1994 Rugby League State of Origin series
Encyclopedia
The 1994 Rugby league State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...

 series
was the 13th year that the annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches contested between the Queensland
Queensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...

 and New South Wales
New South Wales rugby league team
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. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...

 representative teams was played under 'State of Origin' selection rules. Mark Coyne's completion of a miraculous team effort by Queensland to snatch victory in the dying seconds of Game I has become a featured moment in Origin folklore. In Game II a crowd of 87,000 flocked to the MCG setting a new Australian rugby league crowd record. In Game III New South Wales won their first ever Lang Park decider, spoiling Mal Meninga's farewell Origin match.

Game I

For 75 minutes New South Wales were the better side and led 12-4 as a trickle of spectators began to make an early exit to beat the traffic. Those that left missed one of the greatest rugby league miracles of all time. With five minutes to go Willie Carne
Willie Carne
William Carne is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played for the Brisbane Broncos from 1990 to 1996, as well as representing both Queensland and Australia...

 scored for Queensland reaching over his head to take a pass from centre Mark Coyne. Maroons captain Mal Meninga
Mal Meninga
Malcolm Norman Meninga AM is an Australian former rugby league test captain and current coach of Queensland's State of Origin team. As a player he was a legendary goal-kicking centre, counted amongst the finest footballers of the 20th century...

 kicked the conversion but the Blues defence rallied from the kick-off and they kept the Queenslanders pinned in their own quarter as the clock ticked down.

With 60 seconds remaining and trailing 12-10 Queensland launched one last attacking wave from deep inside their own half. Halfback Allan Langer
Allan Langer
Allan "Alfie" Langer AM is an Australian former multi-award-winning rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who works as an assistant coach for the Australian national team and Brisbane Broncos...

 initiated the play, firing a long ball to Kevin Walters
Kevin Walters
Kevin David Walters is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently the assistant coach for NRL club Melbourne Storm. He joined them from French club Catalans Dragons of Europe's Super League as their head coach. Before that he was head coach of the...

. The five-eighth passed to Willie Carne
Willie Carne
William Carne is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played for the Brisbane Broncos from 1990 to 1996, as well as representing both Queensland and Australia...

, whose overhead pass released Steve Renouf
Steve Renouf
Stephen Renouf is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. Of Aboriginal and European descent, he was known as one of the sport's greatest centres. Renouf set numerous records for the Brisbane Broncos club and is considered one of the greatest...

. The Test centre raced up-field as suddenly the tension rose.

The Maroons threw a rapid-fire series of chain passes spanning the breadth of the SFS. The Blues' defence gathered in numbers but as each Queensland player met a tackler he would find another man at his outside shoulder. Renouf, Michael Hancock
Michael Hancock (rugby league)
Michael John "Mick" Hancock is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative winger, he played in the Brisbane Broncos' 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grand final victories...

, Darren Smith, Langer and Mal Meninga
Mal Meninga
Malcolm Norman Meninga AM is an Australian former rugby league test captain and current coach of Queensland's State of Origin team. As a player he was a legendary goal-kicking centre, counted amongst the finest footballers of the 20th century...

 all handled and suddenly Mark Coyne was accepting a pass metres out as Brad Fittler
Brad Fittler
Bradley Scott "Freddie" Fittler AM is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. The current coach of NSW City team in the City vs. Country clash, he coached in the NRL for the Sydney Roosters between 2007 and 2009. As a player, Fittler captained both New South Wales...

 and Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series...

 tried in vain to bring Coyne down only to see him slide to the line, reach out and score.

Television commentator Ray Warren
Ray Warren
Ray "Rabbits" Warren in Junee, New South Wales is an Australian sports commentator, most famous for his coverage of televised professional rugby league matches on the Nine Network. On occasion he is referred to as "The Voice of Rugby League". Ray also calls the action for Australian swimming team...

 famously exclaimed, "That's not a try—that's a miracle!" Fittler buried his head in the turf, Stuart in frustration kicked the corner post sky-high and the New South Wales crowd were plunged into deathly silence with 32 seconds left on the clock and the game gone.

