The Super League Tri-series was a rugby league football tournament contested in 1997 between Queensland

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...

, New South Wales

New South Wales rugby league team

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...

 and New Zealand

New 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...

 representative rugby league teams. It was run by the breakaway 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...

 organisation as an alternative 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...

's traditional State of Origin

State of Origin

State of Origin is the name used in Australia for one existing sporting event which involves domestic representative teams. The term, when used in isolation, usually refers to rugby league football, and occassionally Australian Football matches, in which players are selected for the Australian...

 series, with each of the two series involving exclusively players contracted to clubs of their respective League. New South Wales were overall winners of the series, defeating Queensland in the final.

Results

After New South Wales defeated Queensland on 11 April 1997 it was possible for New Zealand to make the final if they defeated New South Wales. This commercially disastrous final looked like becoming a reality when New Zealand winger Sean Hoppe

Sean Hoppe

Sean Edward Hoppe is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who represented his country.-Early years:...

 scored a try in the dying minutes of the 14 May match against New South Wales, but the try was controversially disallowed.

The Tri-series final was held on 19 May 1997, and won by New South Wales, who defeated Queensland 23-22 at ANZ Stadium

Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre

The Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre , more commonly known by its former names ANZ Stadium or QE II, is a major sporting facility on the south side of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...

 in the longest ever game of first class rugby league. After 80 minutes, the scores were locked at 18-18, and a further 20 minutes were played. At the end of this time, the scores were 22-22, and Queensland captain Allan Langer

Allan Langer

Allan "Alfie" Langer AM is an Australian former multi-award-winning rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who works as an assistant coach for the Australian national team and Brisbane Broncos...

 is said to have asked the referee, "Should we toss a coin to see who wins?" The game then moved into golden point

Golden point

The golden point, a sudden death overtime system, is used to resolve drawn rugby league football matches. The term is borrowed from soccer's now defunct golden goal.-Australasia:...

 extra time, and after 104 minutes, Noel Goldthorpe

Noel Goldthorpe

Noel Goldthorpe is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s. He played most of his career in the halves for the St George Dragons...

 kicked a field goal for New South Wales, and won the match.

Match	Date	Result	Score	Ground	City	Crowd
1	11 April 1997	New South Wales def. Queensland	38-10	Sydney Football Stadium	Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...	26,731
2	9 May 1997	Queensland def. New Zealand	26-12	Ericsson Stadium	Auckland Auckland The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...	18,000
3	14 May 1997	New South Wales def. New Zealand	20-15	Bruce Stadium	Canberra Canberra Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...	13,836
Final	19 May 1997	New South Wales def. Queensland	23-22	ANZ Stadium Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre The Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre , more commonly known by its former names ANZ Stadium or QE II, is a major sporting facility on the south side of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...	Brisbane Brisbane Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...	35,570

Table

	Team	Played	Wins	Losses	Points
1	New South Wales	2	2	0	4
2	Queensland	2	1	1	2
3	New Zealand	2	0	2	0

Try scorers

Tries Scored	Player
4	Ken Nagas Ken Nagas Ken Nagas is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the Canberra Raiders of the National Rugby League. Nagas primarily played on the wing. He is of Vanuatuan descent.-Canberra Raiders:...  (NSW)
3	Andrew Ettingshausen Andrew Ettingshausen Andrew Ettingshausen is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He played his first grade Australian club football for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, retiring with the record of most games at a single club, with 328...  (NSW), Brett Mullins Brett Mullins Brett Mullins is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and early 2000s. He played for the Canberra Raiders between the years 1990 and 2000. He also represented New South Wales and Australia national rugby league team during his career. He is the son of former...  (NSW), Tonie Carroll Tonie Carroll Tonie Carroll is retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian and New Zealand international representative utility, he played for the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL...  (Qld)
2	David Peachey David Peachey David Peachey is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback, he played the majority of his club football in the National Rugby League for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks...  (NSW), Simon Gillies Simon Gillies Simon Gillies was a rugby league player for the Canterbury Bulldogs and for the New South Wales Rugby League team.-External links:*...  (NSW), Ruben Wiki Ruben Wiki Ruben Wiki, ONZM is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New Zealand international representative centre-turned-prop forward, he retired with the record for most number of international appearances of any rugby league player in history...  (NZ), Steve Renouf Steve Renouf Stephen Renouf is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. Of Aboriginal and European descent, he was known as one of the sport's greatest centres. Renouf set numerous records for the Brisbane Broncos club and is considered one of the greatest...  (Qld)
1	Shane Webcke Shane Webcke Shane Webcke is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer, who spent his entire top-grade career playing for the Brisbane Broncos. His position of choice was at prop forward and at his peak he was renowned as the best front rower in the world...  (Qld), Greg Alexander Greg Alexander Gregory Peter Stephen "Greg" Alexander is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s who has since become a commentator. A goal-kicking half-back, in his career he played for and captained the Penrith Panthers and the Auckland Warriors clubs and also represented his country...  (NSW), Kevin Walters Kevin Walters Kevin David Walters is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently the assistant coach for NRL club Melbourne Storm. He joined them from French club Catalans Dragons of Europe's Super League as their head coach. Before that he was head coach of the...  (Qld), Allan Langer Allan Langer Allan "Alfie" Langer AM is an Australian former multi-award-winning rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who works as an assistant coach for the Australian national team and Brisbane Broncos...  (Qld), Mat Rogers Mat Rogers Matthew S. "Mat" Rogers is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He also played rugby union at the highest levels, becoming a dual-code international. The son of the late Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks legend and CEO Steve Rogers, Mat played for the Sharks...  (Qld), Stacey Jones Stacey Jones Stacey William Jones, ONZM is a professional rugby league footballer, who has been named amongst the greatest New Zealand has ever produced. He currently plays for the Point Chevalier Pirates in the Auckland Rugby League's Phelan Shield...  (NZ), Wendell Sailor Wendell Sailor Wendell Jermaine Sailor is an Australian former professional rugby football player who represented his country in both rugby league and rugby union – a dual code international. He is an Australian Torres Strait Islander.Sailor's large frame and bullocking style changed the way wingers played rugby...  (Qld), Gene Ngamu Gene Ngamu Gene Robert Ngamu is a New Zealand former rugby league player. He played mainly at Halfback or Five Eighth and is probably best known for his combination with Stacey Jones in the Auckland Warriors and New Zealand Kiwis.-Early years:...  (NZ), Peter Ryan Peter Ryan (rugby league) Peter Ryan is an Australian former rugby league and rugby union footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. A Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he played ten seasons with the Brisbane Broncos and finished his career playing rugby union for the ACT Brumbies.Ryan attended Downlands...  (Qld), Michael Hancock Michael Hancock (rugby league) Michael John "Mick" Hancock is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative winger, he played in the Brisbane Broncos' 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grand final victories...  (Qld), Matthew Ryan Matthew Ryan (rugby league) Matthew Ryan is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played most of his career with the Canterbury Bulldogs . Usually playing at centre, Fullback or on the wing, Ryan was a member of Canterbury's 1994 Grand Final-losing side as a reserve...  (NSW), John Timu John Timu John Timu is a retired professional rugby league and rugby union footballer of the 1980s and 90s.Timu's position of choice was as a centre... (NZ)