2015 State of Origin series
# 2015 State of Origin series

The 2015 State of Origin series was the 34th time the annual best-of-three series between the Queensland and New South Wales rugby league teams to be played entirely under 'state of origin' rules (1980 and 1981 were only one game series). It was the third series to be administered by the Australian Rugby League Commission which was created in a major restructure of the sport's administration in Australia.

This series had one game played in each of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, with Game I played at the 83,500 capacity ANZ Stadium, Game II played at the 100,024 capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground, and Game III played at the 52,500 capacity Suncorp Stadium.

Former Canberra, Queensland and Australian captain Mal Meninga was coach of the Queensland side, whose eight-year State of Origin series winning streak was ended by New South Wales in 2014. The Blues were coached by former Canberra, NSW and Australia captain Laurie Daley for a third consecutive year.

## Game I

* Wednesday, 27 May 2015 8:05 pm

| New South Wales | 10 – 11 | Queensland |
| - | - | - |
| Tries: Morris (21') 1 Scott (27') 1 Goals: Hodkinson (28') 1/2 | Report | Tries: 1 (14') Cronk 1 (55') Chambers Goals: 1/3 (15') Thurston Field goals: 1 (74') Cronk |

* ANZ Stadium Attendance: 80,122 Referee: Gerard Sutton, Ben Cummins Player of the Match: Cameron Smith

National Anthem: Josh Piterman

## Game II

* Wednesday, 17 June 2015 8:16 pm

| Queensland | 18 – 26 | New South Wales |
| - | - | - |
| Tries: Scott (11') 1 Inglis (33') 1 Gillett (48') 1 Goals: Thurston 3/4 (12', 48', 57' pen) | report | Tries: 1 (4') Jennings 1 (27') J Morris 1 (62') Woods 1 (71') Dugan Goals: 5/5 Hodkinson (6', 28', 39' pen, 64', 72') |

* Melbourne Cricket Ground Attendance: 91,513 Referee: Gerard Sutton, Ben Cummins Player of the Match: Michael Jennings

National Anthem: Claire Lyon

## Game III

* Wednesday, 8 July 2015 8:00pm

| Queensland | 52 – 6 | New South Wales |
| - | - | - |
| Tries: Gagai (15') 1 Papalii (27') 1 Inglis (35') 1 Gillett (42') 1 Morgan (50') 1 Boyd (57') 1 Chambers (68') 1 Guerra (78') 1 Goals: Thurston 9/9 (9' pen, 16', 29', 33' pen, 37', 42', 52', 58, 69') Hodges (80') 1/1 | Report | Tries: 1 (61') Jennings Goals: 1/2 (6' pen) Hodkinson |

* Suncorp Stadium Attendance: 52,500 Referee: Gerard Sutton, Ben Cummins Player of the Match: Johnathan Thurston

National Anthem: Australian Girls Choir and Danielle de Niese

Corey Parker was awarded the Wally Lewis medal for player of the series.

## Teams

The 18th, 19th & 20th man are reserves to cover for any forthcoming injuries to the selected squad and, unless chosen, do not actually play.

### New South Wales Blues

| Position | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| - | - | - | - |
| Fullback | Josh Dugan | Josh Dugan | Josh Dugan |
| Wing | Will Hopoate | Will Hopoate | Will Hopoate |
| Centre | Josh Morris | Josh Morris | Josh Morris |
| Centre | Michael Jennings | Michael Jennings | Michael Jennings |
| Wing | Daniel Tupou | Brett Morris | Brett Morris |
| Five-eighth | Mitchell Pearce | Mitchell Pearce | Mitchell Pearce |
| Halfback | Trent Hodkinson | Trent Hodkinson | Trent Hodkinson |
| Prop | Aaron Woods | Aaron Woods | Aaron Woods |
| Hooker | Robbie Farah (c) | Robbie Farah | Michael $Ennis^2$ |
| Prop | James Tamou | James Tamou | James Tamou |
| Second row | Beau Scott | Beau Scott | Beau Scott |
| Second row | Ryan Hoffman | Ryan Hoffman | Ryan Hoffman |
| Lock | Josh Jackson | Paul Gallen $(c)^1$ | Paul Gallen $(c)^1$ |
| Interchange | Trent Merrin | Trent Merrin | Trent Merrin |
| Interchange | Boyd Cordner | Boyd Cordner | Boyd Cordner |
| Interchange | David Klemmer | David Klemmer | David Klemmer |
| Interchange | Andrew Fifita | Josh Jackson | Josh Jackson |
| Coach | Laurie Daley | Laurie Daley | Laurie Daley |
| 18th Man | Tyson Frizell | Tariq Sims | Tariq Sims |
| 19th Man | Ryan James | Dylan Walker | Alex Johnston |
| 20th Man | Matt Moylan | | |

