This will be ‘Sweet 16’ on Wednesday night for the number of Origin deciders held in Brisbane – be it Lang Park, ANZ Stadium or Suncorp Stadium – since the interstate series was played over multiple games from 1982.
So it’s time to look at some of the tries that decided the deciders.
For starters we can rule out 1999, which ended in a 10-10 draw before golden point was introduced (2003) with Queensland retaining the Shield they won 3-0 in 1998.
And some deciders were already over by half-time, such as 1983 with the Maroons up 21-0 at the break and winning 43-22, or 1985 (Maroons won 20-6), 2001 (Maroons 28-8 at half-time to win 40-14) or 2015 with Queensland a solid 52-6 victory (22-2 at half-time).
Match Highlights: Maroons v Blues
Then there’s the 2012 at Suncorp Stadium won by a Cooper Cronk field goal 21-20.
But from 14 true deciders – excluding the 1999 draw – Queensland holds a healthy 11-3 record.
In fact, the Maroons seemed impenetrable for nearly two decades winning the first four deciders in 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1991.
Dale ‘Rowdy’ Shearer scored Queensland’s second try but it was his penalty goal in the 39th minute which produced a 10-8 half-time result that ended up being the full-time score.
Every Dale Shearer try for Queensland
Shearer was at it again in 1991 when his try levelled scores (12-12) before Mal Meninga’s sideline conversion won it 14-12.
The Blues' three wins came in 1994, 2005 and 2024.
In 1994, Brett Mullins racing 40 metres to score to help set up the 27-12 win after NSW led 18-6 at the break.
A hat-trick of tries in 2005 to Matt King, who is now one of NSW assistant coaches, was the foundations of the Blues' 32-10 win at Suncorp in the decider.
King secures his hat-trick
Greg Inglis scored 18 tries in 32 appearances for Queensland but his double in 2011 were among the standouts as the Maroons claimed the Suncorp Stadium decider 34-24.
Inglis' tally of 18 remains the most tries ever scored at Origin level and when the Maroons needed a big play it was often GI they turned to during their eight-year dynasty.
Game Three in 2017 was highlighted by Valentine Holmes’ hat-trick with his third in the 60th minute putting the result (22-6) beyond doubt.
SOO 3: TRY Valentine Holmes (60th min)
After Cameron Smith dominated the No.9 jumper for Queensland up until 2017, in the 2020 decider it was the new kid on the block in Harry Grant, who scored Queensland’s third try and hand them the victory 20-14.
The debut gets better and better for Harry Grant
Billy Slater’s heir apparent in Kalyn Ponga helped wrestle a Blues 12-10 half-time lead back the Maroons way with his 60th minute try in the 2022 decider in Brisbane.
His effort put Queensland in front with Ben Hunt sneaking in a 78th minute try as the exclamation point on a 22-12 win.
Perfect Ponga wins Player of the Match
Bradman Best juggled the ball but somehow kept hold to score the match-winner in 2024, jumping to his feet after the put-down with blood streaming from a cut to his upper lip.
After a tryless first half, Queensland was leading 4-2 before Best’s try in the 64th minute to put NSW noses in front. A Mitch Moses try three minutes later was the cream on top of the 14-4 win for Michael Maguire's win.
Bradman Best Try
And so we head to Suncorp Stadium for the 2026 decider.
Can Best repeat his heroics of two years or will it be hometown hero Ponga delivering as he did in 2022.
- Don't miss a minute of the action when Queensland and NSW collide in an epic State of Origin decider. Live on Channel 9, 9Now and Watch NRL on Wednesday, July 8.
