2020 State of Origin series

Last updated
2020 State of Origin series
Won by Queensland colours.svg Queensland  (22nd title)
Series margin2–1
Points scored110
Attendance110,585 (ave. 36,862 per match)
Player of the series Queensland colours.svg Cameron Munster
Top points scorer(s) New South Wales colours.svg Nathan Cleary (18)
Top try scorer(s) New South Wales colours.svg Josh Addo-Carr (4)

The 2020 State of Origin series was the 39th annual best-of-three series between the Queensland and New South Wales rugby league teams. Before this series, Queensland has won 21 times, NSW 15 times, with two series drawn.

Contents

Originally, the series was to have been played in the traditional mid-season slot; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic which caused the season to be suspended after round two, the series was moved to November, with the three matches to be played on consecutive Wednesday nights. [1] On 15 May, the NRL announced that the matches would be played on three consecutive Wednesdays after the season's end, these being 4, 11 and 18 November. [2]

For just the third time, a game was played away from Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne, with Game 1 played at Adelaide’s Adelaide Oval. [3] [4]

Before the start of the series, Daily Telegraph journalist Dean Ritchie described the Queensland team as the worst ever Maroons side. Queensland would go on to upset a highly fancied New South Wales side and win the series 2–1. [5]

Game I

Wednesday, 4 November 2020
7:40pm (ACDT)
New South Wales New South Wales colours.svg 14 18 Queensland colours.svg Queensland
Tries:
Josh Addo-Carr (20', 75') 2
Damien Cook (15') 1
Goals:
Nathan Cleary 1/3
(16')
Report
1st: 10 0
2nd: 4 18
Tries:
1 (49') Alexander Brimson
1 (53') Xavier Coates
1 (65') Cameron Munster
Goals:
3/4 Daly Cherry-Evans
(51', 55', 66')
Sin Bin:
(80') Felise Kaufusi
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Attendance: 25,218
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Player of the Match: Queensland colours.svg Daly Cherry-Evans

Game II

Wednesday, 11 November 2020
8:10pm (AEDT)
New South Wales New South Wales colours.svg 34 10 Queensland colours.svg Queensland
Tries:
Josh Addo-Carr (37', 64') 2
Cody Walker (16') 1
James Tedesco (22') 1
Jack Wighton (42') 1
Daniel Tupou (53') 1
Goals:
Nathan Cleary 5/7
(18', 23', 38', 44', 57')
Sin Bin:
Payne Haas (56')
Report
1st: 18 4
2nd: 16 6
Tries:
1 (7') Xavier Coates
1 (62') Josh Papalii
Goals:
1/2 Valentine Holmes
(63')
Sin Bin:
(56') Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 36,212
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Player of the Match: New South Wales colours.svg Nathan Cleary

Game III

Wednesday, 18 November 2020
7:10pm (AEST)
Queensland Queensland colours.svg 20 14 New South Wales colours.svg New South Wales
Tries:
Valentine Holmes (3') 1
Edrick Lee (36') 1
Harry Grant (62') 1
Goals:
Valentine Holmes 4/4
(5', 38', 57' pen, 63')
Sin Bin:
Corey Allan (76')
Report
1st: 12 6
2nd: 8 8
Tries:
1 (8') James Tedesco
1 (65') Daniel Tupou
Goals:
3/3 Nathan Cleary
(9', 66', 72' pen)
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 49,155
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Player of the Match: Queensland colours.svg Cameron Munster

Teams

New South Wales Blues

PositionGame 1Game 2Game 3
Fullback Eastern Suburbs colours.svg James Tedesco Eastern Suburbs colours.svg James Tedesco (c)
Wing Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Daniel Tupou
Centre Parramatta colours.svg Clinton Gutherson
Centre Canberra colours.svg Jack Wighton
Wing Melbourne colours.svg Josh Addo-Carr
Five-eighth Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Luke Keary South Sydney colours.svg Cody Walker
Halfback Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Nathan Cleary
Prop Newcastle colours.svg Daniel Saifiti
Hooker South Sydney colours.svg Damien Cook
Prop Parramatta colours.svg Junior Paulo Brisbane colours.svg Payne Haas
Second row Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Boyd Cordner (c) Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Angus Crichton
Second row St. George Illawarra colours.svg Tyson Frizell
Lock Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Jake Trbojevic
Interchange South Sydney colours.svg Cody Walker Melbourne colours.svg Dale Finucane
Interchange Brisbane colours.svg Payne Haas Parramatta colours.svg Junior Paulo
Interchange South Sydney colours.svg Cameron Murray Parramatta colours.svg Nathan Brown
Interchange Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Angus Crichton Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Isaah Yeo
Coach New South Wales colours.svg Brad Fittler

1 - As the series was to be played after the Grand Final due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the NSW team was announced in a unique fashion, with players named on the Blues twitter page after their team was eliminated from the NRL finals series.

