View source for 2000 State of Origin series

{{Short description|Australian rugby league series}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox State of Origin series
 | year = 2000
 <!-- Commented out: | image = 2006_State_of_Origin_logo.PNG -->
 | count = 9th
 | imagesize = 150px
 | caption = 
 | winners = [[Image:New South Wales colours.svg|16px]] [[New South Wales rugby league team|New South Wales]] 
 | margin = 3-0
 | points = 146
 | attendance = 159074
 | top points scorer = [[Image:New South Wales colours.svg|16px]] [[Ryan Girdler]] (52)
 | top try scorer =  [[Image:New South Wales colours.svg|16px]] [[Ryan Girdler]] (5)
}}
The '''2000 State of Origin series''' was the 19th year that the [[State of Origin series|annual three-game series]] between the [[Queensland rugby league team|Queensland]] and [[New South Wales rugby league team|New South Wales]] representative [[rugby league]] football teams was played entirely under '[[state of origin]]' selection rules. During the 2000 series [[Gorden Tallis]] was sent off for calling the referee a cheat, [[Ryan Girdler]] amassed an incredible 32 points in one match and New South Wales whitewashed the series in a combined scoreline of 104 to 42 - the biggest gap between the two sides in history.

__TOC__ 
{{clear}}

==Game I==
{{rugbyleaguebox
|bg         = #eeeeee
|date       = Wednesday, 10 May, 2000
|team1      = [[New South Wales rugby league team|New South Wales]] {{leagueicon|New South Wales|16}}
|score      = 20 &ndash; 16
|report     = 1st: 6 - 8<br/>2nd: 14 - 8<br/>[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/game58.html (Report)]
|team2      = {{leagueicon|Queensland|16}} [[Queensland rugby league team|Queensland]]
|points1    = '''Tries:'''<br>[[Adam MacDougall]] (23', 48') '''2'''<br>[[Ryan Girdler]] (71') '''1'''<br>[[David Peachey]] (77') '''1'''<br/>'''Goals:'''<br>[[Ryan Girdler]] '''2/5'''<br/>(10' pen, 49')
|points2    = '''Tries:'''<br>[[Adrian Lam]] (32', 44') '''2'''<br>[[Mat Rogers]] (16') '''1'''<br/>'''Goals:'''<br>[[Mat Rogers]] '''1/3'''<br/>(45')<br/>[[Darren Lockyer]] '''1/1'''<br/>(60' pen)<br/>'''Field Goals:'''<br>[[Adrian Lam]] '''0/1'''<br/>'''Send Off:'''<br>[[Gorden Tallis]] (71') '''1'''
|stadium    = [[Stadium Australia]], [[Sydney]]
|attendance = 61,511
|referee    = [[Bill Harrigan]]
|manofmatch= [[Adam MacDougall]]
}}

After [[Ryan Girdler]] had scored a try to level at 16-all which appeared to have included two knock-ons in the lead up, a furious [[Gorden Tallis]] confronted [[Bill Harrigan]] and was immediately [[Penalty card#Red card|dismissed]] after calling him a cheat.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Steve Ricketts |author2=Barry Dick |author3=Paul Malone |title=The 30 greatest controversies in 30 years of State of Origin series|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/the-30-greatest-controversies-in-30-years-of-state-of-origin-series/story-e6frf9if-1226364330596|accessdate=26 May 2012|newspaper=[[The Courier-Mail]]|date=23 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news 
  | title = State of Origin - 2000s
  | work = [[The Sydney Morning Herald]]
  | place =Australia
  | publisher = Fairfax Digital
  | date = 2010-04-27
  | url = http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/state-of-origin--2000s-20100426-tndh.html
  | accessdate = 2010-04-27}}</ref> Six minutes later the Blues took advantage of the extra man for [[David Peachey]] to cross out wide and secure a 20-16 win.

Immediately after the game Tallis was summonsed to a judiciary hearing at the ground but was not suspended. He had been to the referee's room beforehand and apologised to Harrigan. Blues prop [[Robbie Kearns]] later claimed in the [[Melbourne]] [[Herald Sun]] [[newspaper]] that Tallis was to blame for Queensland's loss by showing poor discipline and that he had let himself and his side down.

==Game II==
{{rugbyleaguebox
|bg         = #eeeeee
|date       = Wednesday, 24 May, 2000
|team1      = [[Queensland rugby league team|Queensland]] {{leagueicon|Queensland|16}}
|score      = 10 &ndash; 28
|report     = 1st: 4 - 0<br/>2nd: 6 - 28<br/>[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/game59.html (Report)]
|team2      = {{leagueicon|New South Wales|16}} [[New South Wales rugby league team|New South Wales]]
|points1    = '''Tries:'''<br>[[Gorden Tallis]] (50') '''1'''<br/>'''Goals:'''<br>[[Mat Rogers]] '''3/3'''<br/>(2' pen, 33' pen, 51')
|points2    = '''Tries:'''<br>[[Brad Fittler]] (45') '''1'''<br>[[Shaun Timmins]] (60') '''1'''<br>[[Scott Hill (rugby league)|Scott Hill]] (63') '''1'''<br>[[David Furner]] (65') '''1'''<br>[[Ryan Girdler]] (79') '''1'''<br/>'''Goals:'''<br>[[Ryan Girdler]] '''4/5'''<br/>(46', 62', 64', 66')<br/>[[Andrew Johns]] '''0/1'''
|stadium    = [[Lang Park|Suncorp Metway Stadium]], [[Brisbane]]
|attendance = 38,796
|referee    = [[Bill Harrigan]]
|manofmatch= [[Tim Brasher]]
}}

