2023 State of Origin series

The 2023 State of Origin series was the 42nd annual best-of-three series between the Queensland and New South Wales rugby league teams. Before this series, Queensland had won 23 times, NSW 16 times, with two series drawn.

2023 State of Origin series
Won by	Queensland (24th title)
Series margin	2–1
Points scored	116
Player of the series	Reuben Cotter (Wally Lewis Medal)
Top points scorer(s)	Valentine Holmes (24)
Top try scorer(s)	Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (4)
← 2022 State of Origin series 2024 →

Venues

Game I was held in Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval, game II in Brisbane at the Suncorp Stadium, and game III in Sydney at Accor Stadium.^[1]

The series returned to Adelaide for a second time, after the Adelaide Oval hosted the first match of the 2020 State of Origin series.^[2][3]

Game I

Game I was held at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide.

The return of blues centre Latrell Mitchell was pushed back due to Mitchell suffering a calf injury. Stephen Crichton replaced him at starting left centre, and Matt Burton was added into the Game I extended bench.

Queensland	26–18	New South Wales
Tries: 5 Tabuai-Fidow  7', 73' Cobbo  10', 56' Munster  76' Goals: 3 Holmes  9', 58', 74' (3/5) Sin Bin: Flegler 68' to 78'	1st: 10–6 2nd: 16–12 Report	Tries: 3 Martin  31' Koroisau  43' Crichton  66' Goals: 3 Cleary  32', 45', 67' (3/3)

Wednesday, 31 May 19:35 ACST (UTC+9:30)

Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Attendance: 48,613 Referee: Ashley Klein Bunker: Grant Atkins Touch judges: Phil Henderson, Drew Oultram Player of the Match: Reuben Cotter

New South Wales entered the game as slight favourites, however any hopes of an easy win were vaporised early when Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Selwyn Cobbo crossed for Queensland in the 7th and 10th minutes respectively, giving the Maroons an early 10-0 lead.

Despite enjoying 56% possession and 74% territory in the first half, the Blues could only manage one try as they went into the sheds down 10-6. The try came when maligned five-eighth Jarome Luai threw a perfect pass for club teammate and second rower Liam Martin to burst through a hole and plant the ball down.

It was a dream start to the second half for New South Wales, with Maroons centre Valentine Holmes forcing an offload that was picked up by Blues hooker Api Koroisau, who streaked away to give his side the lead for the first time in the match.

It lasted until the 56th minute, when Cobbo went in for his second try, beating defenders Luai and James Tedesco in the process.

The game was clearly in the balance, and it looked as if the Blues would cruise home when Stephen Crichton's try in the 66th minute was followed by a sin-bin to Maroons forward Tom Flegler in the 68th minute for a dangerous tackle on Tom Trbojevic, meaning New South Wales would play the bulk of the final minutes against 12 men while already possessing a two-point lead.

Add to that, the Maroons would finish the game with both wingers off the field due to injury, with Cobbo going off in the 67th minute and Murray Taulagi in the 72nd. The Blues would also be forced into a late backline change, with Trbojevic off with an HIA in the 68th minute, replaced by Nicho Hynes.

Despite all the adversity, it would be the Maroons who romped home to take the win in the end, with Cameron Munster beating Hynes to set up Tabuai-Fidow for his second try in the 73rd minute. Queensland would seal it a few minutes later, with prop forward Lindsay Collins sensationally leaping over Blues fullback and Roosters team-mate Tedesco to catch the ball and offload to Munster, who scored the try.

Queensland forward Reuben Cotter was named man of the match, playing 80 minutes and finishing with the stats of 10 runs for 84 metres, a tackle break and 48 tackles with only 3 misses.

Game II

Game II was held at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Queensland	32–6	New South Wales
Tries: 6 Holmes  8', 42' Taulagi  33' Tabuai-Fidow  50' Coates  64' Nanai  73' Goals: 4 Holmes  34', 44', 65', 75' (4/6) Sent Off: Walsh  79'	1st: 10–0 2nd: 22–6 Report	Tries: 1 Cook  57' Goals: 1 Crichton  57' (1/1) Sin Bin: Addo-Carr 79' to 80' Sent Off: Luai  79'

Wednesday, 21 June 20:05 AEST (UTC+10:00)

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 52,433 Referee: Ashley Klein Bunker: Grant Atkins Touch judges: Drew Oultram, Dave Munro Player of the Match: Lindsay Collins

Game III

Game III was held at Accor Stadium in Sydney.

New South Wales	24–10	Queensland
Tries: 4 To'o  14' Addo-Carr  20' Best  23', 64' Goals: 4 Crichton  18 (pen)', 24', 39 (pen)', 66' (4/6)	1st: 18–10 2nd: 6–0 Report	Tries: 2 Fifita  11' Tabuai-Fidow  35' Goals: 1 Holmes  12' (1/2)

Wednesday, 12 July 20:05 AEST (UTC+10:00)

Accor Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 75,342 Referee: Ashley Klein Bunker: Grant Atkins Touch judges: Phil Henderson, Dave Munro Player of the Match: Cody Walker

