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.
| 2021 State of Origin series | |
|---|---|
| Won by |  New South Wales (16th title) |
| Series margin | 2–1 |
| Points scored | 120 |
| Player of the series | Tom Trbojevic |
| Top points scorer(s) | Nathan Cleary (26) |
| Top try scorer(s) | Latrell Mitchell & Tom Trbojevic (4) |
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.[1] Game 2 was played at Suncorp Stadium as scheduled.[2] 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,[3] 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
editWednesday, 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
editSunday, 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') |
Game III
editWednesday, 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') |
Teams
editNew South Wales Blues
edit| Position | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fullback |  James Tedesco (c)
| ||
| Wing |  Brian To'o
| ||
| Centre |  Latrell Mitchell
| ||
| Centre |  Tom Trbojevic
| ||
| Wing |  Josh Addo-Carr
| ||
| Five-eighth | Jarome Luai
|
 Jack Wighton
| |
| Halfback | Nathan Cleary
|
 Mitchell Moses
| |
| Prop |  Daniel Saifiti
|
Junior Paulo
| |
| Hooker | Damien Cook
| ||
| Prop | Jake Trbojevic
|
Junior Paulo
|
Dale Finucane
|
| Second row | Cameron Murray
| ||
| Second row |  Tariq Sims
| ||
| Lock | Isaah Yeo
| ||
| Interchange | Jack Wighton
|
Apisai Koroisau
| |
| Interchange | Junior Paulo
|
Angus Crichton
| |
| Interchange |  Payne Haas
| ||
| Interchange | Liam Martin
| ||
| Coach | Brad Fittler
| ||
Queensland Maroons
edit| Position | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fullback |  Valentine Holmes
|
Kalyn Ponga
| |
| Wing | Xavier Coates
|
Kyle Feldt
|
Valentine Holmes
|
| Centre | Kurt Capewell
|
Dane Gagai
| |
| Centre | Dane Gagai
|
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
| |
| Wing | Kyle Feldt
|
Xavier Coates
| |
| Five-eighth | Cameron Munster
| ||
| Halfback | Daly Cherry-Evans (c)
| ||
| Prop | Christian Welch
| ||
| Hooker | Harry Grant
|
Andrew McCullough
|
Ben Hunt
|
| Prop |  Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
|
Josh Papalii
| |
| Second row | Felise Kaufusi
|
Jai Arrow
|
Kurt Capewell
|
| Second row | David Fifita
|
Felise Kaufusi
| |
| Lock | Jai Arrow
|
Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
| |
| Interchange | AJ Brimson
|
Ben Hunt
|
AJ Brimson
|
| Interchange | Jaydn Su'a
|
David Fifita
|
Tom Flegler
|
| Interchange | Moeaki Fotuaika
| ||
| Interchange |  Joe Ofahengaue
|
Francis Molo
| |
| Coach | 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
editGame 1
edit
Cap no. 293, Jarome Luai- Cap no. 294, Brian To'o
- Cap no. 295, Liam Martin
Cap no. 218, Kyle Feldt
Game 2
edit- Cap no. 219, Francis Molo
Game 3
edit- 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
editFriday, 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) |
Wheelchair State of Origin
editSaturday, 29 January 2022
3:00pm (AEDT) |
| Queensland
|
50 – 30 | New South Wales
|
|---|---|---|
| Tries: 9 P Arbuckle  10', 41', 44' 3Z Schumacher 16', 27', 58' 3A Tannock 3', 31' 2J Hill 73' 1Goals: 7 B McKenna  3', 11', 17', 41', 59', 74' (6/7)S Harre 28' (1/2) |
1st: 28 – 18 2nd: 22 – 12 Report |
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) |
Notes
edit- ^ The game was played behind closed doors due to New South Wales' COVID-19 policies.
References
edit- ^ "Origin switches to Townsville after Victorian COVID outbreak". National Rugby League. 2021-05-31. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
- ^ "NSW Blues claim 2021 State of Origin series in historic Suncorp showdown". Nine Network. 27 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
- ^ Polson, James (2021-07-07). "NRL sends Rabbitohs game to Newcastle with Origin III up in the air". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2021-07-07.