1991 State of Origin series
| 1991 State of Origin series | |
|---|---|
| File:ARL 1998.jpg Logo of the Australian Rugby League | |
| Won by | winners =  Queensland (7th title) |
| Series margin | 2 - 1 |
| Points scored | 62 |
| Attendance | 107,146 (ave. 35,715 per match) |
| Top points scorer(s) | Mal Meninga (12 points) |
| Top try scorer(s) | Chris Johns & Dale Shearer (2 tries) |
The 1991 State of Origin series was the 12th annual Rugby League State of Origin series between New South Wales and Queensland. It was notable as Wally Lewis' farewell from Origin football and featured his half-time stoush with Mark Geyer in game II which match culminated in Michael O'Connor's sensational match-winning sideline conversion in teeming rain.
Games
Game One
Controversy preceded the start of the series when Maroon's coach and Queensland Origin figurehead Arthur Beetson was deposed in favour of New Zealander Graham Lowe, the only non-Queenslander to have coached the Maroons.
It took sixty-four minutes for the first try to be scored in a nailbiting series opener at Lang Park. The try featured the two veterans of the Queensland side - Wally Lewis ran wide and powered halfway through an opening and then found Mal Meninga in support to score.
Game Two
 New South Wales
|
14–12 | Queensland
|
|---|---|---|
| (4 - 1 t) Chris Johns (4 - 1 t) Mark McGaw (6 - 3 g) Michael O'Connor |
(Report) |
Mal Meninga(4 - 2 g) Willie Carne (4 - 1 t) Dale Shearer (4 - 1 t) |
Game II of 1991 is remembered for a number of dramatic incidents. Played in drenching rain, the game exploded into violence before half-time when volatile New South Wales forward Mark Geyer chopped down on Queensland hooker Steve Walters in a tackle. Prop Andrew Gee ran in to assist his teammate, sparking a brawl which involved most players from both teams. When the dust settled, referee David Manson issued a handful of cautions, but as players left the field for half-time Lewis continued to goad Geyer clearly expecting Geyer would be antagonised into a violent response right in front of Manson that would have him sent off. Soon after the break Geyer delivered a vicious forearm on Queensland fullback Paul Hauff sparking another brawl. Geyer was sent to the sin-bin and later suspended for five matches.
The Maroons looked to have the series wrapped up when an Allan Langer break and Lewis pass led to a try to Dale Shearer 12 minutes from full-time. But with six minutes remaining, a cut-out pass by Blues halfback Ricky Stuart led to a try to centre Mark McGaw out wide, levelling the scores at 12-all. As the rain continued to belt down, O'Connor lined up the conversion attempt and sensationally landed the goal to give the Blues a 14-12 victory.
Game Three
| Queensland
|
14–12 | New South Wales
|
|---|---|---|
| (4 - 1 t) Paul Hauff (4 - 1 t) Michael Hancock (4 - 1 t) Dale Shearer (2 - 1 g) Mal Meninga |
(Report) |
Chris Johns (4 - 1 t) Michael O'Connor (4 - 1 t) Des Hasler (4 - 1 t) |
The game III decider back in Brisbane was fast-paced and desperately fought with never more than four points separating the sides. Queensland led 8-4 at half-time but two New South Wales tries (both unconverted) took the Blues to a 12-8 lead. Late in the second-half a superb dash by Maroons' hooker Steve Walters paved the way for a try to replacement back Dale Shearer levelling the match. Repeating O'Connor's deed in Sydney, Maroon centre Mal Meninga landed the sideline conversion lifting Queensland to a 14-12 victory.
Ten minutes before the end of the game the Lang Park ground announcer reminded the capacity crowd that Wally Lewis was playing his last game for Queensland. The Maroons supporters roared as they never had before to lift their weary gladiators to the line and Lewis to his ultimate victory and slow farewell lap around his home ground hand-in-hand with his two young sons. Queensland manager Dick "Tosser" Turner later admitted that Lewis had given an instruction and plotted the perfect timing for the announcement to be made.
Teams
New South Wales
Queensland
| Position | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fullback |  Paul Hauff
| |||||
| Wing | Michael Hancock
| |||||
| Centre |  Peter Jackson
| |||||
| Centre |  Mal Meninga
| |||||
| Wing | Willie Carne
| |||||
| Five-Eighth |  Wally Lewis (c)
| |||||
| Halfback | Allan Langer
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| Prop |  Martin Bella
| |||||
| Hooker | Steve Walters
| |||||
| Prop |  Steve Jackson
| |||||
| Second Row | Andrew Gee
| |||||
| Second Row |  Mike McLean
| |||||
| Lock | Gary Larson
| |||||
| Interchange | Kevin Walters
| |||||
| Interchange | Steve Renouf
|
Dale Shearer
| ||||
| Interchange | Gary Coyne
| |||||
| Interchange | Gavin Allen
|
Bob Lindner
| ||||
| Coach | Graham Lowe
| |||||
Sources
- Big League's 25 Years of Origin Collectors' Edition , News Magazines, Surry Hills, Sydney
- Chesterton, Ray (1996) Good as Gould, Ironbark, Sydney