Game II

The Blues headed to the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...

 full of confidence but with a game plan dictated by coach Phil Gould
Phil Gould
Phil Gould is an Australian rugby league broadcaster, journalist, administrator and former player and coach. Since the 1990s he has had a prominent role in Channel 9's coverage of rugby league, as a commentator on their match-day coverage, and appears on The Sunday Footy Show and The Sunday Roast...

 to play it tight and close despite the massive crowd of novice Melbournian rugby league followers hoping to see a flowing spectacle.



Ben Elias laid on the first try, confusing Queensland with some sleight of hand and picking up prop Glenn Lazarus
Glenn Lazarus
Glenn Patrick Lazarus is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century. He primarily played at prop forward, representing Australia internationally and New South Wales in State of Origin...

 on the burst. With two goals from fullback Tim Brasher
Tim Brasher
Tim Brasher is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who played primarily as fullback. He began his career for Balmain Tigers, where he played the majority of his career. He then moved to the South Sydney Rabbitohs for two seasons, before finishing his career with a...

 New South Wales led 8-0 at half-time due to their steely defence and mistake-free football. The Blues wrapped up the match when centre Paul "Mary" McGregor accepted a reverse pass from Stuart and strolled through to clinch a 14-0 win.

Game III

New South Wales arrived at Lang Park for game III having never won a decider there to claim a series. The Queensland crowd's sentiment was focussed on farewelling their hero Mal Meninga
Mal Meninga
Malcolm Norman Meninga AM is an Australian former rugby league test captain and current coach of Queensland's State of Origin team. As a player he was a legendary goal-kicking centre, counted amongst the finest footballers of the 20th century...

 in his last Origin and record 38th appearance in a Queensland jumper.



New South Wales built an early lead with tries to the Canberra trio of Bradley Clyde
Bradley Clyde
Bradley Clyde is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who, at the peak of his playing career was widely acknowledged as the best lock forward in the game....

, Laurie Daley
Laurie Daley
Laurie Daley OA is an Australian rugby league football commentator and former player of Indigenous Australian descent. He represented Australia on 26 occasions and has since been named as one of the nation's finest players of the 20th century...

 and Brett Mullins
Brett Mullins
Brett Mullins is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and early 2000s. He played for the Canberra Raiders between the years 1990 and 2000. He also represented New South Wales and Australia national rugby league team during his career. He is the son of former...

 who along with half-back Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series...

 were out to spoil the occasion for their club captain and friend Meninga. Queensland's nervousness supplied two vital intercepts to allow the tries. The first was taken by hooker Ben Elias off Langer and quickly given to Clyde who scored. The second came when Steve Renouf
Steve Renouf
Stephen Renouf is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. Of Aboriginal and European descent, he was known as one of the sport's greatest centres. Renouf set numerous records for the Brisbane Broncos club and is considered one of the greatest...

 threw a diabolical pass towards winger Willie Carne
Willie Carne
William Carne is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played for the Brisbane Broncos from 1990 to 1996, as well as representing both Queensland and Australia...

. Mullins, then one of the fastest men in the game swooped on the ball and raced 40 metres to score. Daley chipped in with his own gilt-edged contribution, a try in which he sidestepped and swerved his way past five would-be tacklers from 15 metres out.

A try to Queensland forward Andrew Gee
Andrew Gee
Andrew Gee is an Australian rugby league administrator and the current football operations manager at the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL...

 cut the lead back to 18-6 at the break. With serious injuries suffered by Jason Smith and Willie Carne
Willie Carne
William Carne is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played for the Brisbane Broncos from 1990 to 1996, as well as representing both Queensland and Australia...

 there was to be no trademark Queensland revival. Smith suffered a broken jaw following a head clash with Ian Roberts and Carne was carried from the field on a stretcher. Elias kicked a field-goal in the second-half give New South Wales a comfortable buffer even after Steve Renouf's try made the score 19-12 after 55 minutes. In what would be his own final Origin match after 19 career appearances Elias booted the second of three field goals two minutes from full time, ensuring at least his farewell rather than Mal Meninga's, would be a victor's.