1 - Gallen retained the captaincy role from Farah in Game II.

2 - Robbie Farah was originally chosen to play in Game lll but withdrew due to a hand injury, he was replaced by Michael Ennis on game day.

### Queensland Maroons

| Position | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| - | - | - | - |
| Fullback | Billy Slater | Billy Slater | Greg Inglis |
| Wing | Darius Boyd | Darius Boyd | Darius Boyd |
| Centre | Greg Inglis | Greg Inglis | Will Chambers |
| Centre | Justin Hodges | Justin Hodges | Justin Hodges |
| Wing | Will Chambers | Will Chambers | Dane Gagai |
| Five-eighth | Johnathan Thurston | Johnathan Thurston | Johnathan Thurston |
| Halfback | Cooper Cronk | Daly Cherry-Evans | Cooper Cronk |
| Prop | Matt Scott | Matt Scott | Matt Scott |
| Hooker | Cameron Smith (c) | Cameron Smith (c) | Cameron Smith (c) |
| Prop | Nate Myles | Nate Myles | Nate Myles |
| Second row | Aidan Guerra | Aidan Guerra | Aidan Guerra |
| Second row | Sam Thaiday | Sam Thaiday | Sam Thaiday |
| Lock | Corey Parker | Corey Parker | Corey Parker |
| Interchange | Michael $Morgan^1$ | Michael $Morgan^1$ | Michael $Morgan^1$ |
| Interchange | Josh McGuire | Josh McGuire | Josh Papalii |
| Interchange | Matt Gillett | Matt Gillett | Matt Gillett |
| Interchange | Jacob Lillyman | Jacob Lillyman | Jacob Lillyman |
| Coach | Mal Meninga | Mal Meninga | Mal Meninga |
| 18th Man | Dylan Napa | Josh Papalii | Edrick Lee |
| 19th Man | Dane Gagai | Dane Gagai | |
| 20th Man | | Korbin Sims | |

1 - Daly Cherry-Evans was originally selected to play in game one but withdrew due to injury. He was replaced by Michael Morgan, then Morgan retained his spot on the bench in Game II and III.

## Residents

* TBD

| Queensland | v | New South Wales |
| - | - | - |

* TBD

## Under-20s

* 8 July 2015 18:00 (Local)

| New South Wales | 32-16 | Queensland |
| - | - | - |

* Suncorp Stadium

## Women's Interstate Challenge

* 27 June 2015 14:45 (Local)

| New South Wales | 4-4 | Queensland |
| - | - | - |
| Tries: Kelly 1 | report | Tries: 1 Baker |

* 1300SMILES Stadium

## Records

Game II achieved the highest ever attendance for a State of Origin Game, with a crowd of 91,513 people in attendance.

Game III saw numerous records broken:

* Game III achieved the highest ever attendance for a match at Suncorp Stadium, with a crowd of 52,500 people in attendance.
* Queensland captain Cameron Smith made his 36th Queensland appearance, drawing level with Darren Lockyer for most appearances for Queensland.
* Johnathan Thurston scored 18 points, equalling Lote Tuqiri's for most points in a single match by a Queenslander. In addition, Thurston kicked 9 goals from 9 attempts, an Origin record.
* With a 52-6 victory, Queensland equaled their record for highest State of Origin score, and broke the record for largest winning margin in State of Origin history, with a 46-point winning margin.
