Tuesday 18 May 2010

QLD 16 NSW 12 - Game One 1994 - State of Origin Memories

STATE OF ORIGIN MEMORIES…

V
GAME ONE 1994… The Try from Hell.


STATE OF ORIGIN RETROSPECTIVE:

It was over half my lifetime ago and yet it still stings like it was yesterday… the night that Mark Coyne eluded Brad Fittler and Ricky Stuart and scored the greatest try in State of Origin’s storied history.

Forget Billy Slater’s chip & chase over a bemused Anthony Minichiello or Laurie Daley beating twenty-seven thousand Maroons on his way to a side-stepping try at Lang Park – when Mark Coyne finished off a 79th minute try for Queensland after the ball swept across the field and back again over a move that spanned 60m and ten sets of hands for Coyne to score in the right corner – NSW was forever scarred in the State of Origin arena.

Queensland had pulled off unlikely victories before but NSW had totally dominated Game One of the 1994 State of Origin Series yet come the full time siren… had lost.

For the last sixteen years no NSW lead has been safe for a Blues fan. From that night on – astute NSW fans knew that Queensland could come back from anywhere in the final ten minutes and there seemed to be nothing NSW could do to stop them when the football gods were on their side. It’s happened many times since but no game has matched the sheer helplessness that NSW experienced on May 23, 1994.

The game itself was a classic. And although I’ll be using that sentence a lot over the next week or so as we churn through Origin Memories – this was a beauty.

As per State of Origin rules - the opening exchanges were brutal.
NSW scored first after Laurie Daley went close with a stepping run towards the posts and then Paul Harragon forced his way over from dummy half. Rod Wishart converted and NSW led 6-0.

In the 30th minute Queensland hit back when Allan Langer’s signature right foot step near the posts created an off-load for Steve Renouf to combine with fellow centre Mal Meninga who drew a rushing Graham Mackay and put Julian O’Neill over in the right corner. Meninga missed the sideline kick, NSW 6-4.

Just before halftime Ricky Stuart looked to have worked some magic with a deft grubber in behind the rushing Queensland defence for fullback Tim Brasher to score untouched but referee Bill Harrigan backed his judgement and ruled Brasher was off-side.

At halftime the score was NSW 6 leading QLD 4.

The first chance of the second half went to Queensland when Mal Meninga grubbered in for Willie Carne but Brasher came from the clouds to deny the Maroons a try.

The Blues then took a commanding lead when they used depth and width to create their second try to replacement Brad Mackay. Halfback Ricky Stuart sent a long ball to Fittler who had Daley on his outside at halfway. Fittler put a short range grubber in for Daley who ran through picked up the ball and beat Willie Carne. He drew Mark Coyne and sent Brad Mackay over for a 12-4 NSW lead.

NSW had controlled the game but couldn’t put Queensland away with a killer blow.

In the final ten minutes the Maroons manufactured a superb try to Carne after Langer’s scheming run set up the next play which saw eight sets of hands produce some hot potato magic and the final pass from Coyne to Carne saw the winger score ten metres in from the right sideline. Meninga converted this time but Queensland still trailed by two points 14-12.

Then the try from hell.

It’s been seen on a thousand replays and words simply don’t do it justice but we’ll try anyway.