It was a courageous series effort by New South Wales who for the first time in their Origin history came back from a Game I loss to clinch the series and for the first time ever claimed three successive series victories.

New South Wales squad

Position Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
Fullback Tim Brasher
Tim Brasher
Tim Brasher is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who played primarily as fullback. He began his career for Balmain Tigers, where he played the majority of his career. He then moved to the South Sydney Rabbitohs for two seasons, before finishing his career with a...

Wing Graham Mackay
Graham Mackay
Graham Mackay is an Australian former national and state representative rugby league footballer whose club career spanned nine Australian and English clubs, including Western Suburbs, Penrith, Gold Coast Chargers and Hull F.C. in a fifteen year top grade career...

Andrew Ettingshausen
Andrew Ettingshausen
Andrew Ettingshausen is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He played his first grade Australian club football for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, retiring with the record of most games at a single club, with 328...

Centre Brad Fittler
Brad Fittler
Bradley Scott "Freddie" Fittler AM is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. The current coach of NSW City team in the City vs. Country clash, he coached in the NRL for the Sydney Roosters between 2007 and 2009. As a player, Fittler captained both New South Wales...

Centre Paul McGregor
Wing Rod Wishart
Rod Wishart
Rod Wishart is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australia international representative goal-kicking winger, he played club football with the Illawarra Steelers and the St...

Brett Mullins
Brett Mullins
Brett Mullins is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and early 2000s. He played for the Canberra Raiders between the years 1990 and 2000. He also represented New South Wales and Australia national rugby league team during his career. He is the son of former...

Five-Eighth Laurie Daley
Laurie Daley
Laurie Daley OA is an Australian rugby league football commentator and former player of Indigenous Australian descent. He represented Australia on 26 occasions and has since been named as one of the nation's finest players of the 20th century...

 (c)
Halfback Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series...

Prop Glenn Lazarus
Glenn Lazarus
Glenn Patrick Lazarus is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century. He primarily played at prop forward, representing Australia internationally and New South Wales in State of Origin...

Ian Roberts
Hooker Ben Elias
Prop Ian Roberts Paul Harragon
Paul Harragon
Paul "The Chief" Harragon OAM is an Australian rugby league football identity. A retired Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played his club football for the Newcastle Knights whom he captained to the 1997 ARL premiership...

Second Row Paul Sironen
Paul Sironen
Paul Sironen is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who was a prominent second rower for the Balmain Tigers during the late 1980s and early 1990s...

Second Row Paul Harragon
Paul Harragon
Paul "The Chief" Harragon OAM is an Australian rugby league football identity. A retired Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played his club football for the Newcastle Knights whom he captained to the 1997 ARL premiership...

Dean Pay
Dean Pay
Dean Pay is an Australian former professional rugby league player for the Canterbury Bulldogs, Parramatta Eels, New South Wales and for the Australian national side....

Lock Brad Mackay
Brad Mackay
Brad Mackay is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A versatile Lock Forward for the St George Dragons, Illawarra Steelers, Western Reds and the merged St...

Bradley Clyde
Bradley Clyde
Bradley Clyde is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who, at the peak of his playing career was widely acknowledged as the best lock forward in the game....

Interchange Andrew Ettingshausen
Andrew Ettingshausen
Andrew Ettingshausen is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He played his first grade Australian club football for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, retiring with the record of most games at a single club, with 328...

Brad Mackay
Brad Mackay
Brad Mackay is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A versatile Lock Forward for the St George Dragons, Illawarra Steelers, Western Reds and the merged St...

