2021 State of Origin series
# 2021 State of Origin series

The 2021 State of Origin series was the 40th annual best-of-three series between the Queensland and New South Wales rugby league teams. Before this series, Queensland has won 22 times, NSW 15 times, with two series drawn.

The venue for Game 1 was originally named as the Melbourne Cricket Ground, however, due to a COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne during the lead up to the match, it was relocated to Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville. Game 2 was played at Suncorp Stadium as scheduled. Game 3 was originally scheduled to be played at Stadium Australia in Sydney, however was moved, firstly, to McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle due to the deteriorating COVID-19 situation in Sydney, before being relocated again, to Cbus Super Stadium in Gold Coast. These relocations meant that the series was the first entirely staged in a single state and the first games held in both Townsville and on the Gold Coast.

## Game I

* Wednesday, 9 June 2021 8:10pm (AEST)

| Queensland | 6 – 50 | New South Wales |
| - | - | - |
| Tries: Kurt Capewell (35') 1 Goals: Valentine Holmes 1/1 (36') | 1st: 6 – 20 2nd: 0 – 30 | Tries: 3 (18', 59', 69') Tom Trbojevic 2 (22', 27') Brian To'o 2 (49', 60') Latrell Mitchell 1 (63') Daniel Saifiti Goals: 8/8 Nathan Cleary (10' pen, 19', 29', 51', 60', 62', 66', 70') 1/1 Latrell Mitchell (24') |

* Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville Attendance: 27,533 Referee: Gerard Sutton Player of the Match: Tom Trbojevic

## Game II

* Sunday, 27 June 2021 7:50pm (AEST)

| Queensland | 0 – 26 | New South Wales |
| - | - | - |
| | 1st: 0 – 18 2nd: 0 – 8 | Tries: 2 (12', 70') Josh Addo-Carr 1 (26') Latrell Mitchell 1 (33') Tom Trbojevic Goals: 5/5 Nathan Cleary (14', 28', 34', 50' pen, 71') |

* Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 52,272 Referee: Gerard Sutton Player of the Match: James Tedesco

## Game III

* Wednesday, 14 July 2021 8:10pm (AEST)

| New South Wales | 18 – 20 | Queensland |
| - | - | - |
| Tries: Latrell Mitchell (11') 1 Jack Wighton (48') 1 Apisai Koroisau (69') 1 Goals: Latrell Mitchell 3/4 (12', 50', 70') | 1st: 6 – 8 2nd: 12 – 12 | Tries: 2 (57', 64') Ben Hunt 1 (18') Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow Goals: 2/2 Valentine Holmes (5' pen, 20') 2/2 Daly Cherry-Evans (59', 65') |

* Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast Attendance: 26,307 Referee: Gerard Sutton Player of the Match: Ben Hunt

## Teams

### New South Wales Blues

| Position | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| - | - | - | - |
| Fullback | James Tedesco (c) | James Tedesco (c) | James Tedesco (c) |
| Wing | Brian To'o | Brian To'o | Brian To'o |
| Centre | Latrell Mitchell | Latrell Mitchell | Latrell Mitchell |
| Centre | Tom Trbojevic | Tom Trbojevic | Tom Trbojevic |
| Wing | Josh Addo-Carr | Josh Addo-Carr | Josh Addo-Carr |
| Five-eighth | Jarome Luai | Jarome Luai | Jack Wighton |
| Halfback | Nathan Cleary | Nathan Cleary | Mitchell Moses |
| Prop | Daniel Saifiti | Daniel Saifiti | Junior Paulo |
| Hooker | Damien Cook | Damien Cook | Damien Cook |
| Prop | Jake Trbojevic | Junior Paulo | Dale Finucane |
| Second row | Cameron Murray | Cameron Murray | Cameron Murray |
| Second row | Tariq Sims | Tariq Sims | Tariq Sims |
| Lock | Isaah Yeo | Isaah Yeo | Isaah Yeo |
| Interchange | Jack Wighton | Jack Wighton | Apisai Koroisau |
| Interchange | Junior Paulo | Angus Crichton | Angus Crichton |
| Interchange | Payne Haas | Payne Haas | Payne Haas |
| Interchange | Liam Martin | Liam Martin | Liam Martin |
| Coach | Brad Fittler | Brad Fittler | Brad Fittler |

