New South Wales Rugby League team
Encyclopedia
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales
in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League
, the team competes in the annual State of Origin
series against arch-rivals, the Queensland rugby league team
. They are also known as the Blues (because of their sky-blue jerseys), and sometimes as the Cockraches Previously the New South Wales team, in addition to playing annually against Queensland, played matches against foreign touring sides and toured overseas themselves. The Blues hold the State of Origin record for the largest winning margin of 40 points. However they have not won a series since 2005. They have played all their home matches at Stadium Australia, New South Wales' largest stadium, since it was built in 1999. Currently they are coached by Ricky Stuart
.
on their first ever tour in 1907 under existing rugby union
rules. That inaugural "All Blues" side, the first football team assembled by the newly-formed NSWRFL was:
In 1910 New South Wales defeated the touring England team
in two of their three games. In 1912 the New South Wales team first toured New Zealand. They also visited New Zealand in 1913 and 1922. In both 1912 and 1913 the New South Wales team played matches against full New Zealand sides. In a 1954 tour match between Great Britain
and New South Wales the referee left the field in disgust at the players' persistent fighting after 56 minutes so the match was abandoned.
Due to the Super League war
, in 1997 New South Wales was represented by two teams: one made up of players from clubs that remained loyal to the Australian Rugby League
, which competed in the 1997 State of Origin series, and another made up of players from clubs that joined the rebel Super League
which competed in the one-off Super League Tri-series
.
Ricky Stuart
, who had previously coached New South Wales in 2005, was announced as the first full time Blues coach in November 2010.
was selected on June 5.
1 – Josh Dugan
was originally selected to play but withdrew due to injury. He was replaced by Anthony Minichiello
.
, Bob McCarthy
and Geoff Gerard
. During the Blues five series loss from 2006 to 2010 they came in for criticism.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League
New South Wales Rugby League
The New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...
, the team competes in the annual State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
series against arch-rivals, the Queensland rugby league team
Queensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
. They are also known as the Blues (because of their sky-blue jerseys), and sometimes as the Cockraches Previously the New South Wales team, in addition to playing annually against Queensland, played matches against foreign touring sides and toured overseas themselves. The Blues hold the State of Origin record for the largest winning margin of 40 points. However they have not won a series since 2005. They have played all their home matches at Stadium Australia, New South Wales' largest stadium, since it was built in 1999. Currently they are coached by Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series...
.
Pre-Origin era (1907–1980)
The New South Wales rugby league team pre-dates the Australian national team, playing their first ever match against a rebel New Zealand rugby teamNew Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
on their first ever tour in 1907 under existing rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
rules. That inaugural "All Blues" side, the first football team assembled by the newly-formed NSWRFL was:
- Charles Hedley · Johnno StuntzJohnno StuntzFor the American historian, see Jean A. Stuntz.Johnno Stuntz was an Australian pioneer rugby league footballer and soldier who served in World War I and died on the Western Front...
· Ed FryEd FryEd "Son" Fry was a pioneer Australian rugby league and rugby union footballer. He was one of the founding players of rugby league in Australia at the time of the rebel code's breakaway from rugby union.- Rugby union career :...
· Dally MessengerDally MessengerHerbert Henry "Dally" Messenger was an Australian rugby union and rugby league footballer, recognised as one of the greatest ever players in either code. Messenger, or 'The Master' as he was dubbed, represented his country in both rugby football codes, playing two rugby union tests and seven...
· Frank CheadleFrank CheadleFrank Cheadle was a pioneer Australian rugby league player and soldier who fell in World War I. A national representative centre, he was reputedly the first Sydney rugby union player to sign with the new breakaway league in its earliest formative days in late 1907.-Early life:Born in Wollongong,...
· Albert RosenfeldAlbert RosenfeldAlbert Aaron Rosenfeld was a pioneer Australian rugby league footballer, a national representative whose club career was played in Sydney and in England...
· Lou D'AlpugetLou D'AlpugetLou D'Alpuget was a rugby league player in the New South Wales Rugby League competition who played for the Eastern Suburbs and Annandale clubs.D'Alpuget, a halfback, played rugby league in 1908 - the founding year of the sport in Australia...
· Harry Hammill · Arthur HennessyArthur HennessyArthur Stephen "Ash" Hennessy was an Australian pioneer rugby league identity. He was a seminal figure in the creation of the South Sydney Rabbitohs for whom he played and later coached...
