The 2020 State of Origin series was the 39th annual best-of-three series between the Queensland and New South Wales rugby league teams. Before this series, Queensland has won 21 times, NSW 15 times, with two series drawn.
Originally, the series was to have been played in the traditional mid-season slot; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic which caused the season to be suspended after round two, the series was moved to November, with the three matches to be played on consecutive Wednesday nights.[1] On 15 May, the NRL announced that the matches would be played on three consecutive Wednesdays after the season's end, these being 4, 11 and 18 November.[2]
For just the third time, a game was played away from Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne, with Game 1 played at Adelaide’s Adelaide Oval.[3][4]
Before the start of the series, Daily Telegraph journalist Dean Ritchie described the Queensland team as the worst ever Maroons side. Queensland would go on to upset a highly fancied New South Wales side and win the series 2–1.[5]
Game I
Wednesday, 4 November 2020
7:40pm (ACDT) |
New South Wales 
|
14 – 18 |  Queensland
|
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Josh Addo-Carr (20', 75') 2 Damien Cook (15') 1 Goals: Nathan Cleary 1/3 (16') |
Report 1st: 10 – 0 2nd: 4 – 18 |
Tries: 1 (49') Alexander Brimson 1 (53') Xavier Coates 1 (65') Cameron Munster Goals: 3/4 Daly Cherry-Evans (51', 55', 66') Sin Bin: (80') Felise Kaufusi |
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Attendance: 25,218 Referee: Gerard Sutton Player of the Match: Daly Cherry-Evans |
Game II
Wednesday, 11 November 2020
8:10pm (AEDT) |
| New South Wales
|
34 – 10 | Queensland
|
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Josh Addo-Carr (37', 64') 2 Cody Walker (16') 1 James Tedesco (22') 1 Jack Wighton (42') 1 Daniel Tupou (53') 1 Goals: Nathan Cleary 5/7 (18', 23', 38', 44', 57') Sin Bin: Payne Haas (56') |
Report 1st: 18 – 4 2nd: 16 – 6 |
Tries: 1 (7') Xavier Coates 1 (62') Josh Papalii Goals: 1/2 Valentine Holmes (63') Sin Bin: (56') Tino Fa'asuamaleaui |
Game III
Wednesday, 18 November 2020
7:10pm (AEST) |
| Queensland
|
20 – 14 | New South Wales
|
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Valentine Holmes (3') 1 Edrick Lee (36') 1 Harry Grant (62') 1 Goals: Valentine Holmes 4/4 (5', 38', 57' pen, 63') Sin Bin: Corey Allan (76') |
Report 1st: 12 – 6 2nd: 8 – 8 |
Tries: 1 (8') James Tedesco 1 (65') Daniel Tupou Goals: 3/3 Nathan Cleary (9', 66', 72' pen) |
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 49,155 Referee: Gerard Sutton Player of the Match: Cameron Munster |
Teams
New South Wales Blues
| Position | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fullback |  James Tedesco
|
James Tedesco (c)
| |
| Wing | Daniel Tupou
| ||
| Centre |  Clinton Gutherson
| ||
| Centre |  Jack Wighton
| ||
| Wing |  Josh Addo-Carr
| ||
| Five-eighth | Luke Keary
|
 Cody Walker
| |
| Halfback |  Nathan Cleary
| ||
| Prop |  Daniel Saifiti
| ||
| Hooker | Damien Cook
| ||
| Prop | Junior Paulo
|
 Payne Haas
| |
| Second row | Boyd Cordner (c)
|
Angus Crichton
| |
| Second row |  Tyson Frizell
| ||
| Lock |  Jake Trbojevic
| ||
| Interchange | Cody Walker
|
Dale Finucane
| |
| Interchange | Payne Haas
|
Junior Paulo
| |
| Interchange | Cameron Murray
|
Nathan Brown
| |
| Interchange | Angus Crichton
|
Isaah Yeo
| |
| Coach | Brad Fittler
| ||
1 - As the series was to be played after the Grand Final due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the NSW team was announced in a unique fashion, with players named on the Blues twitter page after their team was eliminated from the NRL finals series.