Interchange Chris Johns
Chris Johns (rugby league)
Chris Johns is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. He played in the centres, achieving representative honours for Australia and New South Wales. His club football career was spent with the St. George Dragons and Brisbane Broncos, as well as a spell in England with...

Interchange David Gillespie
David Gillespie
David "Cement" Gillespie is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A sturdy forward, he played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Western Suburbs Magpies, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, New South Wales and for the Australian national side...

Ken Nagas
Ken Nagas
Ken Nagas is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the Canberra Raiders of the National Rugby League. Nagas primarily played on the wing. He is of Vanuatuan descent.-Canberra Raiders:...

Interchange David Barnhill
David Barnhill
David Barnhill is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. His club career was with the Canberra Raiders, St. George Dragons, Sydney City and Leeds Rhinos...

Coach Phil Gould
Phil Gould
Phil Gould is an Australian rugby league broadcaster, journalist, administrator and former player and coach. Since the 1990s he has had a prominent role in Channel 9's coverage of rugby league, as a commentator on their match-day coverage, and appears on The Sunday Footy Show and The Sunday Roast...


Queensland squad

Position Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
Fullback Julian O'Neill
Julian O'Neill
O'Neill then played at fullback in all three games of the 1994 State of Origin series under coach Wally Lewis. During the 1994 NSWRL season, O'Neill played at lock forward for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan for the 1994 World Club Challenge. In 1994 and 1995...

Wing Michael Hancock
Michael Hancock (rugby league)
Michael John "Mick" Hancock is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative winger, he played in the Brisbane Broncos' 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grand final victories...

Centre Mal Meninga
Mal Meninga
Malcolm Norman Meninga AM is an Australian former rugby league test captain and current coach of Queensland's State of Origin team. As a player he was a legendary goal-kicking centre, counted amongst the finest footballers of the 20th century...

 (c)
Centre Steve Renouf
Steve Renouf
Stephen Renouf is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. Of Aboriginal and European descent, he was known as one of the sport's greatest centres. Renouf set numerous records for the Brisbane Broncos club and is considered one of the greatest...

Mark Coyne
Mark Coyne (footballer)
Mark Coyne is an Australian former rugby league footballer, a state and national representative player. His club career was with the St. George Dragons and the merged St George Illawarra Dragons - he captained both sides...

Steve Renouf
Steve Renouf
Stephen Renouf is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. Of Aboriginal and European descent, he was known as one of the sport's greatest centres. Renouf set numerous records for the Brisbane Broncos club and is considered one of the greatest...

Wing Willie Carne
Willie Carne
William Carne is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played for the Brisbane Broncos from 1990 to 1996, as well as representing both Queensland and Australia...

Five-Eighth Kevin Walters
Kevin Walters
Kevin David Walters is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently the assistant coach for NRL club Melbourne Storm. He joined them from French club Catalans Dragons of Europe's Super League as their head coach. Before that he was head coach of the...

Halfback Allan Langer
Allan Langer
Allan "Alfie" Langer AM is an Australian former multi-award-winning rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who works as an assistant coach for the Australian national team and Brisbane Broncos...

Prop Martin Bella
Martin Bella
Martin Bella is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A prop forward, he achieved national and state representation and played club football for various teams in Queensland, New South Wales and England. He is of Italian descent....

Darren Fritz
Darren Fritz
Darren Fritz is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s, who at representative level played for Queensland, and at club level for Canberra Raiders, Wakefield Trinity, Illawarra Steelers, North Sydney Bears, North Sydney Bears and Western Suburbs Magpies,...

Hooker Steve Walters
Steve Walters
Steve Walters is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s, who at the peak of his career, was considered the best hooker in the game. An Australian Kangaroos and Queensland Maroons representative, he played in the Canberra Raiders' 1st, 2nd and 3rd grand final...

Kerrod Walters
Kerrod Walters
Kerrod Walters is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative hooker, he played most of his club football with the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won the 1992 and 1993 NSWRL Premierships...