New South Wales' win in the second game secured their first series win since 1997 and the 28-10 scoreline would be their biggest ever winning margin until game III two weeks later.

==Game III==
{{rugbyleaguebox
|bg         = #eeeeee
|date       = Wednesday, 7 June, 2000
|team1      = [[New South Wales rugby league team|New South Wales]] {{leagueicon|New South Wales|16}}
|score      = 56 &ndash; 16
|report     = 1st: 20 - 10<br/>2nd: 36 - 6<br/>[http://stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/game60.html (Report)]
|team2      = {{leagueicon|Queensland|16}} [[Queensland rugby league team|Queensland]]
|points1    = '''Tries:'''<br>[[Ryan Girdler]] (16', 26', 52') '''3'''<br>[[Matthew Gidley|Matt Gidley]] (58', 80') '''2'''<br>[[Adam Muir]] (19') '''1'''<br>[[Andrew Johns]] (44') '''1'''<br>[[Bryan Fletcher (rugby league)|Bryan Fletcher]] (65') '''1'''<br>[[Adam MacDougall]] (71') '''1'''<br/>'''Goals:'''<br>[[Ryan Girdler]] '''10/10'''<br/>(18', 21', 27', 37' pen, 45', 54', 60', 67', 72', 80')
|points2    = '''Tries:'''<br>[[Mat Rogers]] (23') '''1'''<br>[[Darren Smith (rugby league)|Darren Smith]] (30') '''1'''<br>[[Gorden Tallis]] (77') '''1'''<br/>'''Goals:'''<br>[[Mat Rogers]] '''2/3'''<br/>(24', 78')
|stadium    = [[Stadium Australia]], [[Sydney]]
|attendance = 58,767
|referee    = [[Bill Harrigan]]
|manofmatch= [[Ryan Girdler]]
}}

New South Wales centre Ryan Girdler produced the performance of his life and the Blues were hailed as the greatest side in Origin history after they demolished Queensland and completed their third clean sweep. Girdler scored three tries and kicked 10 goals from 10 ten attempts for a record 32-point haul during which New South Wales crossed the Queensland line nine times. New South Wales had led 20-10 at half-time but a try to [[Andrew Johns]] after the break saw the floodgates open with six Origin records beaten or matched:
<br/> * Biggest winning margin in State of Origin history (since broken by Queensland in [[2015 State of Origin series#Game III|Game III, 2015]])
<br/> * Most points in an Origin match
<br/> * Most points by an individual in an Origin match
<br/> * Most points by an individual in an Origin series (Girdler, 52)
<br/> * Most goals by an individual in an Origin match
<br/> * Most tries by an individual in an Origin match (Girdler's three equalled Chris Anderson's in 1983 and Kerry Boustead's in 1984)

==Teams==

===New South Wales===
{| class="wikitable"
!width="125"|Position
!width="125"|Game 1
!width="25" |
!width="125"|Game 2
!width="25" |
!width="125"|Game 3 
!width="25" |
 
|-
! Fullback
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} [[David Peachey]]
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|North Queensland|16}} [[Tim Brasher]]
|-
! Wing
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Newcastle|16}} [[Adam MacDougall]]
|-
! Centre
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Penrith|16}} [[Ryan Girdler]]
|-
! Centre
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|St George Illawarra|16}} [[Shaun Timmins]]
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Newcastle|16}} [[Matt Gidley]]
|-
! Wing
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|St George Illawarra|16}} [[Jamie Ainscough]]
|-
! Five-Eighth
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Sydney Roosters|16}} [[Brad Fittler]] (c)
|-
! Halfback
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Melbourne|16}} [[Brett Kimmorley]]
|-
! Prop
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Melbourne|16}} [[Robbie Kearns]]
|-
! Hooker
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Northern Eagles|16}} [[Geoff Toovey]]
|-
! Prop
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|Melbourne|16}} [[Rodney Howe]]
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} [[Jason Stevens]]
|-
! Second Row
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Sydney Roosters|16}} [[Bryan Fletcher (rugby league player)|Bryan Fletcher]]
|-
! Second Row
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} [[David Furner]]
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|Newcastle|16}} [[Ben Kennedy (rugby league)|Ben Kennedy]]
|-
! Lock
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Newcastle|16}} [[Ben Kennedy (rugby league)|Ben Kennedy]]
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|Melbourne|16}} [[Scott Hill (rugby league)|Scott Hill]]
|-
! Interchange
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Melbourne|16}} [[Scott Hill (rugby league)|Scott Hill]]
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|Newcastle|16}} [[Andrew Johns]]
|-
! Interchange
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Wests Tigers|16}} [[Terry Hill]]
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} [[David Furner]]
|-
! Interchange
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Parramatta|16}} [[Michael Vella]]
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|Northern Eagles|16}} [[Adam Muir]]
|-
! Interchange
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} [[Jason Stevens]]
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Parramatta|16}} [[Michael Vella]]
|-
! Coach
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Wests Tigers|16}} [[Wayne Pearce]]
|}