Teams

New South Wales Blues

Position	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3
Fullback	James Tedesco (c)
Wing	Brian To'o
Centre	Stephen Crichton
Centre	Tom Trbojevic		Bradman Best
Wing	Josh Addo-Carr
Five-eighth	Jarome Luai		Cody Walker
Halfback	Nathan Cleary	Mitchell Moses
Prop	Tevita Pangai Junior	Junior Paulo	Jake Trbojevic
Hooker	Apisai Koroisau	Reece Robson	Damien Cook
Prop	Payne Haas		Reagan Campbell-Gillard
Second row	Tyson Frizell		Liam Martin
Second row	Hudson Young		Keaon Koloamatangi
Lock	Isaah Yeo		Cameron Murray
Interchange	Junior Paulo	Stefano Utoikamanu	Isaah Yeo
Interchange	Cameron Murray		Jacob Saifiti
Interchange	Liam Martin		Reece Robson
Interchange	Nicho Hynes	Damien Cook	Clinton Gutherson
Replacement	Matt Burton		Scott Drinkwater
Reserve	Stefano Utoikamanu	Keaon Koloamatangi	Spencer Leniu
Coach	Brad Fittler

Queensland Maroons

Position	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3
Fullback	Reece Walsh		Alexander Brimson
Wing	Selwyn Cobbo	Xavier Coates
Centre	Valentine Holmes
Centre	Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
Wing	Murray Taulagi
Five-eighth	Cameron Munster
Halfback	Daly Cherry-Evans (c)
Prop	Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
Hooker	Ben Hunt		Harry Grant
Prop	Reuben Cotter	Thomas Flegler	Reuben Cotter
Second row	David Fifita
Second row	Tom Gilbert	Reuben Cotter	Jeremiah Nanai
Lock	Patrick Carrigan
Interchange	Harry Grant		Ben Hunt
Interchange	Thomas Flegler	Jeremiah Nanai	Corey Horsburgh
Interchange	Lindsay Collins
Interchange	Jai Arrow	Moeaki Fotuaika
Replacement	Tom Dearden	Alexander Brimson	Tom Dearden
Reserve	Christian Welch	Corey Horsburgh	J'maine Hopgood
Coach	Billy Slater

Debutants

Game I

• Cap no. 304, Tevita Pangai Junior
• Cap no. 305, Hudson Young
• Cap no. 306, Nicholas Hynes
• Cap no. 229, Reece Walsh

Game II

• Cap no. 307, Stefano Utoikamanu
• Cap no. 308, Reece Robson

Game III

• Cap no. 309, Bradman Best
• Cap no. 310, Keaon Koloamatangi
• Cap no. 230, Corey Horsburgh

Men's Under 19 State of Origin

Queensland	14 – 32	New South Wales
Tries: 3 Timothy Sielaff-Burns  20' Wil Sullivan  22' Caleb Jackson  36' Goals: 1 Timothy Sielaff-Burns  23' Sin Bin: Mitchell Jennings 8' to 18'	HT 10–14 Report	Tries: 6 Strange  1', 40', 64' Ferguson  13' Sanders  32' Tamale  45' Goals: 4 Ferguson 4  34', 42', 47', 66'

Thursday, 13 July 2023 7.45pm (AEST)

Kayo Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 4,764 Referee: Darian Furner Bunker: Kasey Badger Touch judges: Dan Munroe, Clayton Wills Player of the Match: Strange

Team details

FB 1 Mutua Brown WG 2 Israel Leota CE 3 Caleb Jackson CE 4 Mitchell Jennings WG 5 Timothy Sielaff-Burns FE 6 Stanley Huen HB 7 Zack Lamont PR 8 Ryan Jackson HK 9 Blake Mozer PR 10 Ben Te Kura SR 11 Angus Hinchey SR 12 Wil Sullivan LF 13 Damon Marshall Interchange: IN 14 Gabriel Satrick IN 15 Christopher Faagutu IN 16 Michael Waqa IN 17 Jamal Shibasaki CS 19 Kai Simon Coach: Kurt Richards FB 1 Chevy Stewart WG 2 Savelio Tamale CE 3 Ethan Strange CE 4 Josh Feledy WG 5 Ethan Ferguson FE 6 Latu Fainu HB 7 Ethan Sanders PR 8 Jake Clydsdale HK 9 Billy Scott PR 10 Samuela Fainu SR 11 Charlie Guymer SR 12 Harrison Hassett LK 13 Myles Martin Interchange: IN 14 Joash Papalii IN 15 Nicholas Tsougranis IN 16 Sam Tuivaiti IN 17 Luron Patea CS 18 Kyle McCarthy Coach: Andrew Ryan Touch judges: Cameron Paddy and Nick Pelgrave

Women's State of Origin

Main article: 2023 Women's State of Origin

The 2023 Women's State of Origin title was contested as a two-game series. Queensland won the first game 18–10 at Commbank Stadium, Sydney, and New South Wales won the second game 18–14 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville. With the teams winning a game each Queensland were crowned champions due to a superior points aggregate.^[4] The under-19s game was won 20–14 by Queensland at Kayo Stadium, Brisbane.^[5]

Wheelchair State Challenge

Queensland	42 – 26	New South Wales
Tries: 7 A Tannock 3 S Harre 2 J Hill 1 B McKenna 1 Goals: 7 B McKenna 4 J Hill 3	1st: 24 – 4 2nd: 18 – 22 Report	Tries: 5 2 B Grove 1 C O'Brien 1 C Cannane 1 D Karim Goals: 3 2 B Henman 1 D Karim

Saturday, 8 July 2023

Whitlam Leisure Centre, Liverpool Player of the Match: Adam Tannock

See also

• 2023 NRL season