· Bob MableBob MableRobert 'Bob' Mable was a rugby league footballer who played in the New South Wales Rugby League competition. Mable played for the Eastern Suburbs club in the years 1908 to 1910...
· Peter MoirPeter MoirPeter Moir was an Australian rugby union footballer of the early 1900s who was a key figure in the foundation of rugby league in Australia. He was one of Australia's first national representative players appearing in the inaugural professional series against New Zealand in 1907 and making the...
· Sid Pearce · Billy CannBilly CannWiliam A. "Billy" Cann was an Australian rugby league footballer for Souths, New South Wales and Australia. He primarily played at lock and is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century...
· Robert GravesRobert Graves (rugby)Robert Henderson Graves was a pioneer Australian rugby league and rugby union player and one of his country's first dual-code internationals. He was a versatile forward for the Australia national team. He played in 6 Tests between 1908 and 1909, as captain on 1 occasion.-Rugby union career:Graves...
· Herb BrackenregHerb BrackenregHerb Brackenreg was a rugby league player in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership's inaugural season - 1908. An Eastern Suburbs rugby union player, Brackenreg had been a member of the rebel New South Wales sides that played against the New Zealand 'All Golds' in the 1907 series...
In 1910 New South Wales defeated the touring England team
1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand
The 1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand was the first international tour of the Great Britain national rugby league team, "The Lions". They played the second ever Ashes series against Australia before travelling to Auckland to take on New Zealand...
in two of their three games. In 1912 the New South Wales team first toured New Zealand. They also visited New Zealand in 1913 and 1922. In both 1912 and 1913 the New South Wales team played matches against full New Zealand sides. In a 1954 tour match between Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
and New South Wales the referee left the field in disgust at the players' persistent fighting after 56 minutes so the match was abandoned.
State of Origin era (1980 – present)
New South Wales' dominance over Queensland came to an abrupt end with the introduction of 'state of origin' selection rules in the early 1980s.Due to the Super League war
Super League war
The Super League war is the common name given to the corporate dispute that was fought in and out of court during the mid-1990s between the Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation-backed Super League and the Kerry Packer and Optus Vision-backed Australian Rugby League organisations over broadcasting...
, in 1997 New South Wales was represented by two teams: one made up of players from clubs that remained loyal to the Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
, which competed in the 1997 State of Origin series, and another made up of players from clubs that joined the rebel Super League
Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
which competed in the one-off Super League Tri-series
Super League Tri-series
The Super League Tri-series was a rugby league football tournament contested in 1997 between Queensland, New South Wales and New Zealand representative rugby league teams...
.
Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series...
, who had previously coached New South Wales in 2005, was announced as the first full time Blues coach in November 2010.
Players
Squad for 2011 series
The New South Wales Blues squad for Game 2 of the 2011 State of Origin series2011 State of Origin series
The 2011 State of Origin series was the 30th annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams contested under "State of Origin" selection rules. Game I was played in Brisbane, Game II was played in Sydney and...
was selected on June 5.
| Position | Game 2 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fullback | Anthony Minichiello Anthony Minichiello Anthony Minichiello is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who, to date, has played his entire career for the Sydney Roosters of the National Rugby League. He plays at fullback and on the Wing. Minichiello has represented New South Wales and Australia... 1 |
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| Wing | Jarryd Hayne Jarryd Hayne Jarryd Lee Hayne is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Parramatta Eels of the NRL. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian, Fiji international representative winger and fullback, he has played his entire NRL career to date with Parramatta, with whom he got to the... |
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| Centre | Will Hopoate | |||||
| Centre | Mark Gasnier Mark Gasnier Mark Gasnier is an Australian former rugby league player, a state and national representative centre three-quarter. He played eleven top-grade seasons with the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL, interrupted by two seasons of rugby union played with the French club Stade Français. He was a... |
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| Wing | Akuila Uate Akuila Uate Akuila Uate ' is a professional rugby league footballer for the Newcastle Knights of the National Rugby League... |
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| Five-Eighth | Jamie Soward Jamie Soward Jamie Soward is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the St. George Illawarra Dragons of National Rugby League... |
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| Halfback | Mitchell Pearce Mitchell Pearce Mitchell Pearce is an Australian rugby league footballer currently playing for the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League... |
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| Prop | Paul Gallen Paul Gallen Paul Gallen is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks of the National Rugby League. Gallen's position of choice is lock and occasionally at Prop. He is an Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative... (c) |
