# 2004 State of Origin series

The 2004 State of Origin series was the 23rd time that the annual three-game series between the Queensland and New South Wales representative rugby league football teams was contested entirely under 'state of origin' selection rules.
A pre-series Blues mobile phone scandal, Brad Fittler's comeback, a Golden point outcome in Game I and an extraordinary Billy Slater try showed that State of Origin's ability to create memorable football moments was as strong as ever after 25 years of the concept. The New South Wales' Game III victory saw a match-up in the respective cumulative tallies at 35 wins apiece, continuing a recurring trend where any push toward dominance by one side is soon countered by the other. The Ron McAuliffe Medal for Queensland player of the series was awarded to Steve Price.

## Game I

New South Wales players Anthony Minichiello and Mark Gasnier were dropped following a drunken incident during the Blues' training camp when it was made public that Gasnier had left a lewd message on a female acquaintance's phone.
* Wednesday, 26 May 2004
| New South Wales | 9–8 | Queensland |
| Shaun Timmins (5 - 1t, 1fg) Craig Fitzgibbon (4 - 2g) | (Report) | (4 - 1t) Brent Tate (4 - 1t) Scott Prince |
* Telstra Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 68,344 Referee: Sean Hampstead Player of the Match: Shaun Timmins
Game one featured the first ever Golden point decision in State of Origin football in the very first game where the ruling became available. With scores locked at 8-all and three minutes of extra time played, St George Illawarra Dragons player Shaun Timmins, who had returned to top-class and representative football against unlikely odds after two career-threatening knee injuries and operations, stepped up and kicked a 37-metre left-foot field goal to steal victory for New South Wales. Blues halfback Craig Gower had already missed three earlier field goal attempts, was struggling with a knee injury and was closely marked by Queensland at every kick opportunity so it was left to Timmins to create his own moment of Origin folklore.

## Game II

Game II had plenty of hype surrounding it after Blues coach Phil Gould coaxed Brad Fittler out of representative retirement to spearhead the Blues campaign. First game hero Timmins was missing through injury as was Gower and next choice half-backs Trent Barrett and Brett Kimmorley. This left Sydney Roosters number seven Brett Finch to make his Origin debut alongside his club captain Fittler at five-eighth.
* Wednesday, 16 June 2004
| Queensland | 22–18 | New South Wales |
| Billy Slater (8 - 2t) Cameron Smith (4 - 2g) Dane Carlaw (4 - 1t) Willie Tonga (4 - 1t) Scott Prince (2 - 1g) | (Report) | (8 - 2t) Timana Tahu (6 - 3g) Craig Fitzgibbon (4 - 1t) Luke Rooney |
* Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 52,478 Referee: Sean Hampstead Player of the Match: Billy Slater
Suncorp Stadium proved to be a graveyard for the Blues thanks to one of the greatest Origin tries ever seen. 20-year-old Billy Slater, a former track work jockey who had burst onto the rugby league scene in 2003, stormed onto a Darren Lockyer grubber kick from halfway before chipping over the top of Blues fullback Anthony Minichiello, chasing, regathering and scoring in the same instant.

## Game III

Gould gambled by making six changes to the side which had played in game II.
* Wednesday, 7 July 2004
| New South Wales | 36–14 | Queensland |
| Mark Gasnier (10 - 2t,1g) Craig Fitzgibbon (10- 5g) Anthony Minichiello (4 - 1t) Luke Rooney (4 - 1t) Brad Fittler (4 - 1t) Trent Barrett (4 - 1t) | (Report) | (6 - 3g) Cameron Smith (4 - 1t) Matt Bowen (4 - 1t) Billy Slater |
* Telstra Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 82,487 Referee: Paul Simpkins Player of the Match: Craig Fitzgibbon
In Game III, the Blues recalled Trent Barrett to the origin squad who along with Brad Fittler led the Blues to a big win over the Maroons. The match was also the swansong for Phil Gould, New South Wales' most successful Origin coach who had commenced his coaching association with Fittler 14 years earlier at the beginning of their respective coaching and playing careers.
Gould called on six St George Illawarra players for Game III. Debutant centres Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper dominated on the fringes for the Blues and the class of Fittler and Barrett led them to an emphatic 36-14 victory. Fittler scored the last try in the match in his last ever match for the Blues to the delight of his team-mates.

