2005 State of Origin series
# 2005 State of Origin series

The 2005 State of Origin series saw the 24th time 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 three matches drew a total attendance of 187,309 and New South Wales won the series 2-1, their third consecutive series victory, and their last until 2014.

The Wally Lewis Medal for Player of the Series was awarded to New South Wales' fullback, Anthony Minichiello. The Ron McAuliffe Medal for Queensland player of the series was awarded to Cameron Smith. The Brad Fittler Medal for New South Wales player of the series was awarded to Matt King.

## Game I

* Wednesday, 25 May 2005 8:00pm (AEST)

| Queensland | 24 – 20 | New South Wales |
| - | - | - |
| Tries: Ty Williams (20') 1 Michael Crocker (48') 1 Matt Bowen (84') 1 Goals: Cameron Smith 5/5 (7' pen, 18' pen, 21', 34' pen, 50') Darren Lockyer 0/1 Field Goals: Darren Lockyer 1/3 (40') Johnathan Thurston 1/1 (78') | 1st: 13 - 0 2nd: 7 - 20 g.p.: 4 - 0 (Report) | Tries: Luke Rooney (52') 1 Mark Gasnier (61') 1 Craig Fitzgibbon (68') 1 Danny Buderus (71') 1 Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 2/3 (69', 72') Brett Kimmorley 0/1 |

* Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 52,484 Referee: Paul Simpkins Player of the Match: Steve Price

The crowd of 52,484 people at Suncorp Stadium was a record for the ground at the time. After fifty minutes, Queensland had raced away to a 19-0 lead. However New South Wales, under new coach Ricky Stuart made a strong comeback, bringing the score to 20-19 in their favour. A field goal from Johnathan Thurston, in his first match for the Maroons, saw the game go into 'golden point' extra time. Brett Kimmorley, playing halfback in place of an injured Andrew Johns, threw a pass intended for Matt King, but was instead intercepted by Matt Bowen, who snatched a 24-20 victory for the Maroons.

## Game II

* Wednesday, 15 June 2005 8:00pm (AEST)

| New South Wales | 32 – 22 | Queensland |
| - | - | - |
| Tries: Anthony Minichiello (15', 44') 2 Steve Menzies (48') 1 Matt Cooper (59') 1 Danny Buderus (76') 1 Goals: Andrew Johns 3/3 (46', 50', 61') Craig Fitzgibbon 3/3 (15', 18' pen, 78') | 1st: 8 - 12 2nd: 24 - 10 (Report) | Tries: Brad Thorn (23') 1 Billy Slater (32') 1 Matt Bowen (69') 1 Petero Civoniceva (80') 1 Goals: Cameron Smith 3/4 (24', 34', 80') |

* Telstra Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 82,389 Referee: Steve Clark Player of the Match: Andrew Johns

Having made his first NRL reappearance just ten days earlier following recovery from injury, Andrew Johns made his State of Origin comeback for Game II with a man-of-the-match performance to help level the 2005 series. This game opened with the Blues sustaining immense pressure on their own line for the opening 15 minutes of the match before breaking through for a try to Minichiello to open the scoring.

## Game III

* Wednesday, 6 July 2005 8:00pm (AEST)

| Queensland | 10 – 32 | New South Wales |
| - | - | - |
| Tries: Johnathan Thurston (74') 1 Matt Bowen (77') 1 Goals: Cameron Smith 1/2 (75') | 1st: 0 - 18 2nd: 10 - 14 (Report) | Tries: Matt King (31', 47', 64') 3 Braith Anasta (21') 1 Mark Gasnier (27') 1 Timana Tahu (53') 1 Goals: Andrew Johns 3/5 (22', 29', 48') Craig Fitzgibbon 1/2 (9' pen) |

* Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 52,436 Referee: Paul Simpkins Player of the Match: Anthony Minichiello

After 25 years the 2005 decider was the 75th game between the two sides, with 36 wins for each side. After an hour New South Wales had raced away to a 32-0 lead and late tries to Queensland proved too little too late. Matt King became only the ninth player (and fourth New South Welshman) to score a hat-trick in State of Origin.

