Game I
Queensland stalwart coach Wayne Bennett made it a personal mission to regain the great loss of credibility suffered from the 2000 series whitewash and 40 point last game defeat and decided he wanted his old Maroon coaching job back after a two year sojourn.
| May 22, 2001 | Queensland | 34–16 | New South Wales | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 38,909 Referee/s: Bill Harrigan Man of the Match: Gorden Tallis |
| Darren Lockyer (14 - 1t,5g) Darren Smith (4 - 1t) John Buttigieg (4 - 1t) John Doyle (4 - 1t) Carl Webb (4 - 1t) Chis Walker (4 - 1t) |
(Report) | (4 - 2g) Michael De Vere (4 - 1t) Matthew Gidley (4 - 1t) Brad Fittler (4 - 1t) Trent Barrett |
In game I Queensland blooded no less than ten new players and Wayne Bennett gambled on the likes of Brisbane Broncos forward Carl Webb and North Queensland Cowboys John Buttigieg and John Doyle who were relative unknowns. But they each announced their representative arrival in dramatic style with a try each in the first game, won 34-16 by the Maroons in the last match played at the "old" Suncorp Stadium. The most spectacular was Webb's two minutes before half-time when he brushed off three defenders before powering his way across the line.
Read more about this topic: 2001 State Of Origin Series
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—Jean Baudrillard (b. 1929)
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