## New South Wales squad

| Position | Game 1 | | Game 2 | | Game 3 | |
| Fullback | Ben Hornby | Ben Hornby | Anthony Minichiello | Anthony Minichiello | Anthony Minichiello | Anthony Minichiello |
| Wing | Luke Lewis | Luke Lewis | Timana Tahu | Timana Tahu | Luke Lewis | Luke Lewis |
| Centre | Michael De Vere | Michael De Vere | Luke Lewis | Luke Lewis | Mark Gasnier | Mark Gasnier |
| Centre | Matt Gidley | Matt Gidley | Matt Gidley | Matt Gidley | Matt Cooper | Matt Cooper |
| Wing | Luke Rooney | Luke Rooney | Luke Rooney | Luke Rooney | Luke Rooney | Luke Rooney |
| Five-eighth | Shaun Timmins | Shaun Timmins | Brad Fittler | Brad Fittler | Brad Fittler | Brad Fittler |
| Halfback | Craig Gower | Craig Gower | Brett Finch | Brett Finch | Trent Barrett | Trent Barrett |
| Prop | Ryan O'Hara | Ryan O'Hara | Jason Stevens | Jason Stevens | Jason Ryles | Jason Ryles |
| Hooker | Danny Buderus (c) | Danny Buderus (c) | Danny Buderus (c) | Danny Buderus (c) | Danny Buderus (c) | Danny Buderus (c) |
| Prop | Mark O'Meley | Mark O'Meley | Mark O'Meley | Mark O'Meley | Mark O'Meley | Mark O'Meley |
| Second Row | Nathan Hindmarsh | Nathan Hindmarsh | Nathan Hindmarsh | Nathan Hindmarsh | Nathan Hindmarsh | Nathan Hindmarsh |
| Second Row | Andrew Ryan | Andrew Ryan | Andrew Ryan | Andrew Ryan | Craig Fitzgibbon | Craig Fitzgibbon |
| Lock | Craig Fitzgibbon | Craig Fitzgibbon | Craig Fitzgibbon | Craig Fitzgibbon | Shaun Timmins | Shaun Timmins |
| Interchange | Craig Wing | Craig Wing | Craig Wing | Craig Wing | Craig Wing | Craig Wing |
| Interchange | Trent Waterhouse | Trent Waterhouse | Trent Waterhouse | Trent Waterhouse | Ben Kennedy | Ben Kennedy |
| Interchange | Brent Kite | Brent Kite | Brent Kite | Brent Kite | Brent Kite | Brent Kite |
| Interchange | Willie Mason | Willie Mason | Willie Mason | Willie Mason | Willie Mason | Willie Mason |
| Coach | Phil Gould | Phil Gould | Phil Gould | Phil Gould | Phil Gould | Phil Gould |

## Queensland squad

| Position | Game I | | Game II | | Game III | |
| Fullback | Rhys Wesser | Rhys Wesser | Rhys Wesser | Rhys Wesser | Rhys Wesser | Rhys Wesser |
| Wing | Justin Hodges | Justin Hodges | Matt Sing | Matt Sing | Matt Sing | Matt Sing |
| Centre | Paul Bowman | Paul Bowman | Paul Bowman | Paul Bowman | Brent Tate | Brent Tate |
| Centre | Brent Tate | Brent Tate | Willie Tonga | Willie Tonga | Willie Tonga | Willie Tonga |
| Wing | Billy Slater | Billy Slater | Billy Slater | Billy Slater | Billy Slater | Billy Slater |
| Five-eighth | Chris Flannery | Chris Flannery | Darren Lockyer (c) | Darren Lockyer (c) | Darren Lockyer (c) | Darren Lockyer (c) |
| Halfback | Scott Prince | Scott Prince | Scott Prince | Scott Prince | Scott Prince | Scott Prince |
| Prop | Shane Webcke (c) | Shane Webcke (c) | Shane Webcke | Shane Webcke | Shane Webcke | Shane Webcke |
| Hooker | Cameron Smith | Cameron Smith | Cameron Smith | Cameron Smith | Cameron Smith | Cameron Smith |
| Prop | Steve Price | Steve Price | Steve Price | Steve Price | Steve Price | Steve Price |
| Second Row | Michael Crocker | Michael Crocker | Petero Civoniceva | Petero Civoniceva | Michael Crocker | Michael Crocker |
| Second Row | Dane Carlaw | Dane Carlaw | Dane Carlaw | Dane Carlaw | Dane Carlaw | Dane Carlaw |
| Lock | Tonie Carroll | Tonie Carroll | Tonie Carroll | Tonie Carroll | Chris Flannery | Chris Flannery |
| Interchange | Ben Ross | Ben Ross | Ben Ross | Ben Ross | Ben Ross | Ben Ross |
| Interchange | Matt Bowen | Matt Bowen | Matt Bowen | Matt Bowen | Matt Bowen | Matt Bowen |
| Interchange | Petero Civoniceva | Petero Civoniceva | Chris Flannery | Chris Flannery | Petero Civoniceva | Petero Civoniceva |
| Interchange | Travis Norton | Travis Norton | Corey Parker | Corey Parker | Corey Parker | Corey Parker |
| Coach | Michael Hagan | Michael Hagan | Michael Hagan | Michael Hagan | Michael Hagan | Michael Hagan |