Steve Walters
Steve Walters
Steve Walters is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s, who at the peak of his career, was considered the best hooker in the game. An Australian Kangaroos and Queensland Maroons representative, he played in the Canberra Raiders' 1st, 2nd and 3rd grand final...

Prop Andrew Gee
Andrew Gee
Andrew Gee is an Australian rugby league administrator and the current football operations manager at the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL...

Mark Hohn
Mark Hohn
Mark Hohn is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 1990s. A front-rower, he represented Queensland in the State of Origin on nine occasions and played one test for Australia as a reserve forward against France in mid-1994...

Second Row Trevor Gillmeister
Trevor Gillmeister
Trevor Gillmeister is an Australian former rugby league player who is currently signed on as an assistant coach at the Gold Coast Titans. During his playing days Gillmeister played for the Sydney Roosters, Brisbane Broncos, Penrith Panthers and the South Queensland Crushers as well as...

Billy Moore
Billy Moore (rugby league)
Billy Moore is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. Usually playing at lock, he represented Queensland and Australia....

Second Row Gary Larson
Gary Larson (rugby league footballer)
Gary Larson is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. He represented Australia internationally and Queensland in State of Origin and played his club football with the North Sydney Bears and finished his career with a brief stint at the Parramatta Eels...

Lock Billy Moore
Billy Moore (rugby league)
Billy Moore is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. Usually playing at lock, he represented Queensland and Australia....

Jason Smith
Jason Smith (rugby league footballer)
Jason Smith is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international five-eighth or lock forward, he played club football in Australia for the Bulldogs , Eels, Raiders and Cowboys, and in England for Hull...

Interchange Mark Coyne
Mark Coyne (footballer)
Mark Coyne is an Australian former rugby league footballer, a state and national representative player. His club career was with the St. George Dragons and the merged St George Illawarra Dragons - he captained both sides...

Mark Hohn
Mark Hohn
Mark Hohn is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 1990s. A front-rower, he represented Queensland in the State of Origin on nine occasions and played one test for Australia as a reserve forward against France in mid-1994...

Mark Coyne
Mark Coyne (footballer)
Mark Coyne is an Australian former rugby league footballer, a state and national representative player. His club career was with the St. George Dragons and the merged St George Illawarra Dragons - he captained both sides...

Interchange Darren Smith
Interchange Mark Hohn
Mark Hohn
Mark Hohn is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 1990s. A front-rower, he represented Queensland in the State of Origin on nine occasions and played one test for Australia as a reserve forward against France in mid-1994...

Gorden Tallis
Gorden Tallis
Gorden James Tallis is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played from 1992 to 2004. He captained Australia and Queensland as well as the Brisbane Broncos club, with whom he won three premierships and one Clive Churchill Medal...

Andrew Gee
Andrew Gee
Andrew Gee is an Australian rugby league administrator and the current football operations manager at the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL...

Interchange Darren Fritz
Darren Fritz
Darren Fritz is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s, who at representative level played for Queensland, and at club level for Canberra Raiders, Wakefield Trinity, Illawarra Steelers, North Sydney Bears, North Sydney Bears and Western Suburbs Magpies,...

Andrew Gee
Andrew Gee
Andrew Gee is an Australian rugby league administrator and the current football operations manager at the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL...

Gorden Tallis
Gorden Tallis
Gorden James Tallis is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played from 1992 to 2004. He captained Australia and Queensland as well as the Brisbane Broncos club, with whom he won three premierships and one Clive Churchill Medal...

Coach Wally Lewis
Wally Lewis
Walter James "Wally" Lewis AM is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. Currently a commentator of the sport, he is widely regarded as the greatest rugby league player of all time...


Sources

  • Big League's 25 Years of Origin Collectors' Edition, News Magazines, Surry Hills, Sydney
  • Chesterton, Ray (1996) Good as Gould, Ironbark, Sydney

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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