### Queensland Maroons

| Position | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| - | - | - | - |
| Fullback | Valentine Holmes | Valentine Holmes | Kalyn Ponga |
| Wing | Xavier Coates | Kyle Feldt | Valentine Holmes |
| Centre | Kurt Capewell | Kurt Capewell | Dane Gagai |
| Centre | Dane Gagai | Dane Gagai | Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow |
| Wing | Kyle Feldt | Xavier Coates | Xavier Coates |
| Five-eighth | Cameron Munster | Cameron Munster | Cameron Munster |
| Halfback | Daly Cherry-Evans (c) | Daly Cherry-Evans (c) | Daly Cherry-Evans (c) |
| Prop | Christian Welch | Christian Welch | Christian Welch |
| Hooker | Harry Grant | Andrew McCullough | Ben Hunt |
| Prop | Tino Fa'asuamaleaui | Josh Papalii | Josh Papalii |
| Second row | Felise Kaufusi | Jai Arrow | Kurt Capewell |
| Second row | David Fifita | Felise Kaufusi | Felise Kaufusi |
| Lock | Jai Arrow | Tino Fa'asuamaleaui | Tino Fa'asuamaleaui |
| Interchange | AJ Brimson | Ben Hunt | AJ Brimson |
| Interchange | Jaydn Su'a | David Fifita | Tom Flegler |
| Interchange | Moeaki Fotuaika | Moeaki Fotuaika | Moeaki Fotuaika |
| Interchange | Joe Ofahengaue | Francis Molo | Francis Molo |
| Coach | Paul Green | Paul Green | Paul Green |

1 - With the State of Origin series returning to the middle of the NRL season, Wayne Bennett would step back from his head coaching role with Queensland, Paul Green picking up the job for 2021.

## Player debuts

### Game 1

* Cap no. 293, Jarome Luai
* Cap no. 294, Brian To'o
* Cap no. 295, Liam Martin
* Cap no. 218, Kyle Feldt

### Game 2

* Cap no. 219, Francis Molo

### Game 3

* Cap no. 296, Mitchell Moses
* Cap no. 297, Apisai Koroisau
* Cap no. 220, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
* Cap no. 221, Thomas Flegler

## Women's State of Origin

* Friday, 25 June 2021 7:45pm (AEST)

| Queensland | 8 – 6 | New South Wales |
| - | - | - |
| Tries: Destiny Brill (24') 1 Goals: Lauren Brown 2/2 (25', 70' pen) | 1st: 6 – 4 2nd: 2 – 2 | Tries: 1 (5') Isabelle Kelly Goals: 1/2 Maddie Studdon (53' pen) |

* Sunshine Coast Stadium Attendance: 7,183
* Nellie Doherty Medal: Tazmin Gray Referee: Belinda Sharpe

## Wheelchair State of Origin

* Saturday, 29 January 2022 3:00pm (AEDT)

| Queensland | 50 – 30 | New South Wales |
| - | - | - |
| Tries: 9 P Arbuckle 10', 41', 44' 3 Z Schumacher 16', 27', 58' 3 A Tannock 3', 31' 2 J Hill 73' 1 Goals: 7 B McKenna 3', 11', 17', 41', 59', 74' (6/7) S Harre 28' (1/2) | 1st: 28 – 18 2nd: 22 – 12 | Tries: 5 2 C Cannane 13', 21' 2 R Engels 55', 77' 1 D Karim 6' Goals: 5 D Karim 22', 56', 78' (3/3) B Henman 7', 14' (2/2) |

* Whitlam Leisure Centre, Liverpool Attendance: 0 Player of the Match: Bayley McKenna