## New South Wales squad

| Position | Game 1 | | Game 2 | | Game 3 | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Fullback | Anthony Minichiello | Anthony Minichiello | Anthony Minichiello | Anthony Minichiello | Anthony Minichiello | Anthony Minichiello |
| Wing | Matt King | Matt King | Matt King | Matt King | Matt King | Matt King |
| Centre | Mark Gasnier | Mark Gasnier | Mark Gasnier | Mark Gasnier | Mark Gasnier | Mark Gasnier |
| Centre | Matt Cooper | Matt Cooper | Matt Cooper | Matt Cooper | Matt Cooper | Matt Cooper |
| Wing | Luke Rooney | Luke Rooney | Luke Rooney | Luke Rooney | Timana Tahu | Timana Tahu |
| Five-Eighth | Trent Barrett | Trent Barrett | Braith Anasta | Braith Anasta | Braith Anasta | Braith Anasta |
| Halfback | Brett Kimmorley | Brett Kimmorley | Andrew Johns | Andrew Johns | Andrew Johns | Andrew Johns |
| Prop | Luke Bailey | Luke Bailey | Steve Simpson | Steve Simpson | Luke Bailey | Luke Bailey |
| Hooker | Danny Buderus (c) | Danny Buderus (c) | Danny Buderus (c) | Danny Buderus (c) | Danny Buderus (c) | Danny Buderus (c) |
| Prop | Jason Ryles | Jason Ryles | Jason Ryles | Jason Ryles | Jason Ryles | Jason Ryles |
| Second Row | Nathan Hindmarsh | Nathan Hindmarsh | Nathan Hindmarsh | Nathan Hindmarsh | Nathan Hindmarsh | Nathan Hindmarsh |
| Second Row | Craig Fitzgibbon | Craig Fitzgibbon | Craig Fitzgibbon | Craig Fitzgibbon | Craig Fitzgibbon | Craig Fitzgibbon |
| Lock | Ben Kennedy | Ben Kennedy | Ben Kennedy | Ben Kennedy | Ben Kennedy | Ben Kennedy |
| Interchange | Craig Wing | Craig Wing | Craig Wing | Craig Wing | Craig Gower | Craig Gower |
| Interchange | Steve Simpson | Steve Simpson | Steve Menzies | Steve Menzies | Steve Menzies | Steve Menzies |
| Interchange | Anthony Watmough | Anthony Watmough | Luke Bailey | Luke Bailey | Steve Simpson | Steve Simpson |
| Interchange | Andrew Ryan | Andrew Ryan | Andrew Ryan | Andrew Ryan | Andrew Ryan | Andrew Ryan |
| Coach | Ricky Stuart | Ricky Stuart | Ricky Stuart | Ricky Stuart | Ricky Stuart | Ricky Stuart |

## Queensland squad

| Position | Game 1 | | Game 2 | | Game 3 | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Fullback | Billy Slater | Billy Slater | Billy Slater | Billy Slater | Matt Bowen | Matt Bowen |
| Wing | Ty Williams | Ty Williams | Ty Williams | Ty Williams | Ty Williams | Ty Williams |
| Centre | Shaun Berrigan | Shaun Berrigan | Shaun Berrigan | Shaun Berrigan | Shaun Berrigan | Shaun Berrigan |
| Centre | Paul Bowman | Paul Bowman | Paul Bowman | Paul Bowman | Paul Bowman | Paul Bowman |
| Wing | Matt Sing | Matt Sing | Matt Sing | Matt Sing | Matt Sing | Matt Sing |
| Five-Eighth | Darren Lockyer (c) | Darren Lockyer (c) | Darren Lockyer (c) | Darren Lockyer (c) | Darren Lockyer (c) | Darren Lockyer (c) |
| Halfback | Johnathan Thurston | Johnathan Thurston | Johnathan Thurston | Johnathan Thurston | Johnathan Thurston | Johnathan Thurston |
| Prop | Steve Price | Steve Price | Brad Thorn | Brad Thorn | Danny Nutley | Danny Nutley |
| Hooker | Cameron Smith | Cameron Smith | Cameron Smith | Cameron Smith | Cameron Smith | Cameron Smith |
| Prop | Petero Civoniceva | Petero Civoniceva | Petero Civoniceva | Petero Civoniceva | Petero Civoniceva | Petero Civoniceva |
| Second Row | Michael Crocker | Michael Crocker | Michael Crocker | Michael Crocker | Michael Crocker | Michael Crocker |
| Second Row | Brad Thorn | Brad Thorn | Carl Webb | Carl Webb | Brad Thorn | Brad Thorn |
| Lock | Chris Flannery | Chris Flannery | Chris Flannery | Chris Flannery | Chris Flannery | Chris Flannery |
| Interchange | Ben Ross | Ben Ross | Ben Ross | Ben Ross | Ben Ross | Ben Ross |
| Interchange | Carl Webb | Carl Webb | Dane Carlaw | Dane Carlaw | Corey Parker | Corey Parker |
| Interchange | Casey McGuire | Casey McGuire | Casey McGuire | Casey McGuire | Ashley Harrison | Ashley Harrison |
| Interchange | Matt Bowen | Matt Bowen | Matt Bowen | Matt Bowen | Tonie Carroll | Tonie Carroll |
| Coach | Michael Hagan | Michael Hagan | Michael Hagan | Michael Hagan | Michael Hagan | Michael Hagan |
