2000 State of Origin series

2000 State of Origin series
Won by	New South Wales (9th title)
Series margin	3-0
Points scored	146
Attendance	159,074 (ave. 53,025 per match)
Top points scorer(s)	Ryan Girdler (52)
Top try scorer(s)	Ryan Girdler (5)
← 1999 State of Origin series 2001 →

The 2000 State of Origin series was the 19th year that the annual three-game series between the Queensland and New South Wales representative rugby league football teams was played entirely under 'state of origin' selection rules. During the 2000 series Gorden Tallis was sent off for calling the referee a cheat, Ryan Girdler amassed an incredible 32 points in one match and New South Wales whitewashed the series in a combined scoreline of 104 to 42 - the biggest gap between the two sides in history.

Game I

Wednesday, 10 May 20:00 AEST (UTC+10)

New South Wales	20 – 16	Queensland
Tries: 4 MacDougall  23', 48' Girdler  71' Peachey  77' Goals: 2 Girdler  pen 10', 49' (2/5)	1st: 6–8 2nd: 14–8 Report	Tries: 3 Lam  32', 44' Rogers  16' Goals: 2 Rogers  45' (1/3) Lockyer  pen 60' (1/1) Field goals: 0 Lam (0/1) Sent off: Tallis  71'

Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 61,511 Referee: Bill Harrigan Video referee: Chris Ward Touch judges: Phil Cooley, Steve Nash Player of the Match: Adam MacDougall (New South Wales)

After Ryan Girdler had scored a try to level at 16-all which appeared to have included two knock-ons in the lead up, a furious Gorden Tallis confronted Bill Harrigan and was immediately dismissed after calling him a cheat. Six minutes later the Blues took advantage of the extra man for David Peachey to cross out wide and secure a 20-16 win.

Immediately after the game Tallis was summonsed to a judiciary hearing at the ground but was not suspended. He had been to the referee's room beforehand and apologised to Harrigan. Blues prop Robbie Kearns later claimed in the Herald Sun that Tallis was to blame for Queensland's loss by showing poor discipline and that he had let himself and his side down. Tallis was just the second player to be sent off in Origin history.

Game II

Wednesday, 24 May 20:00 AEST (UTC+10)

Queensland	10 – 28	New South Wales
Tries: 1 Tallis  50' Goals: 3 Rogers  pen 2', pen 33', 51' (3/3)	1st: 4–0 2nd: 6–28 Report	Tries: 5 Fittler  45' Timmins  60' S. Hill  63' Furner  65' Girdler  79' Goals: 4 Girdler  46', 62', 64', 66' (4/5) Johns (0/1)

Suncorp Metway Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 38,796 Referee: Bill Harrigan Video referee: Eddie Ward Touch judges: Phil Cooley, Alan Caddy Player of the Match: Tim Brasher (New South Wales)

New South Wales' win in the second game secured their first series win since 1997 and the 28–10 scoreline would be their biggest ever winning margin until Game III two weeks later.

Game III

Wednesday, 7 June 20:00 AEST (UTC+10)

New South Wales	56 – 16	Queensland
Tries: 9 Girdler  16', 26', 52' Gidley  58', 80' Muir  19' Johns  44' Fletcher  65' MacDougall  71' Goals: 10 Girdler  (18', 21', 27', pen 37', 45', 54', 60', 67', 72', 80)' (10/10)	1st: 20–10 2nd: 36–6 Report	Tries: 3 Rogers  23' Smith  30' Tallis  77' Goals: 2 Rogers  24', 78' (2/3)

Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 58,767 Referee: Bill Harrigan Video referee: Graeme West Touch judges: Phil Cooley, Steve Chiddy Player of the Match: Ryan Girdler (New South Wales)

New South Wales centre Ryan Girdler produced the performance of his life and the Blues were hailed as the greatest side in Origin history after they demolished Queensland and completed their third clean sweep. Girdler scored three tries and kicked ten goals from ten attempts for a record 32-point haul during which New South Wales crossed the Queensland line nine times. New South Wales had led 20–10 at half-time, and a try to Andrew Johns after the break saw the floodgates open with six Origin records beaten or matched:

• Biggest winning margin in State of Origin history (since broken by Queensland in Game III, 2015)
• Most points in an Origin match
• Most points by an individual in an Origin match
• Most points by an individual in an Origin series (Girdler, 52)
• Most goals by an individual in an Origin match
• Most tries by an individual in an Origin match (Girdler's three equalled Chris Anderson's in 1983 and Kerry Boustead's in 1984)

Teams

New South Wales

Position	Game 1		Game 2		Game 3
Fullback	David Peachey		Tim Brasher
Wing	Adam MacDougall
Centre	Ryan Girdler
Centre	Shaun Timmins				Matt Gidley
Wing	Jamie Ainscough
Five-Eighth	Brad Fittler (c)
Halfback	Brett Kimmorley
Prop	Robbie Kearns
Hooker	Geoff Toovey
Prop	Rodney Howe				Jason Stevens
Second Row	Bryan Fletcher
Second Row	David Furner		Ben Kennedy
Lock	Ben Kennedy		Scott Hill
Interchange	Scott Hill		Andrew Johns
Interchange	Terry Hill		David Furner
Interchange	Michael Vella		Adam Muir
Interchange	Jason Stevens				Michael Vella
Coach	Wayne Pearce

Queensland

Position	Game 1		Game 2		Game 3
Fullback	Darren Lockyer
Wing	Mat Rogers
Centre	Paul Bowman
Centre	Darren Smith				Matt Sing
Wing	Wendell Sailor		Matt Sing		Wendell Sailor
Five-Eighth	Ben Ikin		Julian O'Neill		Ben Ikin
Halfback	Adrian Lam (c)
Prop	Shane Webcke
Hooker	Jason Hetherington
Prop	Martin Lang
Second Row	Gorden Tallis
Second Row	Brad Thorn				Chris McKenna
Lock	Jason Smith				Darren Smith
Interchange	Paul Green				Julian O'Neill
Interchange	Tonie Carroll				Brad Thorn
Interchange	Russell Bawden				Tonie Carroll
Interchange	Steve Price				Craig Greenhill
Coach	Mark Murray

Aftermath

A major turning point in State of Origin history occurred in this series, when, in the third game, Bryan Fletcher was seen celebrating his try by performing a fake hand grenade aimed towards the Queensland side. The try celebration forced Queensland to change their whole strategy towards Origin and it created a pathway for the Maroons to win fifteen of twenty-one series since 2006 (including a record eight straight between 2006 and 2013). Former Queensland player Wendell Sailor said “As a Queenslander, you never forget that". Queensland Origin great Gorden Tallis had previously spoken about how that try celebration eventually led to a shift in the State of Origin balance of power which saw Queensland win back the Shield in 2001, and retain it in 2002. Former player Matthew Johns claims that the try celebration started a Queensland dynasty. Former Queensland coach Chris Close spoke about Fletcher's try celebration in 2016: "I thought it was disgraceful act and a disgraceful show of disrespect, You would certainly never, ever see that from any Queensland team, It still burns. F---ing oath it does".

See also

• 2000 NRL season

References

Sources

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