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| Hooker | Michael Ennis Michael Ennis Michael Ennis is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs of the National Rugby League. A New South Wales State of Origin representative hooker, he previously played for the Brisbane Broncos, St George Illawarra Dragons and the Newcastle Knights... |
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| Prop | Tim Mannah Tim Mannah Tim Mannah is a professional rugby league footballer of Lebanese-Australian heritage currently playing for the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League .-Early life:... |
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| 2nd Row | Beau Scott Beau Scott Beau Scott is an Australian rugby league player for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL. His position of choice is at second row, however due to his versatility can also play in the centres.... |
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| 2nd Row | Ben Creagh Ben Creagh Ben Creagh is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the St George Illawarra Dragons of the National Rugby League... |
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| Lock | Greg Bird Greg Bird Gregory Bird is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently contracted to the Gold Coast Titans of the National Rugby League... |
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| Interchange | Kurt Gidley Kurt Gidley Kurt Gidley is a professional Australian rugby league player and captain of the Newcastle Knights in the NRL. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback he has played his entire NRL career to date with the Knights. He is the younger brother of Matthew... |
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| Interchange | Trent Merrin Trent Merrin Trent Merrin is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the St. George Illawarra Dragons of the National Rugby League. Primarily a prop forward, he has played his whole career to date at the Dragons, winning the 2010 NRL Grand Final with them.... |
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| Interchange | Anthony Watmough Anthony Watmough Anthony Watmough is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles club of the National Rugby League... |
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| Interchange | Luke Lewis Luke Lewis Luke Lewis is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Penrith Panthers in the National Rugby League. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative utility player, he has spent his entire professional career with the Panthers,... |
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| Coach | Ricky Stuart Ricky Stuart Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series... |
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1 – Josh Dugan
Josh Dugan
Josh Dugan is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Canberra Raiders of the National Rugby League. A Country New South Wales representative and NRL All Stars backline player, he has played his entire club career to date with the Raiders....
was originally selected to play but withdrew due to injury. He was replaced by Anthony Minichiello
Anthony Minichiello
Anthony Minichiello is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who, to date, has played his entire career for the Sydney Roosters of the National Rugby League. He plays at fullback and on the Wing. Minichiello has represented New South Wales and Australia...
.
Team of the Century
Before Game I of the 2008 State of Origin series, to celebrate the game's centenary that year, New South Wales named their team of the century:- 1. Clive ChurchillClive ChurchillClive Bernard Churchill AM was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach of the mid-20th century. An Australian international and New South Wales and Queensland interstate representative fullback, he played the majority of his club football with and later coached the South Sydney Rabbitohs...
2. Ken IrvineKen IrvineKenneth John Irvine was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. He holds the standing record for the most number of tries in a first-grade career – 212. No other player has yet managed 200 tries in their career, apart from Steve Menzies who has scored 216...
3. Reg GasnierReg GasnierReg Gasnier AM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach, regarded as one of the 20th century's finest players. He played in the centres for the St. George Dragons from 1959 to 1967...
4. Graeme LanglandsGraeme LanglandsGraeme 'Changa' Langlands, MBE, is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach of the 1960s and 70s. He retired as the most-capped player for the Australian national team with 45 from 1963 to 1975, and captained his country in 15 Test matches and World Cup games. Langlands was the...
5. Dally MessengerDally MessengerHerbert Henry "Dally" Messenger was an Australian rugby union and rugby league footballer, recognised as one of the greatest ever players in either code. Messenger, or 'The Master' as he was dubbed, represented his country in both rugby football codes, playing two rugby union tests and seven...
6. Bob FultonBob FultonRobert "Bob" Fulton AM is an Australian rugby league football identity. Fulton played, coached, selected for and has commentated on the game with great success at the highest levels and has been named amongst Australia's greatest rugby league players of the 20th century.As a player Fulton won...
7. Andrew JohnsAndrew JohnsAndrew Gary "Joey" Johns is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. He was heralded as the world's best halfback for a number of years... - 8. Frank BurgeFrank BurgeFrank 'Chunky' Burge was one of the greatest forwards in the history of rugby league in Australia. Later he was one of the game's finest coaches....
