There are just a few hours to go until the greatest show in rugby league. As a one-eyed Maroons supporter, I present my top ten favourite tries since 1980.
FOLLOW LIVE SCORES OF STATE OF ORIGIN 2017 – GAME 1
Game winners, team and individual efforts and a miracle try. This list has it all.
10. Allan Langer: 2001, Game 3
After an SOS call from Wayne Bennett, Allan Langer returned from the English Super League to win the series back. In the third game Queensland were well ahead and Langer was only metres from the line. Langer would take the ball, throw a dummy, duck under one defender and turn and reach back over his head to score his best individual Origin try. Not a game winner but one of the best.
9. Greg Dowling: 1984, Game 2
My daughter’s basketball coach tells them always be ready for the rebound. Well, Dowling did just that, in what was a chip and chase attempt by Wally Lewis. The ball hit the crossbar floated back to the field of play, Dowling dived and caught the ball and crossed the line. He was covered in mud for his efforts. A lucky one but still on the list.
8. Brent Tate: 2006, Game 3
Johnathan Thurston made a line break and floated a pass to Brent Tate. Tate did the rest, pinning back his ears to run 60 metres to the try line to start the miracle comeback and the eight-year dominance of Queensland.
7. Tony Carroll: 1998, Game 1
This was a great example of the Queensland never-say-die attitude. With five points down and about 90 seconds to go Andrew Johns kicked the ball to end the game but it bounced off a Queensland player and Shane Webcke came up with the ball. Over the five tackles and 80 seconds Queensland pushed through to eventually be just ten metres out. With players rushing the ball Carroll found a gap and shot straight through. Origin Godfather Arthur Beetson in an after game interview stated the famous phrase that Queensland “stuck it to them in the last minute.”
6. Wally Lewis: 1989, Game 2
You can’t make a top ten list without at least one try from the greatest player ever – The King, Wally Lewis. In an individual effort, Lewis gathered a stolen ball 40-metres out and ran through three NSW defenders. He threw a dummy and then went for gold as he changed directions and headed for the line. Garry Jack grabbed Lewis but he pushed him off and toppled over the line to score a great try. One of the best from the best.
5. Israel Folau: 2008, Game 3
In a move that would be good enough for the AFL’s mark of the year, Folau flew through the air and grabbed the ball and then flipped himself down hand first to also get the best put down of the year award.
4. Matt Bowen: 2005, Game 1
Some think that Mitchell Pearce hands Queensland games but Brett Kimmorley had his moment to forget long before that. Bowen swooped on a pass that you could have seen coming last week and ran the rest of the field to steal the game for NSW.
3. Darren Lockyer: Game 3, 2006
After one of the worse passes in Origin history Darren Lockyer ran about 15-metres to swoop on the ball beating two defenders to score under the posts to steal the game from NSW in the last 5 minutes of Game 3. “Oh no” was Phil Gould’s reaction in commentary. Oh no was right Gus as this would start the eight-year dominance of Origin by the mighty Maroons. One of Lockyer’s best individual efforts.
2. Billy Slater: 2004, Game 2
The best individual effort in an Origin was this try by Billy the kid. Off the boot of Darren Lockyer Slater chased and gathered the ball, ran past two defenders then kicked and chased the ball again to somehow regather and put it over the line. One of Billy’s best.
1. Mark Coyne: 1994, Game 1
This is the best try ever, I mean ever, by a team, in an origin or in the game of rugby league period. If I was to do a top ten team and/or all time tries article this one is number one every time. After going through the entire team’s hands and pretty much the entire field Queensland come up with the miracle try on the last play to win the game. Ray Warren’s line of “That’s not a try, that’s a miracle” will forever will be my number one.
There you have my top ten. What’s your favourite Queensland Origin try and what did I miss?
Brendan Jones
Roar Rookie
great lists of tries, really great read. Are you doing anymore articles, like this?
BigJ
Roar Guru
Pass came from Nsw you shmuck v
Beau
Guest
Number 4? Bowen won the game for Queensland not NSW you shmuck.
