1988 State of Origin series

1988 State of Origin series
Won by	Queensland (5th series title)
Series margin	3-0
Points scored	126
Attendance	75,168 (ave. 25,056 per match)
Top points scorer(s)	Gary Belcher (28 points)
Top try scorer(s)	Allan Langer (4 tries)

The 1988 State of Origin series was the 9th annual 'series contested between New South Wales and Queensland.

Queensland enjoyed their first ever 3–0 series whitewash mirroring a feat New South Wales had first achieved two years earlier. The series produced an ugly and enduring Origin image when in game II the parochial Queensland crowd showered the Lang Park playing arena with beer cans in protest at the sin-binning of their captain Wally Lewis.

Game One

Coming into the 1988 opener, Queensland had not yet experienced an Origin match without Wally Lewis. Supporters were stunned when he was ruled out of game I with a shoulder injury. He had captained the Maroons on 20 occasions (out of 21 appearances) and won eight man-of-the-match awards, establishing himself as an Origin great. The selectors' answer to his absence was Peter Jackson the Canberra Raiders' resident comic who prided himself on wisecracks and high jinks. However Jackson had honed his organisational and kicking skills at Canberra and was ready to fill Lewis' role.

May 17, 1988	Queensland	26–18	New South Wales	Sydney Football Stadium Attendance: 26,441 Referee/s: Barry Gomersall Man of the Match: Allan Langer
	(10 - 1 t, 2 g) Gary Belcher (4 - 1 t) Peter Jackson (4 - 1 t) Alan McIndoe (8 - 2 t) Allan Langer	(Report)	Michael O'Connor (10 - 1 t, 3 g) Andrew Ettingshausen (4 - 1 t) Mark McGaw (4 - 1 t)

New South Wales had expected to dominate in the encounter but were flat from the outset. In the first-ever Origin game held at the newly built Sydney Football Stadium the Maroons seized upon what Vautin termed the "neutral atmosphere".

New five-eighth Jackson played well and fullback Gary Belcher provided support with general play kicking while pint-sized Allan Langer provided the attacking thrust. Jackson was a natural tackler and together with stand-in captain Paul Vautin led with words of inspiration.

Langer scampered across the line twice to give Queensland a 12-6 lead at half-time and after the break the procession of Queensland tries continued. Jackson, Belcher and Origin debutant Alan McIndoe all scored to give the Maroons an unassailable 26-6 lead before two late tries to Andrew Ettingshausen and Mark McGaw earned New South Wales some respectability on the scoreboard.

Game Two

May 31, 1988	Queensland	16–6	New South Wales	Lang Park Attendance: 31,817 Referee/s: Mick Stone Man of the Match: Sam Backo
	(4 - 1 t) Sam Backo (4 - 1 t) Allan Langer (8 - 4 g) Gary Belcher	(Report)	Michael O'Connor (6 - 1t, 1 g)

New South Wales played with passion, looked the better side in game II and were leading 6-4 with 18 minutes to go. Then Wally Lewis was banished to the sin-bin by referee Mick Stone for dissent after a scuffle between Phil Daley and Greg Conescu developed into an all-in brawl. The parochial Queensland crowd was outraged and with their hero Lewis in the sheds the ground was showered with beer cans amid chants of "send Stone off".

After order was restored the complexion of the game changed. The Blues were visibly rattled and a minute after play resumed big Maroon prop Sam Backo crashed over to give Queensland a 10-6 lead. When Allan Langer later clinched the game at 16-6 and the series by taking an inside pass from Conescu to score, Lewis by now back from his exile, carried Langer back from the Blues' tryline in jubilation.

Game Three

June 21, 1988	Queensland	38–22	New South Wales	Sydney Football Stadium Attendance: 16,910 Referee/s: Barry Gomersall Man of the Match: Sam Backo
	(10 - 5 g) Gary Belcher (4 - 1 t) Peter Jackson (4 - 1 t) Joe Kilroy (4 - 1 t) Wally Lewis (4 - 1 t) Allan Langer (8 - 2 t) Sam Backo (4 - 1 t) Brett French	(Report)	John Ferguson (4 - 1 t) Wayne Pearce (4 - 1 t) Steve Hanson (4 - 1 t) Michael O'Connor (10 - 1 t, 3 g)

Game III of 1988 was barely a contest and the feeble Sydney crowd of 16,910 reflected as much. With the series already decided, both teams opened up in a game of entertaining, free-flowing football. Queensland were unstoppable and Sam Backo grabbed a try double as the Maroons raced in seven tries to whip the Blues 38–22. Queensland had swept New South Wales 3–0 in their maiden whitewash.

Teams

New South Wales

Position	Game 1		Game 2		Game 3
Fullback	Jonathan Docking		Garry Jack
Wing	Brian Johnston		John Ferguson
Centre	Mark McGaw
Centre	Michael O'Connor
Wing	Andrew Ettingshausen
Five-Eighth	Cliff Lyons		Terry Lamb		Cliff Lyons
Halfback	Peter Sterling				Des Hasler
Prop	Les Davidson		Phil Daley		Steve Hanson
Hooker	Royce Simmons		Ben Elias
Prop	Steve Roach
Second Row	Noel Cleal		Wayne Pearce (c)
Second Row	Steve Folkes
Lock	Wayne Pearce (c)		Paul Langmack
Replacement	Terry Lamb		Des Hasler		Greg Florimo
Replacement	David Trewhella		Paul Dunn		Noel Cleal
Coach	John Peard

Queensland

Position	Game 1		Game 2		Game 3
Fullback	Gary Belcher
Wing	Alan McIndoe
Centre	Gene Miles		Peter Jackson
Centre	Tony Currie		Gene Miles		Tony Currie
Wing	Joe Kilroy		Tony Currie		Joe Kilroy
Five-Eighth	Peter Jackson		Wally Lewis (c)
Halfback	Allan Langer
Prop	Sam Backo
Hooker	Greg Conescu
Prop	Martin Bella
Second Row	Wally Fullerton-Smith
Second Row	Bob Lindner
Lock	Paul Vautin (c)		Paul Vautin
Replacement	Brett French
Replacement	Scott Tronc		Trevor Gillmeister
Coach	Wayne Bennett

Sources

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

External links

• 1988 State of Origin at sportsphotography.net
• State of Origin 1988 at rugbyleagueproject.org