===Queensland===
{| class="wikitable"
!width="125"|Position
!width="125"|Game 1
!width="25" |
!width="125"|Game 2
!width="25" |
!width="125"|Game 3 
!width="25" |
|-
! Fullback
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Darren Lockyer]]
|-
! Wing
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} [[Mat Rogers]]
|-
! Centre
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|North Queensland|16}} [[Paul Bowman (rugby league)|Paul Bowman]]
|-
! Centre
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} [[Darren Smith (rugby league)|Darren Smith]]
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Sydney Roosters|16}} [[Matt Sing]]
|-
! Wing
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Wendell Sailor]]
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Sydney Roosters|16}} [[Matt Sing]]
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Wendell Sailor]]
|-
! Five-Eighth
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Ben Ikin]]
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|North Queensland|16}} [[Julian O'Neill]]
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Ben Ikin]]
|-
! Halfback
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Sydney Roosters|16}} [[Adrian Lam]] (c)
|-
! Prop
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Shane Webcke]]
|-
! Hooker
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} [[Jason Hetherington]]
|-
! Prop
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} [[Martin Lang (rugby league)|Martin Lang]]
|-
! Second Row
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Gorden Tallis]]
|-
! Second Row
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Brad Thorn]]
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} [[Chris McKenna (rugby league)|Chris McKenna]]
|-
! Lock
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|Parramatta|16}} [[Jason Smith (rugby league)|Jason Smith]]
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} [[Darren Smith (rugby league)|Darren Smith]]
|-
! Interchange
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|North Queensland|16}} [[Paul Green (rugby league)|Paul Green]]
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|North Queensland|16}} [[Julian O'Neill]]
|-
! Interchange
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Tonie Carroll]]
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Brad Thorn]]
|-
! Interchange
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|Melbourne|16}} [[Russell Bawden]]
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Tonie Carroll]]
|-
! Interchange
| colspan="4" | {{leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} [[Steve Price (rugby league)|Steve Price]]
| colspan="2" | {{leagueicon|Penrith|16}} [[Craig Greenhill]]
|-
! Coach
| colspan="6" | {{leagueicon|Queensland|16}} [[Mark Murray (rugby league)|Mark Murray]]
|}

==Aftermath==
A major turning point in State of Origin history occurred in this series, when, in the third game, [[Bryan Fletcher (rugby league)|Bryan Fletcher]] was seen celebrating his try by performing a fake hand grenade aimed towards the Queensland side.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/06/21/the-2000-blues-origins-greatest-performance-or-its-greatest-insult/|title=The 2000 Blues: Origin's greatest performance or its greatest insult?|publisher=NRL.com|first=Chris|last=Kennedy|date=21 June 2019|accessdate=21 July 2019}}</ref> The try celebration forced Queensland to change their whole strategy towards Origin and it created a pathway for the Maroons to win fourteen of nineteen series since [[2006 State of Origin series|2006]] (including a record eight straight between 2006 and 2013). Former Queensland player Wendell Sailor said “As a Queenslander, you never forget that". Queensland Origin great [[Gorden Tallis]] had previously spoken about how that try celebration eventually led to a shift in the State of Origin balance of power which saw Queensland win back the Shield in 2001, and retain it in 2002. Former player [[Matthew Johns]] claims that the try celebration started a Queensland dynasty. Former Queensland coach [[Chris Close]] spoke about Fletcher's try celebration in 2016: "I thought it was disgraceful act and a disgraceful show of disrespect, You would certainly never, ever see that from any Queensland team, It still burns. F---ing oath it does".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/origin-greats-come-clean-over-famous-insult/news-story/0a9398a515462e7ae65d9884b1f4ef66|title = Legends reveal truth behind famous Origin insult|newspaper = News.com.au|date = 29 May 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/nrl/story/_/id/16348734/origin-grenade-disgraceful-show-disrespect-says-close|title=Close: Origin grenade 'a disgraceful show of disrespect'|date=20 June 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[2000 NRL season]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* ''Big League's 25 Years of Origin Collectors' Edition'', News Magazines, Surry Hills, Sydney

{{State of Origin}}
{{2000 in rugby league}}

[[Category:State of Origin series]]
[[Category:2000 in Australian rugby league|State of Origin series]]