# 2000 State of Origin series

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, 2000
| New South Wales | 20 – 16 | Queensland |
| Tries: Adam MacDougall (23', 48') 2 Ryan Girdler (71') 1 David Peachey (77') 1 Goals: Ryan Girdler 2/5 (10' pen, 49') | 1st: 6 - 8 2nd: 14 - 8 (Report) | Tries: Adrian Lam (32', 44') 2 Mat Rogers (16') 1 Goals: Mat Rogers 1/3 (45') Darren Lockyer 1/1 (60' pen) Field Goals: Adrian Lam 0/1 Send Off: Gorden Tallis (71') 1 |
* Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 61,511 Referee: Bill Harrigan Player of the Match: Adam MacDougall
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 Melbourne Herald Sun newspaper that Tallis was to blame for Queensland's loss by showing poor discipline and that he had let himself and his side down.

## Game II

* Wednesday, 24 May, 2000
| Queensland | 10 – 28 | New South Wales |
| Tries: Gorden Tallis (50') 1 Goals: Mat Rogers 3/3 (2' pen, 33' pen, 51') | 1st: 4 - 0 2nd: 6 - 28 (Report) | Tries: Brad Fittler (45') 1 Shaun Timmins (60') 1 Scott Hill (63') 1 David Furner (65') 1 Ryan Girdler (79') 1 Goals: Ryan Girdler 4/5 (46', 62', 64', 66') Andrew Johns 0/1 |
* Suncorp Metway Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 38,796 Referee: Bill Harrigan Player of the Match: Tim Brasher
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, 2000
| New South Wales | 56 – 16 | Queensland |
| Tries: Ryan Girdler (16', 26', 52') 3 Matt Gidley (58', 80') 2 Adam Muir (19') 1 Andrew Johns (44') 1 Bryan Fletcher (65') 1 Adam MacDougall (71') 1 Goals: Ryan Girdler 10/10 (18', 21', 27', 37' pen, 45', 54', 60', 67', 72', 80') | 1st: 20 - 10 2nd: 36 - 6 (Report) | Tries: Mat Rogers (23') 1 Darren Smith (30') 1 Gorden Tallis (77') 1 Goals: Mat Rogers 2/3 (24', 78') |
* Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 58,767 Referee: Bill Harrigan Player of the Match: Ryan Girdler
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 10 goals from 10 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 but 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 | David Peachey | Tim Brasher | Tim Brasher | Tim Brasher | Tim Brasher |
| Wing | Adam MacDougall | Adam MacDougall | Adam MacDougall | Adam MacDougall | Adam MacDougall | Adam MacDougall |
| Centre | Ryan Girdler | Ryan Girdler | Ryan Girdler | Ryan Girdler | Ryan Girdler | Ryan Girdler |
| Centre | Shaun Timmins | Shaun Timmins | Shaun Timmins | Shaun Timmins | Matt Gidley | Matt Gidley |
| Wing | Jamie Ainscough | Jamie Ainscough | Jamie Ainscough | Jamie Ainscough | Jamie Ainscough | Jamie Ainscough |
| Five-Eighth | Brad Fittler (c) | Brad Fittler (c) | Brad Fittler (c) | Brad Fittler (c) | Brad Fittler (c) | Brad Fittler (c) |
| Halfback | Brett Kimmorley | Brett Kimmorley | Brett Kimmorley | Brett Kimmorley | Brett Kimmorley | Brett Kimmorley |
| Prop | Robbie Kearns | Robbie Kearns | Robbie Kearns | Robbie Kearns | Robbie Kearns | Robbie Kearns |
| Hooker | Geoff Toovey | Geoff Toovey | Geoff Toovey | Geoff Toovey | Geoff Toovey | Geoff Toovey |
| Prop | Rodney Howe | Rodney Howe | Rodney Howe | Rodney Howe | Jason Stevens | Jason Stevens |
| Second Row | Bryan Fletcher | Bryan Fletcher | Bryan Fletcher | Bryan Fletcher | Bryan Fletcher | Bryan Fletcher |
| Second Row | David Furner | David Furner | Ben Kennedy | Ben Kennedy | Ben Kennedy | Ben Kennedy |
| Lock | Ben Kennedy | Ben Kennedy | Scott Hill | Scott Hill | Scott Hill | Scott Hill |
| Interchange | Scott Hill | Scott Hill | Andrew Johns | Andrew Johns | Andrew Johns | Andrew Johns |
| Interchange | Terry Hill | Terry Hill | David Furner | David Furner | David Furner | David Furner |
| Interchange | Michael Vella | Michael Vella | Adam Muir | Adam Muir | Adam Muir | Adam Muir |
| Interchange | Jason Stevens | Jason Stevens | Jason Stevens | Jason Stevens | Michael Vella | Michael Vella |
| Coach | Wayne Pearce | Wayne Pearce | Wayne Pearce | Wayne Pearce | Wayne Pearce | Wayne Pearce |

### Queensland

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