2021 State of Origin series

2021 State of Origin series
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)
	← 2020; State of Origin series; 2022 →;

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.

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

Wednesday, 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

Sunday, 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')

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 52,272
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Player of the Match:

James Tedesco

Game III

Wednesday, 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')

Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Attendance: 26,307
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Player of the Match:

Ben Hunt

Teams

New South Wales Blues

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

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

Women's State of Origin

Friday, 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)

Sunshine Coast Stadium
Attendance: 7,183
Nellie Doherty Medal: Tazmin Gray
Referee: Belinda Sharpe

Wheelchair State of Origin

Saturday, 29 January 2022
3:00pm (AEDT)

Queensland	50 – 30	New South Wales
Tries: 9 P Arbuckle 10', 41', 44' 3 Z Schumacher 16', 27', 58' 3 A Tannock 3', 31' 2 J Hill 73' 1 Goals: 7 B McKenna 3', 11', 17', 41', 59', 74' (6/7) S Harre 28' (1/2)	1st: 28 – 18 2nd: 22 – 12	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)

Whitlam Leisure Centre, Liverpool
Attendance: 0^{[notes 1]}
Player of the Match: Bayley McKenna

Notes

^ The game was played behind closed doors due to New South Wales' COVID-19 policies.

References

^ "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.

[4] The game was played behind closed doors due to New South Wales' COVID-19 policies.

[1] "Origin switches to Townsville after Victorian COVID outbreak". National Rugby League. 2021-05-31. Retrieved 2021-05-31.

[Nine_Network_-_27_June_2021_-_NSW_Blues_claim_2021_State_of_Origin_series_in_historic_Suncorp_showdown-2] "NSW Blues claim 2021 State of Origin series in historic Suncorp showdown". Nine Network. 27 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

[3] 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.

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