2 - Boyd Cordner suffered a concussion in Game 1, eventually leading to him announcing his retirement in 2021. It paved the way for James Tedesco to take over the captaincy from Game 2.

Queensland Maroons

PositionGame 1Game 2Game 3
Fullback Gold Coast Titans colours.svg AJ Brimson North Queensland colours.svg Valentine Holmes South Sydney colours.svg Corey Allan
Wing Brisbane colours.svg Xavier Coates North Queensland colours.svg Valentine Holmes
Centre South Sydney colours.svg Dane Gagai Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Kurt Capewell South Sydney colours.svg Dane Gagai
Centre Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Kurt Capewell South Sydney colours.svg Dane Gagai Melbourne colours.svg Brenko Lee
Wing Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Phillip Sami Newcastle colours.svg Edrick Lee
Five-eighth Melbourne colours.svg Cameron Munster
Halfback Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Daly Cherry-Evans (c)
Prop Melbourne colours.svg Christian Welch Canberra colours.svg Dunamis Lui Melbourne colours.svg Christian Welch
Hooker Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Jake Friend
Prop Canberra colours.svg Josh Papalii
Second row Melbourne colours.svg Felise Kaufusi Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Kurt Capewell
Second row North Queensland colours.svg Coen Hess South Sydney colours.svg Jaydn Su'A Melbourne colours.svg Felise Kaufusi
Lock Melbourne colours.svg Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
Interchange St. George Illawarra colours.svg Ben Hunt South Sydney colours.svg Jaydn Su'A
Interchange Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Lindsay Collins Wests Tigers colours.svg Harry Grant
Interchange Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Jai Arrow Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Lindsay Collins
Interchange South Sydney colours.svg Jaydn Su'A Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Moeaki Fotuaika Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Jai Arrow
Coach Queensland colours.svg Wayne Bennett

1 - Kalyn Ponga was originally selected in the squad, but was subsequently forced to withdraw due to injury.

Player debuts

Game 1

Game 2

Game 3

Teams

New South Wales Blues

Pos.PlayerDate of birth (age)CapsPtsClub
Wing Josh Addo-Carr 28 July 1995 (age 28)616 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Lock Nathan Brown 1 March 1993 (age 31)00 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels
Prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard 27 July 1993 (age 30)10 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels
Halfback Nathan Cleary 14 November 1997 (age 26)514 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers
Hooker Damien Cook 23 June 1991 (age 33)64 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Second-row Boyd Cordner (c)9 June 1992 (age 32)158 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters
Wing Nick Cotric 18 November 1998 (age 25)10 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders
Second-row Angus Crichton 5 February 1996 (age 28)40 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters
Centre Stephen Crichton 22 September 2000 (age 23)00 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers
Lock Dale Finucane 7 September 1991 (age 32)20 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Second-row Tyson Frizell 9 October 1991 (age 32)1112 St. George colours.svg St George Illawarra Dragons
Fullback Clinton Gutherson 9 September 1994 (age 29)00 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels
Prop Payne Haas 2 December 1999 (age 24)10 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos
Five-eighth Luke Keary 3 February 1992 (age 32)00 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters
Centre Zac Lomax 124 September 1999 (age 24)00 St. George colours.svg St George Illawarra Dragons
Five-eighth Jarome Luai 16 January 1997 (age 27)00 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers
Hooker Cameron McInnes 1 February 1994 (age 30)00 St. George colours.svg St George Illawarra Dragons
Lock Cameron Murray 16 January 1998 (age 26)30 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen 10 June 1998 (age 26)00 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Prop Junior Paulo 20 November 1993 (age 30)00 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels
Prop Daniel Saifiti 1 May 1996 (age 28)20 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights
Fullback James Tedesco 8 January 1993 (age 31)1020 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters
Lock Jake Trbojevic 18 February 1994 (age 30)94 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Wing Daniel Tupou 17 June 1991 (age 33)40 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters
Five-eighth Cody Walker 10 January 1990 (age 34)10 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Five-eighth Jack Wighton 4 February 1993 (age 31)30 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders
Lock Isaah Yeo 6 November 1994 (age 29)00 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers

1Tom Trbojevic was originally selected in the squad, but was subsequently forced to withdraw due to injury. He was replaced by Zac Lomax.

