2004 State of Origin series

Game I

New South Wales players Anthony Minichiello and Mark Gasnier were dropped following a drunken incident during the Blues' training camp when it was made public that Gasnier had left a lewd message on a female acquaintance's phone.{{cite news | access-date = 2010-06-15}}

bg = #eeeeee | date = Wednesday, 26 May 2004 | team2 = [[Image:Queensland colours.svg|16px]] Queensland | score = 9–8 | report = (Report) | team1 = New South Wales [[Image:New South Wales colours.svg|16px]] | points1 = Shaun Timmins (5 - 1t, 1fg) Craig Fitzgibbon (4 - 2g) | points2 = (4 - 1t) Brent Tate (4 - 1t) Scott Prince | stadium = Telstra Stadium, Sydney | attendance = 68,344 | referee= Sean Hampstead | manofmatch= Shaun Timmins{{cite news | access-date = 2010-04-27}} }}

Game one featured the first ever Golden point decision in State of Origin football in the very first game where the ruling became available. With scores locked at 8-all and three minutes of extra time played, St George Illawarra Dragons player Shaun Timmins, who had returned to top-class and representative football against unlikely odds after two career-threatening knee injuries and operations, stepped up and kicked a 37-metre left-foot field goal to steal victory for New South Wales. Blues halfback Craig Gower had already missed three earlier field goal attempts, was struggling with a knee injury and was closely marked by Queensland at every kick opportunity so it was left to Timmins to create his own moment of Origin folklore.

Game II

Game II had plenty of hype surrounding it after Blues coach Phil Gould coaxed Brad Fittler out of representative retirement to spearhead the Blues campaign. First game hero Timmins was missing through injury as was Gower and next choice half-backs Trent Barrett and Brett Kimmorley. This left Sydney Roosters number seven Brett Finch to make his Origin debut alongside his club captain Fittler at five-eighth. bg = #eeeeee | date = Wednesday, 16 June 2004 | team1 = Queensland [[Image:Queensland colours.svg|16px]] | score = 22–18 | report = (Report) | team2 = [[Image:New South Wales colours.svg|16px]] New South Wales | points1 = Billy Slater (8 - 2t) Cameron Smith (4 - 2g) Dane Carlaw (4 - 1t) Willie Tonga (4 - 1t) Scott Prince (2 - 1g) | points2 = (8 - 2t) Timana Tahu (6 - 3g) Craig Fitzgibbon (4 - 1t) Luke Rooney | stadium = Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane | attendance = 52,478 | referee= Sean Hampstead | manofmatch= Billy Slater }}

Suncorp Stadium proved to be a graveyard for the Blues thanks to one of the greatest Origin tries ever seen. 20-year-old Billy Slater, a former track work jockey who had burst onto the rugby league scene in 2003, stormed onto a Darren Lockyer grubber kick from halfway before chipping over the top of Blues fullback Anthony Minichiello, chasing, regathering and scoring in the same instant.

Game III

Gould gambled by making six changes to the side which had played in game II. bg = #eeeeee | date = Wednesday, 7 July 2004 | team2 = [[Image:Queensland colours.svg|16px]] Queensland | score = 36–14 | report = (Report) | team1 = New South Wales [[Image:New South Wales colours.svg|16px]] | points1 = Mark Gasnier (10 - 2t,1g) Craig Fitzgibbon (10- 5g) Anthony Minichiello (4 - 1t) Luke Rooney (4 - 1t) Brad Fittler (4 - 1t) Trent Barrett (4 - 1t) | points2 = (6 - 3g) Cameron Smith (4 - 1t) Matt Bowen (4 - 1t) Billy Slater | stadium = Telstra Stadium, Sydney | attendance = 82,487 | referee= Paul Simpkins | manofmatch= Craig Fitzgibbon }}

In Game III, the Blues recalled Trent Barrett to the origin squad who along with Brad Fittler led the Blues to a big win over the Maroons. The match was also the swansong for Phil Gould, New South Wales' most successful Origin coach who had commenced his coaching association with Fittler 14 years earlier at the beginning of their respective coaching and playing careers.

Gould called on six St George Illawarra players for Game III. Debutant centres Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper dominated on the fringes for the Blues and the class of Fittler and Barrett led them to an emphatic 36-14 victory. Fittler scored the last try in the match in his last ever match for the Blues to the delight of his team-mates.

New South Wales squad

Queensland squad

References

Sources

• Big League's 25 Years of Origin Collectors' Edition, News Magazines, Surry Hills, Sydney

References

1. Steve Mascord and John Schell. (17 June 2004). "Slater ruins Freddie's fairytale". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
2. Barrow, Tim. (6 July 2011). "State of Origin: The deciders". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].