2021 State of Origin series

The 2021 State of Origin series was the 40th annual best-of-three series between the Queensland and New South Wales rugby league teams. Before this series, Queensland has won 22 times, NSW 15 times, with two series drawn.

2021 State of Origin series
Won by	New South Wales (16th title)
Series margin	2–1
Points scored	120
Player of the series	Tom Trbojevic
Top points scorer(s)	Nathan Cleary (26)
Top try scorer(s)	Latrell Mitchell & Tom Trbojevic (4)
← 2020 State of Origin series 2022 →

The venue for Game 1 was originally named as the Melbourne Cricket Ground, however, due to a COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne during the lead up to the match, it was relocated to Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.^[1] Game 2 was played at Suncorp Stadium as scheduled.^[2] Game 3 was originally scheduled to be played at Stadium Australia in Sydney, however was moved, firstly, to McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle due to the deteriorating COVID-19 situation in Sydney,^[3] before being relocated again, to Cbus Super Stadium in Gold Coast. These relocations meant that the series was the first entirely staged in a single state and the first games held in both Townsville and on the Gold Coast.

Game I

Wednesday, 9 June 2021 8:10pm (AEST)

Queensland	6 – 50	New South Wales
Tries: Kurt Capewell (35') 1 Goals: Valentine Holmes 1/1 (36')	1st: 6 – 20 2nd: 0 – 30	Tries: 3 (18', 59', 69') Tom Trbojevic 2 (22', 27') Brian To'o 2 (49', 60') Latrell Mitchell 1 (63') Daniel Saifiti Goals: 8/8 Nathan Cleary (10' pen, 19', 29', 51', 60', 62', 66', 70') 1/1 Latrell Mitchell (24')

Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville Attendance: 27,533 Referee: Gerard Sutton Player of the Match: Tom Trbojevic

Game II

Sunday, 27 June 2021 7:50pm (AEST)

Queensland	0 – 26	New South Wales
	1st: 0 – 18 2nd: 0 – 8	Tries: 2 (12', 70') Josh Addo-Carr 1 (26') Latrell Mitchell 1 (33') Tom Trbojevic Goals: 5/5 Nathan Cleary (14', 28', 34', 50' pen, 71')

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 52,272 Referee: Gerard Sutton Player of the Match: James Tedesco

Game III

Wednesday, 14 July 2021 8:10pm (AEST)

New South Wales	18 – 20	Queensland
Tries: Latrell Mitchell (11') 1 Jack Wighton (48') 1 Apisai Koroisau (69') 1 Goals: Latrell Mitchell 3/4 (12', 50', 70')	1st: 6 – 8 2nd: 12 – 12	Tries: 2 (57', 64') Ben Hunt 1 (18') Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow Goals: 2/2 Valentine Holmes (5' pen, 20') 2/2 Daly Cherry-Evans (59', 65')

Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast Attendance: 26,307 Referee: Gerard Sutton Player of the Match: Ben Hunt

Teams

New South Wales Blues

Position	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3
Fullback	James Tedesco (c)
Wing	Brian To'o
Centre	Latrell Mitchell
Centre	Tom Trbojevic
Wing	Josh Addo-Carr
Five-eighth	Jarome Luai		Jack Wighton
Halfback	Nathan Cleary		Mitchell Moses
Prop	Daniel Saifiti		Junior Paulo
Hooker	Damien Cook
Prop	Jake Trbojevic	Junior Paulo	Dale Finucane
Second row	Cameron Murray
Second row	Tariq Sims
Lock	Isaah Yeo
Interchange	Jack Wighton		Apisai Koroisau
Interchange	Junior Paulo	Angus Crichton
Interchange	Payne Haas
Interchange	Liam Martin
Coach	Brad Fittler

Queensland Maroons

Position	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3
Fullback	Valentine Holmes		Kalyn Ponga
Wing	Xavier Coates	Kyle Feldt	Valentine Holmes
Centre	Kurt Capewell		Dane Gagai
Centre	Dane Gagai		Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
Wing	Kyle Feldt	Xavier Coates
Five-eighth	Cameron Munster
Halfback	Daly Cherry-Evans (c)
Prop	Christian Welch
Hooker	Harry Grant	Andrew McCullough	Ben Hunt
Prop	Tino Fa'asuamaleaui	Josh Papalii
Second row	Felise Kaufusi	Jai Arrow	Kurt Capewell
Second row	David Fifita	Felise Kaufusi
Lock	Jai Arrow	Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
Interchange	AJ Brimson	Ben Hunt	AJ Brimson
Interchange	Jaydn Su'a	David Fifita	Tom Flegler
Interchange	Moeaki Fotuaika
Interchange	Joe Ofahengaue	Francis Molo
Coach	Paul Green

1 - With the State of Origin series returning to the middle of the NRL season, Wayne Bennett would step back from his head coaching role with Queensland, Paul Green picking up the job for 2021.

Player debuts

Game 1

• Cap no. 293, Jarome Luai
• Cap no. 294, Brian To'o
• Cap no. 295, Liam Martin

• Cap no. 218, Kyle Feldt

Game 2

• Cap no. 219, Francis Molo

Game 3

• Cap no. 296, Mitchell Moses
• Cap no. 297, Apisai Koroisau

• Cap no. 220, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
• Cap no. 221, Thomas Flegler

Women's State of Origin

Main article: 2021 Women's State of Origin

The 2021 Women's State of Origin game was played on 25 June at the Sunshine Coast Stadium and was won 8–6 by Queensland. The women's under-19s match was played as a curtain-raiser to the senior game was won 16–12 by New South Wales.^[4][5]

Wheelchair State of Origin

The Wheelchair State of Origin game was postponed until January 2022 when it was played behind closed doors at the Whitlam Leisure Centre, Liverpool. Queensland defeated New South Wales 50–30 to win the contest for the first time^[6]

Saturday, 29 January 2022 3:00pm (AEDT)

Queensland	50 – 30	New South Wales
Tries: 9 P Arbuckle  10', 41', 44' 3 Z Schumacher 16', 27', 58' 3 A Tannock  3', 31' 2 J Hill 73' 1 Goals: 7 B McKenna  3', 11', 17', 41', 59', 74' (6/7) S Harre  28' (1/2)	1st: 28 – 18 2nd: 22 – 12 Report	Tries: 5 2 C Cannane  13', 21' 2 R Engels  55', 77' 1 D Karim  6' Goals: 5 D Karim  22', 56', 78' (3/3) B Henman  7', 14' (2/2)

Whitlam Leisure Centre, Liverpool Attendance: 0[notes 1] Player of the Match: Bayley McKenna

Notes

1. The game was played behind closed doors due to New South Wales' COVID-19 policies.