9. Sandy PearceSandy PearceSidney Charles Pearce , better known as Sandy, was a pioneer Australian rugby league footballer and boxer...
10. Glenn LazarusGlenn LazarusGlenn Patrick Lazarus is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century. He primarily played at prop forward, representing Australia internationally and New South Wales in State of Origin...
11. Ron CooteRon CooteRon Coote AM is an Australian former representative rugby league player whose club career was played with the South Sydney and Eastern Suburbs, both of whom he won premierships with. He is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century...
12. Norm ProvanNorm ProvanNorm "Sticks" Provan is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. A giant of a man, he was a second-row forward with the St. George Dragons during their 11-year consecutive premiership-winning run from 1956 to 1966...
13. John Raper - 14. Wally PriggWally PriggWally Prigg was an Australian rugby league player. He was a lock forward for the Australian national rugby league team. He played 19 Tests for the Kangaroos between 1929–38, 7 as captain and has since been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.-Club and representative...
15. Dave Brown 16. Steve Rogers 17. Roy BullRoy BullRoy Bull , was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1940s and 50s who spent his whole career - as player, coach & administrator - with the Manly-Warringah club in Sydney. In addition to playing in three New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership grand finals, he was a representative...
Captains
| Player | Occasions | Game(s) as Captain |
|---|---|---|
| Tommy Raudonikis Tommy Raudonikis Tommy Raudonikis OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played over twenty-nine Tests and World Cup games as Australia representative halfback and captained his country in two Tests of the 1973 Kangarooo tour.-Early life and club playing career:Raudonikis is the son of a... |
1 | 1980 |
| Steve Rogers | 1 | 1981 |
| Max Krilich Max Krilich Max Krilich is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He was a hooker for the Australia national team, playing in 13 Tests from 1978 to 1983 and as captain on 10 consecutive occasions in 1982 and 1983... |
5 | 1982, Games 1 & 3 1983 |
| Ray Price | 3 | Game 2 1983, Games 1 & 2 1984 |
| Steve Mortimer Steve Mortimer Steve Mortimer OAM, , nicknamed Turvey after Turvey Park in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, where he hailed from, is an Australian former rugby league halfback. Mortimer played a Canterbury-Bankstown club record 272 first grade games between 1976–88. Mortimer's two younger brothers Peter and Chris... |
3 | Game 3 1984, Games 1 & 2 1985 |
| Wayne Pearce Wayne Pearce Wayne John Pearce OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. An athletic Lock Forward for the Balmain Tigers, he was affectionately known as 'Junior'... |
10 | Game 3 1985, 1986–1988 |
| Peter Sterling Peter Sterling Peter Maxwell John "Sterlo" Sterling OAM is an Australian rugby league commentator and former player. He was one of the all-time great halfbacks and a major contributor to Parramatta Eels' dominance of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership in the 1980s. Sterling played nineteen Tests for... |
1 | Game 4 1987 |
| Gavin Miller Gavin Miller Gavin John Miller is an Australian former rugby league footballer who at his peak was regarded as the most dangerous attacking force in the NSWRL owing to his great ball skills... |
3 | 1989 |
| Ben Elias | 6 | 1990, 1991 |
| Laurie Daley Laurie Daley Laurie Daley OA is an Australian rugby league football commentator and former player of Indigenous Australian descent. He represented Australia on 26 occasions and has since been named as one of the nation's finest players of the 20th century... |
10 | 1992, 1993, 1998, Game 3 1999 |
| Brad Fittler Brad Fittler Bradley Scott "Freddie" Fittler AM is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. The current coach of NSW City team in the City vs. Country clash, he coached in the NRL for the Sydney Roosters between 2007 and 2009. As a player, Fittler captained both New South Wales... |
17 | 1994–1996, Games 1 & 2 1999, 2000, 2001 |
| Geoff Toovey Geoff Toovey Geoffrey "Geoff" Toovey is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional player of the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He was educated at Davidson High School... |
3 | 1997 |
| Andrew Johns Andrew Johns Andrew Gary "Joey" Johns is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. He was heralded as the world's best halfback for a number of years... |
6 | 2002, 2003 |
| Danny Buderus Danny Buderus Danny Buderus is an Australian professional rugby league player who currently plays for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL... |
15 | 2004–2008 |
