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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 23, 2021 9:11:53 GMT 10
Date:2-Jul-2008 Venue:Stadium Australia Attendance: 78751 Referee:Tony Archer Half-Time: NSW 10, QLD 8 | New South Wales | Queensland |
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PS | Player | TR | GL | AT | FG | PT | PS | Player | TR | GL | AT | FG | PT | FB | Kurt Gidley | | | | | | FB | Karmichael Hunt | | | | | | WG | Jarryd Hayne | | | | | | WG | Darius Boyd | | | | | | CN | Joel Monaghan | | | | | | CN | Greg Inglis | | | | | | CN | Matt Cooper | 1 | | | | 4 | CN | Brent Tate | | | | | | WG | Anthony Quinn | | | | | | WG | Israel Folau | 2 | | | | 8 | FE | Braith Anasta | | | | | | FE | Johnathan Thurston | | 2 | 4 | | 4 | HB | Mitchell Pearce | | | | | | HB | Scott Prince | | | | | | LK | Paul Gallen | | | | | | LK | Dallas Johnson | | | | | | SR | Ryan Hoffman | | | | | | SR | Ashley Harrison | | | | | | SR | Craig Fitzgibbon | | 3 | 3 | | 6 | SR | Nate Myles | | | | | | PF | Brett White | | | | | | PF | Petero Civoniceva | | | | | | HK | Danny Buderus | | | | | | HK | Cameron Smith | | | | | | PF | Ben Cross | | | | | | PF | Steven Price(CB) | | | | | | IN | Brett Stewart | | | | | | IN | Sam Thaiday | | | | | | IN | Willie Mason | | | | | | IN | Michael Crocker | | | | | | IN | Anthony Tupou | | | | | | IN | Billy Slater | 1 | | | | 4 | IN | Anthony Laffranchi | | | | | | IN | Ben Hannant | | | | | | | | 1 | 3 | 3 | | 10 | | | 3 | 2 | 4 | | 16 | Penalties | 5 | Penalties | 7 | Scrums | 5 | Scrums | 5 |
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 23, 2021 9:16:44 GMT 10
The 2008 State of Origin series was the 27th year that the annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams was contested entirely under 'state of origin' selection rules. At its commencement each side had won twelve Origin series with two series drawn.
Queensland's Mal Meninga was to coach against a former Canberra Raiders teammate in the Melbourne Storm's premiership-winning coach, Craig Bellamy who was to make his debut in charge of New South Wales against a number of his in-form Melbourne players. New South Wales took a 1-0 series lead with a convincing victory in Game I on 21 May 2008. After some key personnel changes, Queensland then achieved a record 30-point margin to win Game II on 11 June 2008 to level, and on 2 July won Game III 16 - 10 to take the series 2-1 and edge one ahead in the cumulative series tally.
The series marked Mal Meninga's third as Queensland coach and also his third consecutive series victory. Johnathan Thurston was judged the player of the series. The 2008 series also set new nationwide television audience records for State of Origin.
Game III Coming into the decider, Queensland's record at the venue (dating back to 1999) was 1 win, 11 losses and a draw.
Queensland made no changes to their lineup for the decider while New South Wales made seven: Hayne returned from suspension and replaced Turner on the Wing; Cross, back from injury replaced Simpson; Anasta and Pearce formed a new halves pairing replacing the injured Bird and Wallace; Monaghan replaced Gasnier out with a back injury; Fitzgibbon moved to the Second-row and Mason to Prop.
In starting, Danny Buderus beat two Blues standing records - Harragon's for consecutive matches and Fittler's for most games as captain. Much of the media build-up focused on the match being his state representative farewell, as well as Mitchell Pearce's debut and Braith Anasta's State of Origin comeback. Blues' utility Kurt Gidley had been shuffled at the last minute into the starting line-up over Brett Stewart, resulting in formal pre-match protest from Queensland. The decision to bench Stewart was perplexing, who was arguably the Blues' best in game 1 and 2.
