June 15: Joey and Teddy produce absolute classics
On this day, Joey dominates Origin, Dean and Craig Young earn a special place in Dragons history and James Tedesco produces a classic.
1980
Australia complete a 2-0 Test series win over the Kiwis in the first fully-fledged tour of New Zealand by an Australian team since 1969. Coached by Frank Stanton and skippered by George Peponis, Australia hold the home team try-less in 27-6 and 15-6 victories in the Tests, both played at Auckland’s Carlaw Park.
1986
James Maloney was born. A goal-kicking five-eighth, he was a lower-grader at Parramatta before making his NRL debut at Melbourne, playing four games in 2009. He played 75 games at the Warriors over the next three seasons, including the 2011 grand final loss to Manly, before linking with the Roosters.
He was part of the 2013 premiership win, racking up 79 games in three seasons, before joining Cronulla where he won another premiership in 2016. Maloney had two seasons at Penrith in 2018-19 before heading to Super League.
Maloney was part of Australia's successful campaigns at the 2016 Four Nations and 2017 Rugby League World Cup. He made his first State of Origin appearance in 2013 and in 2018 he paired up with Panthers teammate Nathan Cleary in the halves to guide the Blues to a series victory over Queensland.
2005
Andrew Johns produces the most commanding State of Origin display since the days of Wally Lewis to spark the Blues’ 32-22 defeat of Queensland in game two at Telstra Stadium. Johns has a hand in all five NSW tries and earns unstinting praise for his effort in returning to the game’s biggest stage despite a succession of career-threatening injuries over the previous two years.
2011
A sell-out crowd of 81,965 cheer NSW to a series-levelling 18-8 win over Queensland in a thrilling Origin clash at ANZ Stadium. Blues captain Paul Gallen turns in one of the most commanding performances by a forward in Origin history, powering through 80 minutes in the unfamiliar position of prop.
2012
St George Illawarra forward Dean Young joins his father Craig in becoming only the second father-son combination in the history of the premiership to play 200 first grade games. Dean Young plays his 200th NRL game in the Dragons’ 28-20 loss to Canterbury at WIN Stadium.
2018
New South Wales lose Penrith prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard for the final two State of Origin matches after he suffers a broken jaw in an accidental clash with Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves in the Panthers’ 32-6 loss to the Roosters at Allianz Stadium.
2020
Dally M winner James Tedesco produces one of the most dominant performances of his career in Sydney Roosters’ 42-6 despatch of Canterbury at Bankwest Stadium. Tedesco scores a hat-trick of tries and records two try assists, two line breaks, 10 tackle breaks and attacking gains of 230 metres.
This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton.