The try started with the man who would finish it – Mark Coyne playing the ball in the 79th minute.
He played the ball on the 40m line inside Queensland’s half about 3m in from touch. Mal Meninga threw a dummy half pass to Allan Langer who then sent a cut out pass to Kevin Walters. Walters kept the play moving across field with another cut out to Willie Carne who dummied to Darren Smith and drew two defenders before off-loading to Steve Renouf.
The head-geared Renouf received the ball on the same 40m line but on the other side of the field and QLD had got on the outside of the NSW defence in four passes. Renouf sped down the left beating David Barnhill’s cover defence and drawing Ricky Stuart & Paul McGregor, he then found Michael Hancock who was immediately set upon by Andrew Ettingshausen in a driving tackle but that didn’t stop the winger from off-loading to Smith in support.
Darren Smith drew Laurie Daley & Graham Mackay before finding Langer who zipped through another half gap and offloaded in the tackle of Brad Mackay – finding a rampaging Meninga who turned Brad Fittler inside out. Graham Mackay tried to drag Meninga down but Big Mal found Coyne who stepped inside Fittler’s desperate right arm tackle and burrowed under Stuart to score in the right hand corner. Famously his right arm emerged from inside the Stuart and Fittler tackle to find the line… and break NSW hearts the state over.
Wally Lewis who had been a statue for most of the game as NSW dominated – erupted on the sideline with “unbridled joy” (as Channel Nine commentator Peter Sterling called it) and the following piece of commentary unfolded.
Paul Vautin: “Ohhhh YEAH! What about that ONE! Sterlo?”
Peter Sterling: “Unbelievable!”
Ray Warren: “That’s not a try, that’s a MIRACLE!”
Queensland had stolen the game in the final minute and Meninga slotted the conversion for a 16-12 final score line. The Maroons had taken Game One from nowhere and seemed to have all the momentum in a Series that looked incredibly even on paper.

Ladies and gentlemen... State of Origin Memory #1 - The Try From Hell.
Mark Coyne scores for Queensland v New South Wales, Game One, 1994 State of Origin Series.
Mark Coyne… he never won a premiership with his beloved St.George but that try he scored made him a player with a lasting legacy in the game of Rugby League. He’ll forever be remembered fondly on the north side of the Tweed River and whenever his name is uttered to the south - sheer anguish ripples across the state of New South Wales.

BOX SCORE: GAME ONE, 1994 STATE OF ORIGIN SERIES.
QUEENSLAND MAROONS 16
Julian O'NEILL, Willie CARNE, Mark COYNE Tries; Mal MENINGA 2/3, Julian O'NEILL 0/2 Goals.

Defeated

NEW SOUTH WALES BLUES 12
Paul HARRAGON, Brad MACKAY Tries; Rod WISHART 1/1, Graham MACKAY 1/1 Goals.


@ Sydney Football Stadium, May 23, 1994. Official Man of the Match: Willie Carne, QLD.

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What’s your fondest or painful State of Origin Memory? We want to hear your story – contact us at wdnicolson.blogspot.com , wdnicolson@optusnet.com.au  or via The NRL Tweet.

Just 8 sleeps til Origin One.

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For wdnicolson.blogspot.com's full coverage of the 2010 State of Origin Series bookmark this link.

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THE 2010 STATE OF ORIGIN SERIES
TEAMS, TIPS, PREVIEWS, REVIEWS & VIDEOS

NEW SOUTH WALES
BLUES
QUEENSLAND
MAROONS

| GAME I - Sydney Wed May 26 |
| GAME II - Brisbane Wed June 16 |
| GAME III - Sydney Wed July 7 |

Well here we are again... the NRL season is in full swing and State of Origin Game ONE is just over a week away!
Here on wdnicolson.blogspot.com and on The NRL Tweet - we will have State of Origin covered better than most.
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KEY STATE OF ORIGIN NOTES FOR 2010:
<> We have published the OFFICIAL NSW & QLD Sides below.
<> NOT The Footy Show will be covering State of Origin with our combination of Videos & Podcasts throughout the 2010 Series.
<> So keep checking back on
wdnicolson.blogspot.com for all the latest developments for the NSW and QLD State of Origin Teams in 2010 - including:

+ Player Profiles + Scouting Reports (From May 21) 
+ Regular Sate of Origin Memories Articles (Starting May 18)
<> GAME ONE is Wednesday May 26 @ ANZ Stadium in Sydney - kick-off 8:10pm.

<> In 2010 covering the NRL is what we do here at wdnicolson.blogspot.com and with the introduction of NOT The Footy Show - a weekly video & podcast on the NRL presented by two doyens of the game; we'll make the 2010 Origin Series special as we plan on sharing our State of Origin experience with you - whether you want us to or not.