Queensland Maroons

Pos.PlayerDate of birth (age)CapsPtsClub
Fullback Corey Allan 19 April 1998 (age 26)00 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Lock Jai Arrow 12 July 1995 (age 29)40 Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans
Fullback AJ Brimson 9 September 1998 (age 25)00 Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans
Second-row Kurt Capewell 12 July 1993 (age 31)00 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers
Lock Patrick Carrigan 1 January 1998 (age 26)00 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos
Halfback Daly Cherry-Evans (c)20 February 1989 (age 35)104 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Wing Xavier Coates 12 March 2001 (age 23)00 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos
Prop Lindsay Collins 17 April 1996 (age 28)00 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters
Lock Tino Fa'asuamaleaui 16 February 2000 (age 24)00 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Prop Moeaki Fotuaika 16 November 1999 (age 24)00 Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans
Hooker Jake Friend 4 February 1990 (age 34)00 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters
Wing Dane Gagai 3 January 1991 (age 33)1344 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Hooker Harry Grant 17 February 1998 (age 26)00 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Second-row Coen Hess 14 August 1996 (age 27)50 North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys
Fullback Valentine Holmes 24 July 1995 (age 29)544 North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys
Halfback Ben Hunt 27 March 1990 (age 34)70 St. George colours.svg St George Illawarra Dragons
Wing Hymel Hunt 14 November 1993 (age 30)00 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights
Second-row Felise Kaufusi 19 May 1992 (age 32)64 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Prop Josh Kerr 11 February 1996 (age 28)00 St. George colours.svg St George Illawarra Dragons
Centre Brenko Lee 10 October 1995 (age 28)00 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Wing Edrick Lee 18 September 1992 (age 31)00 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights
Prop Dunamis Lui 16 February 1990 (age 34)00 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders
Five-eighth Cameron Munster 13 September 1994 (age 29)70 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm
Prop Josh Papalii 13 May 1992 (age 32)158 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders
Wing Phillip Sami 2 August 1997 (age 26)00 Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans
Second-row Jaydn Su'A 23 October 1997 (age 26)00 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs
Prop Christian Welch 19 July 1994 (age 30)10 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm

1Kalyn Ponga was originally selected in the squad, but was subsequently forced to withdraw due to injury.

Women's State of Origin

Friday, 13 November
7:45 pm (AEDT)
Queensland Queensland colours.svg 24 18 New South Wales colours.svg New South Wales
Tries:
Tamika Upton (14', 43') 2
Tarryn Aiken (51') 1
Steph Hancock (57') 1
Goals:
Lauren Brown 4/4
(15', 44', 52', 58')
Report
1st: 6 6
2nd: 18 12
Tries:
1 (24') Kezie Apps
1 (59') Tiana Penitani
1 (67') Filomina Hanisi
1 (69') Botille Vette-Welsh
Goals:
1/1 Melanie Howard
(26')
0/2 Quincy Dodd
0/1 Hannah Southwell
Sunshine Coast Stadium
Attendance: 4,833
Nellie Doherty Medal: Tarryn Aiken
Referee: Belinda Sharpe

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References

  1. Whittaker, Troy (21 May 2020). "Breaking new ground: Origin series and women's game in November". National Rugby League. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  2. "Revealed — State of Origin dates locked in, venues still to be finalised". Fox Sports. 2020-05-15. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
  3. "2020 State of Origin scheduled announced". National Rugby League. 2019-08-19. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
  4. Badel, Peter; Meyn, Travis (3 April 2020). "Coronavirus pandemic will stop State of Origin from heading to South Australia in 2020". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  5. "'I'll be ducking Freddy': Journo eats humble pie over 'worst team' call... but doesn't regret it". www.foxsports.com.au. 18 November 2020.