as well as four premierships and the club's player of the year award a record five times. The Allan Langer Medal, which is the Ipswich Jets' player of the year award was named in his honour. Alfie's Bar at the Broncos Leagues Club is also named after him.

Warrington Wolves English rugby league team based in Warrington, England

Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league club in Warrington, England, that competes in the Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2004.

The 1999 NRL season was the 92nd season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the second to be run by the National Rugby League. With the exclusion of the Adelaide Rams and Gold Coast Chargers, and the merger of the St. George Dragons and Illawarra Steelers, seventeen teams competed for the NRL Premiership during the 1999 season, which culminated in the first grand final to be played at Stadium Australia. The St George Illawarra Dragons, the first joint-venture club to appear in the grand final, played against the Melbourne Storm, who won the premiership in only their second season.

Sunday, 1 July 2001

Queensland	40–14^[4]	New South Wales
Darren Lockyer (16 - 2t,4g) Chris Walker (8 - 2t) Paul Bowman (8 - 2t) Allan Langer (4 - 1t) Dane Carlaw (4 - 1t)	(Report)	(14 - 2t,3g) Ryan Girdler

ANZ Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 49,441
Referee: Bill Harrigan
Man of the Match: Darren Lockyer

Despite NSW centre Ryan Girdler scoring the fastest try in Origin history after 39 seconds, Queensland took a 28-8 lead into the break with Langer heavily involved in three of the Maroons' first half tries. Alongside Darren Lockyer who created his own form of havoc, Langer tore New South Wales to shreds and capped his comeback in the 54th minute when he scored a trademark solo try from close range to sentence the Blues to a series-deciding loss and Fittler to his own bittersweet representative farewell (although he would make a comeback three years later and help his state to a victory in his final year before retirement).

Sydney's The Daily Telegraph reacted to the New South Wales team's Origin loss with this headline on the front of its paper on July 2, 2001: "BLOODY ALF".^[5]

New South Wales squad

Position	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3
Fullback	Mark Hughes
Wing	Jamie Ainscough
Centre	Michael De Vere	Ryan Girdler
Centre	Matt Gidley
Wing	Adam MacDougall
Five-Eighth	Brad Fittler (c)
Halfback	Brett Kimmorley	Trent Barrett	Brett Kimmorley
Prop	Jason Stevens
Hooker	Luke Priddis
Prop	Robbie Kearns	Mark O'Meley
Second Row	Bryan Fletcher
Second Row	Nathan Hindmarsh	Adam Muir
Lock	Jason Croker	Luke Ricketson	Andrew Ryan
Interchange	Trent Barrett	Craig Gower
Interchange	Michael Vella
Interchange	Ben Kennedy	Matt Adamson
Interchange	Rodney Howe	Andrew Ryan	Steve Menzies
Coach	Wayne Pearce

Queensland squad

Position	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3
Fullback	Darren Lockyer	Darren Lockyer (c)
Wing	Lote Tuqiri
Centre	Darren Smith		Chris Walker
Centre	Paul Bowman
Wing	Wendell Sailor
Five-Eighth	Daniel Wagon
Halfback	Paul Green		Allan Langer
Prop	Shane Webcke
Hooker	Kevin Campion		Paul Green
Prop	John Buttigieg	Russell Bawden	John Buttigieg
Second Row	Gorden Tallis (c)	Dane Carlaw	Brad Meyers
Second Row	Petero Civoniceva
Lock	Brad Meyers		Darren Smith
Interchange	Chris Walker		Kevin Campion
Interchange	Chris Beattie		Carl Webb
Interchange	Carl Webb		Dane Carlaw
Interchange	John Doyle	Nathan Fien	John Doyle
Coach	Wayne Bennett

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References

↑ Roberts, Michael (2008). Great Australian Sporting Moments. Australia: The Miegunyah Press. ISBN 978-0-522-85547-0 . Retrieved 12 March 2011.
↑ Prichard, Greg (2010-06-15). "Scandals, losing streaks, injuries but there's never been a lost cause". The Sydney Morning Herald . Australia: Fairfax Media . Retrieved 2010-06-15.
↑ Crawley, Steve (2001-06-25). "Alf's back". The Sydney Morning Herald . Fairfax Digital. p. 21. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
↑ Barrow, Tim (6 July 2011). "State of Origin: The deciders". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 7 July 2011.
↑ Steve Ricketts; Barry Dick; Paul Malone (23 May 2012). "The 30 greatest controversies in 30 years of State of Origin series". The Courier-Mail . Retrieved 26 May 2012.

Sources

Big League's 25 Years of Origin Collectors' Edition, News Magazines, Surry Hills, Sydney

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[1] Roberts, Michael (2008). Great Australian Sporting Moments. Australia: The Miegunyah Press. ISBN 978-0-522-85547-0 . Retrieved 12 March 2011.

[2] Prichard, Greg (2010-06-15). "Scandals, losing streaks, injuries but there's never been a lost cause". The Sydney Morning Herald . Australia: Fairfax Media . Retrieved 2010-06-15.

[3] Crawley, Steve (2001-06-25). "Alf's back". The Sydney Morning Herald . Fairfax Digital. p. 21. Retrieved 2009-10-06.

[4] Barrow, Tim (6 July 2011). "State of Origin: The deciders". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 7 July 2011.

[5] Steve Ricketts; Barry Dick; Paul Malone (23 May 2012). "The 30 greatest controversies in 30 years of State of Origin series". The Courier-Mail . Retrieved 26 May 2012.