2009 State of Origin Series - Game I

Game I

For the first time game one of the series was played in Melbourne. The stakes were high for New South Wales in the face of the genuine possibility of a four consecutive series defeat – never yet suffered since the introduction of the three match series format. Blues selectors opted for eight debutantes, dropping fourteen of the seventeen players who appeared in game I of 2008. The new faces were McManus, Jennings, Stewart, Campese, Farah, Creagh, Weyman and Poore. With abundant talent and experience to choose from, Queensland selectors opted for the international backline who had represented Australia in April against New Zealand, meaning Slater at fullback dislodged incumbent Maroon fullback Hunt to the interchange bench. The entire Queensland squad had previous Origin experience with thirteen of them having represented on six or more occasions.

New South Wales took a 2–0 lead after an early penalty goal but then in the eighth minute an apparent try to their winger Hayne was controversially, though correctly, disallowed after a long video-referee deliberation, as Hayne had clipped the touch line on his way to score. This appeared to rock the confidence of the young Blues squad and soon after Queensland took a commanding lead with a succession of tries to Slater, Inglis and then Thurston. Creagh crossed for the Blues before half-time picking up a pass from Hayne after he had chased a kick. The scoreline was 18–6 at the break.

As the second half kicked off, Inglis struck quickly with a spectacular try from long range to take the score to 24–6 and his tally to two. New South Wales from that point found some structure and the game played more like the traditional origin arm wrestle till Craig Wing made his entrance from the Blues interchange bench at the 53 minute mark. Two minutes later, off a deflected kick, Wing scored to bring New South Wales within twelve and the Blues dummy halves – Wing and Farah double tagging in the role – began to find gaps in amongst the tiring Queensland forwards. In the 69th minute, another lucky kick deflection, this time off Maroons prop Steve Price and into the hands of Farah which was then passed to Hayne, resulted in Hayne's second try and a 24–18 scoreline with 10 minutes to go. However, in the 78th minute, following a handling error from Blues fullback Kurt Gidley, Darius Boyd crossed in the corner after the scrum, to seal Queensland a 28–18 victory and first blood in the series.

The game was watched by a national audience of 3.48 million people which was a record.