JGK
Roar Guru
Well said Barry. For me, that try was the highpoint in Lewis SOO career (which is saying something).
BigJ
Roar Guru
And you and the entire state of Nsw wish they had a player that could do that. But beautiful description.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Agreed. Other tries on this list may be more skilful or whatever but in terms of desperation, single mindedness, strength of will and pure cometh the hour, cometh the man drama it was top shelf. He beat some pretty good defenders too. He got the ball 40 metres out from a NSW dropped ball and weighed up the situation in a second. He showed great acceleration to great around Mortimer, stepped into the gap, fended off Daley and carried Garry Jack 10 metres to score. There was brains, pace, strength and immaculate timing. And I'm a NSWman...
JGK
Roar Guru
I reckon that Lewis try should be higher. Qld had lost Langer with a broken leg (out for the series) and Mal and Vautin went off injured as well. It was not clear whether any of them would play in the 3rd match so a loss in game 2 could have parlayed to a series lost. Step up the King to make it all moot.
JGK
Roar Guru
As Qld support, even reading those words gives me goosebumps.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Brett Hodgson would have to have the lowest Origin 'highlights' reel of any player ever...
DingoGray
Roar Guru
"That's not a try, that's a miracle. OH YEAHHHHHHHHH "
Griffo
Guest
I didn't start watching origin until 2004 (although I have seen older highlights) and I don't know of any before that but I know the very next game, Game 1 2007, he pounced on a loose ball that Jarryd Hayne knocked back into play while trying to prevent a 40/20. It put Queensland in front late in the game.
Steve
Guest
Well said, Lockyer was under immense immense pressure as well. He was being slammed in the media in the lead up. He had not won a series at 5/8, his defence "wasn't good enough". His captaincy, possibly even 5/8 position was being questioned. The Broncos were in a draught, they lost game 1 in unlucky circumstances. It was the springboard for the next 5 years of his career, going on to win the premiership and kangaroo tour as captain later that year. The Hodgson try (which bounced off his chest from a bomb) earlier in the game was one of the worst decision I have ever seen in origin. I think Lockyer was also denied a legitimate try earlier on in the game. The context of so many different things made that one moment invaluable. It's not the first time Lockyer has scooped up a loose pill to score in origin either, I think he had done it on 2 other occasions from memory. The effort from the man is incredible.
Griffo
Guest
I do agree that the Thurston-Tate try is underrated because it does get overshadowed by Lockyer's intercept. The try itself is much better. It is of course the context of the Lockyer try that makes it great. NSW were aiming to be the first team to win 4 series in a row. People were qiestioning the sustainability of state of origin. Lockyer was the team captain, playing for his origin career. Then of course with hindsight we see the greater context of Darren Lockyer leading Queensland out of the wilderness into the greatest period of dominance seen in State of Origin with that try being the symbol of the commencement of that process. So these are the things that make it great. I don't agree that Queensland would have won anyway. They may have but it was the last 10 minutes and although NSW were under pressure the might have been able to hold on. I think you need to take your opportunities and luckily for Queensland Darren Lockyer was opportunistic in that moment.
BigJ
Roar Guru
Just wrote a Lockyer v smith who should be the next immortal article so we see how that goes
BigJ
Roar Guru
Correct barry i do follow six teams from three states and two countries. Storm, Cowboys, Titans, Warriors, Rabbitohs and who is ever playing the bulldogs haha
Jimmmy
Guest
The Lockyer try proved to me that sometimes justice prevails. Lockyer was the king of the last minute miracle. What a player he was .
JOHNY BULLDOG
Roar Rookie
You always make me smile Bazza-cheers mate!
The Barry
Roar Guru
I didn't think anyone could follow six NRL sides from three states so I just thought I'd check...
BigJ
Roar Guru
I agree, no one can support two teams in Origin, there is no fence sitting you have to make a choice. GO THE MIGHTY MAROONS!!!!!!!!!! QUEENSLANDER!!!!!!!!!
BigJ
Roar Guru
I think that is the best comment about this that i have ever read. Well though out and well justified. So I agree, although I cant switch it now it will be well justified. thanks mate