<> So here are the 2010 STATE OF ORIGIN TEAMS
- For Player Profiles click on the State of Origin Series Page (From May 21) or scroll below the teams for more -
New South Walse Team was named Monday May 17, 2010 approx 8pm.
OFFICIAL
NSW State of Origin Team
Game One, 2010.
Kurt GIDLEY (c)
Brett MORRIS
Matt COOPER
Timana TAHU
Jarryd HAYNE
Jamie LYON
Brett KIMMORLEY
Michael WEYMAN
Michael ENNIS
Josh PERRY
Trent WATERHOUSE
Ben CREAGH
Anthony WATMOUGH
Bench:
Jamal IDRIS
Tom LEAROYD-LAHRS
Luke LEWIS
Brett WHITE
Emergencies: Brett FINCH is 18th man.

Queensland Team NAMED Tuesday May 18, 2010 approx 1:30pm.
OFFICIAL
QLD State of Origin Team
Game One, 2010.
Billy SLATER
Darius BOYD
Greg INGLIS
Willie TONGA
Israel FOLAU
Darren LOCKYER (c)
Johnathan THURSTON
Matthew SCOTT
Matt BALLIN
Petero CIVONICEVA
Nate MYLES
Sam THAIDAY
Ashley HARRISON
Bench:
Cooper CRONK
David SHILLINGTON
Neville COSTIGAN
Dave TAYLOR
Emergencies: Ben TE'O is 18th man.
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State of Origin 2010: NSW Blues Team Game 1 Reaction - NOT The Footy Show Episode 20 (Uploaded May 17)

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STATE OF ORIGIN ALL TIME RECORDS
(From the outstanding resource that is Rugby League Project):
<> YEARS PLAYED:
1980-2009 (Super League Tri-Series in 1997 not included, In 1980-81 only one match was played and does not count as a series)
<> SERIES WINS:
QLD 14
NSW 12
<> GAMES WON:
QLD 44
NSW 41
<> POINTS SCORED:
QLD 1399 (243 Tries; 214 Goals; 8 Field Goals)
NSW 1372 (234 Tries; 217 Goals; 13 Field Goals)
<> PLAYERS USED:
NSW 226
QLD 165
<> MOST CAPS (Top 5 Each State):
QLD - Allan LANGER 34, Mal MENINGA 32, Wally LEWIS 31, Darren LOCKYER 30, Steven PRICE 28.
NSW - Brad FITTLER 31, Andrew ETTINGSHAUSEN 27,  Laurie DALEY 23, Andrew JOHNS 23, Rod WISHART 22.
<> MOST TRIES (Top 5 Each State):
QLD - Dale SHEARER 12, Allan LANGER 10, Greg INGLIS 8, Darren LOCKYER 8, Wally LEWIS 7, Bob LINDNER 7, Billy SLATER 7. 
NSW - Michael O'CONNOR 11, Brad FITTLER 8, Timana TAHU 8, Andrew ETTINGSHAUSEN 7, Ryan GIRDLER 7.
<> MOST MAN OF THE MATCH AWARDS (Top 2 Each State):
QLD - Wally LEWIS 8, Allan LANGER 4.
NSW - Andrew JOHNS 4, Peter STERLING 4.
<> RECIPIENTS OF THE WALLY LEWIS MEDAL FOR PLAYER OF THE SERIES 2004-:
2004 - Craig FITZGIBBON (NSW)
2005 - Anthony MINICHIELLO (NSW)
2006 - Darren LOCKYER (QLD)
2007 - Cameron SMITH (QLD)
2008 - Johnathan THURSTON (QLD)
2009 - Greg INGLIS (QLD)
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<> We'd love your feedback - Either check us out at The NRL Tweet, Via our NOT The Footy Show iTunes Podcast, on YouTube's NSC Videos Channel or comment below here on wdnicolson.blogspot.com
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The State of Origin Schedule for the 2010 Series is as follows:
Game I - Wednesday May 26 @ ANZ Stadium Sydney.
Game II - Wednesday June 16 @ Suncorp Stadium Brisbane.
Game III - Wednesday July 7 @ ANZ Stadium Sydney.
NSW haven't tasted a Series Victory since 2005... while Queensland will be looking to win an incredible 5th straight Series!
Bring on the CANETOADS & their UGLY MUGS!