After one minute of Game III a tackle was made on New South Wales forward Ben Cross by the Queenslanders which sparked a brawl. A penalty was awarded to the Blues and Craig Fitzgibbon kicked it, putting NSW in front 2 - 0. In the fifth minute the Maroons were advancing on the Blues' line when Queensland halfback Scott Prince put a high kick up to the right corner which Bues winger Anthony Quinn failed to catch, allowing Israel Folau to grab the ball and simply fall over the try-line. Johnathan Thurston missed the conversion, leaving the score at 2 - 4 in favour of the Maroons. Ten minutes later Queensland were a man down after Prince's forearm was broken in a tackle and the New South Welshmen capitalised, working the ball up close to the Maroons' line and out to left centre Matt Cooper to stretch out through the defence and plant the ball. Fitzgibbon added the extras to give his team an 8 - 4 lead. In the twenty-second minute, the Queenslanders were again attacking close to the Blues' try-line when from in front of the posts Thurston put a kick up high and across to Folau's wing. Folau, coming through at speed, leapt above his opposite number to grab the ball and as he fell awkwardly back down, managed to ground it one-handed behind his head in what was a remarkable effort. The conversion was missed by Thurston so the scores were level at 8 - 8. A few minutes later, New South Wales hooker Danny Buderus ran from dummy half, catching the Maroons' defence off-side and gaining his team a penalty, which Fitzgibbon successfully kicked, giving the Blues a 10 - 8 lead. No more points were scored before half time.
New South Wales started the second half with repeat sets of six in Queensland's half of the field. A loose ball in the Maroons' in-goal was dived on by Anasata, but the video referee found that it was a penalty to Queensland. The maroons' following set of six ended with another penalty to them in attacking position, with Thurston kicking the two points to level at 10 - 10. Queensland forward Nate Myles was lucky not to be sent off (but was later suspended for 6 weeks) for a tackle in the forty-eighth minute which upended Ben Cross and resulted in another minor scuffle and a penalty to the Blues, but the Maroons withstood NSW's attack. A few minutes later the game was halted when Queensland forward Michael Crocker was knocked out as Mitchell Pearce's attempted clearing kick sent the ball into the back of his head. Just at the sixty-seven minute mark Thurston, from within his own half, got the ball at first-receiver and threw a dummy, slicing through the defensive line before passing to Billy Slater running through in support to score the match-winning try under the posts. The conversion was simple and Queensland regained the lead at 10 - 16. In the final minutes the Blues attacked the Maroons' line repeatedly but could not break through and Queensland had won their third series in a row, replicating "three-peats" achieved in 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1987, 1988, 1989.
The national TV audience peaked at more than 2.5 million, breaking the record set in the last game.
Wikipedia
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 23, 2021 9:17:22 GMT 10
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 23, 2021 14:07:31 GMT 10
Israel Folau of the Maroons dives over to score the first try of State of Origin III between the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons at Sydney's Olympic Stadium on July 2, 2008.
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 23, 2021 14:09:40 GMT 10
Matt Cooper of the Blues scores despite the defence of Brent Tate of the Maroons during State of Origin III between the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons at Sydney's Olympic Stadium on July 2, 2008.
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 23, 2021 14:11:23 GMT 10
Blues' player Brett White tries to break through the Maroons' defence during State of Origin III between the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons at Sydney's Olympic Stadium on July 2, 2008.
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 23, 2021 14:13:21 GMT 10
Israel Folau of the Maroons jumps high for the ball and scores a spectacular try during State of Origin III between the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons at Sydney's Olympic Stadium on July 2, 2008.
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 23, 2021 14:15:03 GMT 10
Queensland's Billy Slater surges through New South Wales defence during State of Origin III between NSW and Queensland at Sydney's Olympic Stadium on July 2, 2008.
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 23, 2021 14:17:08 GMT 10
Blues player Paul Gallen takes down Queensland's Johnathon Thurston after he kicked the ball during State of Origin III between NSW and Queensland at Sydney's Olympic Stadium on July 2, 2008.
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 23, 2021 14:19:43 GMT 10
Billy Slater dives across the line to score the final Queensland try as Ryan Hoffman from New South Wales looks on during State of Origin III between NSW and Queensland at Sydney's Olympic Stadium on July 2, 2008.
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Oct 23, 2021 14:21:17 GMT 10
The Maroons celebrate with the trophy after winning State of Origin III between the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons at Sydney's Olympic Stadium on July 2, 2008.
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Post by Rugby League Historian on Feb 16, 2022 20:23:33 GMT 10
Israel Folau's brilliant leaping try in Game III of the 2008 series.
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