2 - Boyd Cordner suffered a concussion in Game 1, eventually leading to him announcing his retirement in 2021. It paved the way for James Tedesco to take over the captaincy from Game 2.
Queensland Maroons
| Position | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fullback |  AJ Brimson
|
 Valentine Holmes
|
Corey Allan
|
| Wing | Xavier Coates
|
Valentine Holmes
| |
| Centre | Dane Gagai
|
Kurt Capewell
|
Dane Gagai
|
| Centre | Kurt Capewell
|
Dane Gagai
|
Brenko Lee
|
| Wing | Phillip Sami
|
Edrick Lee
| |
| Five-eighth | Cameron Munster
| ||
| Halfback | Daly Cherry-Evans (c)
| ||
| Prop | Christian Welch
|
Dunamis Lui
|
Christian Welch
|
| Hooker | Jake Friend
| ||
| Prop | Josh Papalii
| ||
| Second row | Felise Kaufusi
|
Kurt Capewell
| |
| Second row | Coen Hess
|
Jaydn Su'A
|
Felise Kaufusi
|
| Lock | Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
| ||
| Interchange | Ben Hunt
|
Jaydn Su'A
| |
| Interchange | Lindsay Collins
|
 Harry Grant
| |
| Interchange | Jai Arrow
|
Lindsay Collins
| |
| Interchange | Jaydn Su'A
|
Moeaki Fotuaika
|
Jai Arrow
|
| Coach | Wayne Bennett
| ||
1 - Kalyn Ponga was originally selected in the squad, but was subsequently forced to withdraw due to injury.
Player debuts
Game 1
Cap no. 288, Clinton Gutherson- Cap no. 289, Luke Keary
- Cap no. 290, Junior Paulo
Cap no. 204, AJ Brimson- Cap no. 205, Xavier Coates
- Cap no. 206, Phillip Sami
- Cap no. 207, Jake Friend
- Cap no. 208, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
- Cap no. 209, Lindsay Collins
- Cap no. 210, Jaydn Su'A
- Cap no. 211, Kurt Capewell
Game 2
- Cap no. 291, Nathan Brown
- Cap no. 292, Isaah Yeo
- Cap no. 212, Dunamis Lui
- Cap no. 213, Moeaki Fotuaika
Game 3
- Cap no. 214, Corey Allan
- Cap no. 215, Edrick Lee
- Cap no. 216, Brenko Lee
- Cap no. 217, Harry Grant
Teams
New South Wales Blues
1 – Tom Trbojevic was originally selected in the squad, but was subsequently forced to withdraw due to injury. He was replaced by Zac Lomax.
Queensland Maroons
1 – Kalyn Ponga was originally selected in the squad, but was subsequently forced to withdraw due to injury.
Women's State of Origin
Friday, 13 November
7:45 pm (AEDT) |
| Queensland
|
24 – 18 | New South Wales
|
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Tamika Upton (14', 43') 2 Tarryn Aiken (51') 1 Steph Hancock (57') 1 Goals: Lauren Brown 4/4 (15', 44', 52', 58') |
Report 1st: 6 – 6 2nd: 18 – 12 |
Tries: 1 (24') Kezie Apps 1 (59') Tiana Penitani 1 (67') Filomina Hanisi 1 (69') Botille Vette-Welsh Goals: 1/1 Melanie Howard (26') 0/2 Quincy Dodd 0/1 Hannah Southwell |
References
- ^ Whittaker, Troy (21 May 2020). "Breaking new ground: Origin series and women's game in November". National Rugby League. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ "Revealed — State of Origin dates locked in, venues still to be finalised". Fox Sports. 2020-05-15. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
- ^ "2020 State of Origin scheduled announced". National Rugby League. 2019-08-19. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
- ^ Badel, Peter; Meyn, Travis (3 April 2020). "Coronavirus pandemic will stop State of Origin from heading to South Australia in 2020". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- ^ "'I'll be ducking Freddy': Journo eats humble pie over 'worst team' call... but doesn't regret it". www.foxsports.com.au. 18 November 2020.
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