The State of Origin Rivalry in Melbourne
Born and raised in Melbourne, the State of Origin games aren’t something I usually get the honour of witnessing in person, but this year marks the occasion when, once again, those south of the border get to see one of the greatest rivalries, not just in Australian sport, but globally, take place in the flesh. Many great moments of players seizing the spotlight have helped form the state rivalry in one of Australia’s biggest cities and this year promises not to disappoint in the slightest after the historic New South Wales (NSW) comeback win in Game 1.
NSW holds the bragging rights in Melbourne, winning a total of five times compared to Queensland’s four wins. The Blues are holding a 4-1 record at the MCG, and the Maroons are having the better luck at Marvel Stadium with a 3-1 record. But what are the moments in those nine games that took the Origin world by storm and that have cemented themselves in rugby history?
Iconic Moments in State of Origin History
2018 Origin 1 (MCG) – Turbo takes flight
Not a game-winning moment, but one that was crucial to the Blues’ win in 2018 and gave life to an Origin star in Tom Trbojevic. James Maloney kicked in to the try line where ‘Turbo’ rose up like a rocket and snagged the ball off the hands of Queensland’s Cam Munster to land the try and put NSW up 16-12.
1994 Origin 2 (MCG) – Heroics of Lazarus and McGregor
It was tough to pick a singular try from the 1994 matchup that hosted 87,000 spectators, so Glen Lazarus and Paul McGregor’s tries in the same game tie for ninth spot on the list. This NSW team came out firing with the help of Lazarus’ hulking frame, bulldozing through and helping the Blues secure their first score of the game. While McGregor would put off any hope of a Queensland comeback with a try of his own and the sealer.
2009 Origin 1 (Docklands) – Greg Inglis masterclass
Greg Inglis was a terrifying mix of speed, strength and showmanship, with the centre having not but two great moments in the same game. Inglis sneaked past the line for his first and breezed past a plethora of Blues defenders in his 75-metre run for his second, but his passing would win the Maroons the game. With about 20 seconds left, Inglis broke through a tackle and threw a dummy on the edge to Darius Boyd for the win.
2012 Origin 1 (Docklands) – Farah’s foot and Inglis’ moment
Legends came clashing in a moment that NSW fans will hate to remember, but it came at the cost of what some may say is sheer luck. After at first fumbling the pass at the try line, the ball bounced off the foot of Blues hooker Robbie Farah before Greg Inglis snagged it from the bounce and put it down to win Queensland the game and immortalise himself yet again in Origin history.
1997 Origin 2 (MCG) – John Simon game-winning field goal
Field goals are always a sudden yet exciting way to finish a game, and what better way to kick one than in the State of Origin. As scores levelled at 14 apiece on the 69th minute, a hero was needed from either side to get their side over the line. That hero came in the form of New South Wales’ half John Simon, who took the moment by the reigns and booted a 26-metre field goal to get the Blues the one-point lead. A lead they would hang on to due to a missed penalty by Julian O’Neill in the last couple of minutes.
2018 Origin 1 (MCG) – A new era of Blue
It may not have been a game-winner try, but it was the sign that signalled a new era for the Blue boys in what followed. In a highly contested game, with the game within a score, most of the game, New South Wales fullback James Tedesco broke free from the line to make it possible for a flick from James Maloney to Josh Addo-Carr to put the final nail in Queensland’s coffin.
2015 Origin 2 (MCG) – Josh Dugan try
All hope looked lost for the Blues when Greg Inglis ran across the entire field to slide in for what most likely would have been a game-winning try. The score was called back for a knock-on, and it was back to 18-20 the Blues’ way with about 10 minutes left to play. Only 10 metres out from the tryline, NSW halfback Trent Hodkinson flicked to the left for a steaming Josh Dugan that broke through to win the game for NSW and keep them alive for the series.
2006 Origin 3 (Docklands) – Darren Lockyer intercept
With the Blues leading 14-10 with under seven minutes to go, everything looked to be in place to make it their fourth consecutive Origin Series win. Queensland legend Darren Lockyer had other ideas, as the Five-Eighth intercepted a wild Brett Hodgson pass off the ground to run it through 15 metres out and win it 14-16 for Queensland. The series win was the first of the eight years of Queensland dominance in Origin that would follow without a Blues series win.
1990 Origin 2 (Olympic Park Stadium) – Ricky Stuart’s first try
After breaking an eight-game losing streak to Queensland in Game 1, the Blues were keen to get their first series win in four years in front of a sell-out crowd of 25,800. Ricky Stuart stunned Australia and recorded his first Origin try in blistering fashion after intercepting a pass and then racing 70 metres across the ground, outpacing Queensland’s Lee Kiss in the process before scoring. Stuart would be awarded the Man of the Match for his efforts as New South Wales got the 12-6 victory to end Queensland’s four-peat.
1995 Origin 2 (MCG) – The Melbourne biffo
In what was one of the greatest underdog stories in Australian sporting history, it didn’t start with some physical fireworks in the infamous “biffo” of Game 2. A brawl would break out around 2 minutes into the game when Queensland’s hooker, Wayne Bartrim, called the Blues’ bluff of targeting players and yelled the rallying cry “Queenslander!” during the first scrum.
