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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 21, 2021 11:15:41 GMT 10
Date:1-Jul-2001 Venue:QE II Attendance: 49441 Referee:Bill Harrigan Half-Time: NSW 8, QLD 28 | New South Wales | Queensland |
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PS | Player | TR | GL | AT | FG | PT | PS | Player | TR | GL | AT | FG | PT | FB | Mark Hughes(NC) | | | | | | FB | Darren Lockyer | 2 | 4 | 9 | | 16 | WG | Jamie Ainscough | | | | | | WG | Lote Tuqiri | | | | | | CN | Ryan Girdler | 2 | 3 | 3 | | 14 | CN | Chris Walker | 2 | | | | 8 | CN | Matthew Gidley | | | | | | CN | Paul Bowman | 2 | | | | 8 | WG | Adam MacDougall | | | | | | WG | Wendell Sailor | | | | | | FE | Brad Fittler | | | | | | FE | Daniel Wagon | | | | | | HB | Brett Kimmorley | | | | | | HB | Allan Langer | 1 | | | | 4 | LK | Andrew Ryan | | | | | | LK | Darren Smith | | | | | | SR | Adam Muir | | | | | | SR | Brad Meyers | | | | | | SR | Bryan Fletcher | | | | | | SR | Petero Civoniceva | | | | | | PF | Mark O'Meley | | | | | | PF | John Buttigieg | | | | | | HK | Luke Priddis | | | | | | HK | Paul Green | | | | | | PF | Jason Stevens | | | | | | PF | Shane Webcke | | | | | | IN | Craig Gower | | | | | | IN | Kevin Campion | | | | | | IN | Michael Vella | | | | | | IN | Carl Webb | | | | | | IN | Matt Adamson | | | | | | IN | Dane Carlaw | 1 | | | | 4 | IN | Steve Menzies | | | | | | IN | John Doyle | | | | | | | | 2 | 3 | 3 | | 14 | | | 8 | 4 | 9 | | 40 | Penalties | 6 | Penalties | 8 | Scrums | 6 | Scrums | 8 |
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 21, 2021 11:18:15 GMT 10
The 2001 State of Origin series was the 20th year 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 series was notable for marking the first time an England-based player was selected for State of Origin: Maroons legend Allan Langer was asked to make his comeback for the third and deciding match of the series and did so, helping Queensland re-claim the shield in Brisbane.
Game III The lead up to Game III was dominated by emotion regarding Brad Fittler's pending retirement from representative football after 29 Origin appearances. But with the series tied at one game apiece Queensland needed some special emotion of their own to avoid a loss. Without inspirational captain Tallis and an established halves pairing, coach Bennett undertook furtive negotiations with Maroon's veteran Allan Langer, then in his second English season and captain of the Warrington Wolves, and the rumours were only confirmed after Langer had boarded a plane (under a false name) for the flight home, bound for his 31st career Origin appearance. At almost 35 years of age, Langer was named in his famous No.7 jersey for the first time since leaving Australia part-way through the 1999 NRL season.
Despite NSW centre Ryan Girdler scoring the fastest try in Origin history after 39 seconds, Queensland took a 28-8 lead into the break with Langer heavily involved in three of the Maroons' first half tries. Alongside Darren Lockyer who created his own form of havoc, Langer tore New South Wales to shreds and capped his comeback in the 54th minute when he scored a trademark solo try from close range to sentence the Blues to a series-deciding loss and Fittler to his own bittersweet representative farewell (although he would make a comeback three years later and help his state to a victory in his final year before retirement).
Sydney's The Daily Telegraph reacted to the New South Wales team's Origin loss with this headline on the front of its paper on July 2, 2001: "BLOODY ALF".
Wikipedia
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 21, 2021 11:18:54 GMT 10
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 21, 2021 17:59:35 GMT 10
Allan Langer scores during Origin III in 2001.
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 23, 2021 10:31:12 GMT 10
Alfie Langer’s FIFO. ANZ Stadium, Game 3, 2001
The first time Allan Langer’s name was called out in a Queensland Origin team back in 1987 it was deemed by some as a “shock selection”. Well nothing could compare to what happened 14 years later when coach Wayne Bennett made the phone call that would bring his favourite player back from England for a fly-in-fly-out mugging of the Blues. With secrecy befitting a John Le Carre spy novel, Bennett and his fellow selectors hatched a plan that would result in Langer flying a 40,000km round-trip to inspire a 40-14 win to clinch the series and add another chapter to Alfie legend. It is now part of Queensland folklore that when Langer answered the phone in his Warrington home and Bennett asked if he would come back to play in the decider, his answer was: “What took you so long?” The iconic image from this one? Take your pick: Langer lying on his back and reaching over the tryline to score, or him and Bennett embracing on the sideline after fulltime. Either way, it’s got to be right up there with the best.
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Feb 16, 2022 20:07:43 GMT 10
Allan Langer's victorious Origin comeback in Game III of the 2001 series.
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Feb 16, 2022 20:08:54 GMT 10
It came after coach Wayne Bennett recalled 'Alf' from England.
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