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Message: [QUOTE="Broncoman, post: 2673958, member: 7803"] [B]State of Origin Game 1 2003 [/B]The redeveloped Suncorp Stadium opened it's doors again to Origin 10 days after hosting it's first game a 32-22 win for Newcastle over the Broncos and was fittingly treated to an Origin spectacle as NSW drew first blood in the series winning a classic and brutal encounter 25-12. [B]Teams[/B] Queensland had lost hero Alan Langer to retirement, Darren Smith and Chris McKenna to Super League and Lote Tuquri to Rugby Union forcing changes from the 2002 team. Justin Hodges, Ben Ikin and Tonie Carroll were recalled and Shannon Hegarty was called up to debut after Robbie O'Davis withdrew because of injury. NSW were forced into changes from 2002 as well as Trent Barrett, Jason Stevens, Steve Simpson and Brett Hodgson were injured so the Blues introduced Anthony Minichiello, Craig Fitzgibbon, Phil Bailey, Josh Perry and Craig Wing to Origin and Michael De'Vere and Robbie Kearns made comebacks to Origin. [B]Queensland[/B] 1: Darren Lockyer 2: Shannon Hegarty 3: Brent Tate 4: Justin Hodges 5: Matt Sing 6: Ben Ikin 7: Shaun Berrigan 8: Shane Webcke 9: PJ Marsh 10: Petero Civoniceva 11: Gorden Tallis (Captain) 12: Dane Carlaw 13: Tonie Carroll 14: Steve Price 15: Chris Flannery 16: Andrew Gee 17: Paul Bowman Coach: Wayne Bennett [B]New South Wales [/B] 1: Anthony Minichiello 2: Timana Tahu 3: Matt Gidley 4: Jamie Lyon 5: Michael De'Vere 6: Shaun Timmins 7: Andrew Johns (captain) 8: Robbie Kearns 9: Danny Buderus 10: Jason Ryles 11: Craig Fitzgibbon 12: Ben Kennedy 13: Luke Ricketson 14: Luke Bailey 15: Craig Wing 16: Josh Perry 17: Phil Bailey Coach: Phil Gould [B]Game[/B] The teams launched into each other from the start as bone shattering and jarring defence dominated the early exchanges. The Maroons controlled the flow of the game as Minichiello had a nervous start under the high ball and Ikin's kicking was keeping the Blues at bay. The Maroons efforts were rewarded as Lockyer sliced through to open the scoring in the 14th minute and converted his own try from wide out to put the Maroons in front. The Blues hit back immediately as Queensland put the ball down in the return set and NSW capitulated as a bomb by Johns resulted in a drop out as Hegarty was taken into his in goal by Tahu, in the ensuring set Johns sent Minicheillo over to score. Johns levelled the score with his conversion. NSW got some luck as Hodges was dragged into touch after an Ikin 40/20 and received a scrum feed after Hegarty was ruled to have played at the ball when he didn't. Johns again put Minichiello over to score and NSW were suddenly ahead 12-6 in the space of 10 minutes. Both sides missed chances to score in the 15 minutes before the break, Johns missed a field goal and in the shadows of half time Gee lost the ball when attempting to force it under the bar. The old state again state mate against mate notion was on show as Tallis gave his Broncos team mate De'Vere a swinging arm spilling more blood. NSW went to the break ahead 12-6. Gorden Tallis lifted Queensland after halftime with a swinging tackle on Johns and barged through 4 NSW defenders to score to even the game up after Lockyer converted. The Maroons were high on confidence thanks to Tallis but he was denied a try after celebrating it as the video ref correctly ruled Tallis had juggled the ball and it had hit Matt Gidley on the head before Tallis regathered it. The Maroons were set back further as Hodges did his knee and was forced of on a stretcher leaving Queensland 2 played down after Paul Bowman left the field in the first half with ligament damage. The battle raged on and NSW missed two chances to take the lead as Bailey just failed to ground the ball in goal and Matt Sing saved the Maroons after Johns kicked for Lyon after breaking through. The turning point of the game came in the 62nd minute as Price attempted an intercept but lost the ball gifting NSW another full set which they took advantage of as Johns put the rocket Craig Wing over under the posts to put the Blues back in front. With 10 minutes to go Dane Carlaw made a rampaging break from his own line but lost the ball when swarmed by Tahu on halfway giving NSW a full set which Johns landed a field goal at the end of giving NSW a 7 point buffer. Lockyer's restart went out on the full and the Blues again made the most of it as Buderus sent Johns over under the posts wrapping up the game and giving NSW a 25-12 victory. [B] Notes - [/B]The game was far closer than the 25-12 score line suggested. It was a brutal, thrilling evenly matched game but the difference was NSW took their chances when the Maroons tired in the last quarter and the ability of Johns made it impossible for the 15 man Queensland team to recover. [B]- [/B]NSW won a series opener in Brisbane for the first time since 1997 [B]- [/B]Golden point extra time was introduced to Origin for the first time but wasn't used in this game or throughout the series. [B]- [/B]I remember reading in a RLW magazine about Origin 3 years ago which included interviews from players from both sides about their Origin experiences. Ben Ikin was interviewed about the 2003 series and he said he was a surprise selection but he justified his spot with a strong first half taking the line on bravely and putting in some terrific kicks that gave the Blues problems. [B]Did Luke Bailey deserve to win the MOM award? [/B]Luke Bailey became the 2nd player in Origin to win MOM from the bench after a workaholic performance after replacing Josh Perry. Bailey made 30 tackles and 25 hit ups for 130 meters in a starring effort. Bailey was fantastic but personally I believe that MOM should have gone to Andrew Johns. Johns set up or scored all of NSW points, thew cut out passes giving his outside backs chances, hit hard in defence, took the line on and lead the Blues around superbly. A great captains knock. [B]New South Wales 25: [/B]2 tries by Anthony Minichiello, tries by Craig Wing and Andrew Johns, 4 goals and a field goal by Johns[B] Queensland 12: [/B]Tries by Darren Lockyer and Gorden Tallis, 2 goals by Lockyer [/QUOTE]

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