| Kurt Gidley Kurt Gidley Kurt Gidley is a professional Australian rugby league player and captain of the Newcastle Knights in the NRL. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback he has played his entire NRL career to date with the Knights. He is the younger brother of Matthew... |
5 | 2009, Game 1 & 2 2010 |
| Trent Barrett Trent Barrett Trent Barrett is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s... |
1 | Game 3 2010 |
| Paul Gallen Paul Gallen Paul Gallen is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks of the National Rugby League. Gallen's position of choice is lock and occasionally at Prop. He is an Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative... |
3 | 2011 |
Coaches
New South Wales have had a total of thirteen different coaches at State of Origin level, eight of which have previously played for the Blues.| Coach | Era | Games | Wins | Success % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ted Glossop Ted Glossop Ted Glossop was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the St. George Dragons then went on to become a first-grade coach with Cronulla-Sutherland, Canterbury-Bankstown and St. George.... |
1980–1981, 1983 | 5 | 1 | 20% |
| Frank Stanton Frank Stanton (rugby league) Frank "Biscuits" Stanton is an Australian former rugby league player and a successful club and national representative coach. His playing and club coaching career was with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles... |
1982, 1984 | 6 | 2 | 33% |
| Terry Fearnley Terry Fearnley Terry Fearnley is an Australian former rugby league footballer and later coach. He was a long serving member of the NSWRFL's Eastern Suburbs team & , playing 144 matches for them at a bleak period in that club's existence. Injury kept him out of the 1960 grand final, one of the few successful... |
1985 | 3 | 2 | 66% |
| Ron Willey Ron Willey Ron Willey was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He was a representative for the Australian national side. Post-playing, Willey had a long and successful first grade and State representative coaching career.-Club career:... |
1986–1987 | 7 | 5 | 71% |
| John Peard John Peard John "Bomber" Peard is an Australian former rugby league footballer and later coach. An Australian international representative five-eighth, he played for the Eastern Suburbs, St. George and Parramatta NSWRFL clubs in the 1960s and 70s... |
1988 | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Jack Gibson Jack Gibson (rugby league) Jack Arthur Gibson OAM was an Australian rugby league identity – a player, commentator and most notably a coach... |
1989–1990 | 6 | 2 | 33% |
| Tim Sheens Tim Sheens Tim Sheens is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He currently coaches the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League and in 2009 was appointed coach of the Australian national team, the Kangaroos... |
1991 | 3 | 1 | 33% |
| Phil Gould Phil Gould Phil Gould is an Australian rugby league broadcaster, journalist, administrator and former player and coach. Since the 1990s he has had a prominent role in Channel 9's coverage of rugby league, as a commentator on their match-day coverage, and appears on The Sunday Footy Show and The Sunday Roast... |
1992–1996; 2002–2004 | 27 | 14 | 52% |
| Tommy Raudonikis Tommy Raudonikis Tommy Raudonikis OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played over twenty-nine Tests and World Cup games as Australia representative halfback and captained his country in two Tests of the 1973 Kangarooo tour.-Early life and club playing career:Raudonikis is the son of a... |
1997–1998 | 6 | 3 | 50% |
| Wayne Pearce Wayne Pearce Wayne John Pearce OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. An athletic Lock Forward for the Balmain Tigers, he was affectionately known as 'Junior'... |
1999–2001 | 9 | 5 | 56% |
| Ricky Stuart Ricky Stuart Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series... |
2005; 2011– | 4 | 3 | 75% |
| Graham Murray Graham Murray Graham Murray is an Australian rugby league player and coach. Murray is currently the High Performance Unit Director of Coaching at the Newcastle Knights.-Playing career:... |
2006–2007 | 6 | 2 | 33% |
| Craig Bellamy | 2008–2010 | 9 | 2 | 22% |
Selectors
The current New South Wales State of Origin side's selection panel consists of Bob FultonBob Fulton
Robert "Bob" Fulton AM is an Australian rugby league football identity. Fulton played, coached, selected for and has commentated on the game with great success at the highest levels and has been named amongst Australia's greatest rugby league players of the 20th century.As a player Fulton won...
, Bob McCarthy
Bob McCarthy
Bob McCarthy MBE is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, New South Wales and for the Australian national side...
and Geoff Gerard
Geoff Gerard
Geoff Gerard is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played his club football with Sydney clubs Parramatta, Manly-Warringah and Penrith, and also spent time with Engish clubs...
. During the Blues five series loss from 2006 to 2010 they came in for criticism.