NSW’s emotional, Steve Mortimer-led breakthrough victory in 1985 was partially overshadowed by the explosive events after the Blues had already wrapped up the series.
When NSW and Australian coach Terry Fearnley dropped four Queenslanders from the line-up for the third Test against New Zealand (which the Kiwis won 18-0), it set the scene for a fiery Origin dead rubber – best remembered for axed Test prop Greg Dowling’s sideline confrontation with Fearnley as the Maroons prevailed 20-6 .
The Blues brought in former international Ron Willey – Manly’s 1972-73 premiership coach – to replace Fearnley for 1986. A young Wayne Bennett, who guided Brisbane Souths to a shock BRL grand final win the previous season, took over from Des Morris as Maroons coach.
Captained by Wayne Pearce, NSW went back-to-back with a pair of hard-earned wins in the opening two matches.
Penrith hooker Royce Simmons recovered from a brutal head knock in the early stages to score the decisive try and scoop man-of-the-match honours in the series opener, the Blues prevailing 22-16 in Brisbane. Parramatta halves Brett Kenny and best on ground Peter Sterling spearheaded a 24-20 success at the SCG in game two.
But with the prospect of achieving – and avoiding – the first ever Origin cleansweep looming, as well as Test spots going on the line and a Kangaroo Tour on the horizon, there was plenty at stake in the third encounter at Lang Park.
Wally Lewis’ fired-up Maroons flew out of the blocks, taking a 12-0 lead via unconverted tries to quicksilver winger Dale Shearer, fullback Gary Belcher – who was making just his second Origin appearance – and seasoned hooker Greg Conescu.
The Blues rallied with Michael O’Connor scoring a dazzling 60-metre try before Pearce crossed to level the scores. Another Queensland rookie, winger Les Kiss, and NSW prop Peter Tunks (who replays showed had lost the ball over the line) traded tries for a 16-all halftime scoreline.
The points dried up in a tense second stanza. O’Connor slotted a 71st-minute penalty after Lewis was controversially pinged by referee Kevin Roberts and the Blues hung on 18-16 after Shearer’s claims to a match-winning try on the bell were denied when Kenny was correctly ruled to have forced the ball in the in-goal.
Willey was defiant amid suggestions NSW was fortunate to get away with the series-sweeping win.
“Eleven of the team played in tough [club] matches last weekend, yet they backed up and played magnificently,” he fired.
“Their commitment and their courage to get back into the game was marvellous.”
As well as securing State of Origin’s initial 3-0 series win, NSW had notably won a Lang Park penalty count for the first time in 12 visits. Queensland was left to rue Mal Meninga’s wayward night on the goalkicking front – the Maroons were the only team to lose an Origin match while scoring more tries than the opposition until 1998.
The historic result signified an inauspicious start to Bennett’s representative coaching career.
“Our ball control beat us again … but you can’t take anything away from them,” the 36-year-old said after game three.
“History will show we lost 3-0, but there is no way NSW are a 3-0 better side.”
Kenny’s man-of-the-match nod in the dead rubber was not enough to shift Australian skipper Lewis from the Test five-eighth spot. The Eels wizard instead starred in the centres in a whitewash of New Zealand. Lewis, Gene Miles, Dale Shearer and Bryan Niebling were the only Queenslanders selected for the first Test, while debutant Kiss was called upon for the second.
Bennett would go on to steer the Maroons to series triumphs in 1987 (opposite Willey), 1988, 1998, 2001 and 2020, as well as a shield-retaining draw in 2002; his only other defeat was in 2003.
