With the 2025 Ampol State of Origin series kicking off at Suncorp Stadium it’s time to reflect on some of the epic moments from interstate clashes in Brisbane.
The Origin legend was born at Lang Park in 1980 when Arthur Beetson led Queensland to a momentous win and “The Cauldron” hosted several classic games before the name change to Suncorp Stadium in 1994.
From Wally Lewis to Alfie Langer, Darren Lockyer and Johnathan Thurston, the Maroons’ finest have revelled in front of a home crowd but the Blues’ finest have also gone to another level in enemy territory to produce some courageous wins.
Top 10 Brisbane moments
Game 1, 1980 at Lang Park: The Legend is Born
It is 45 years since Arthur Beetson charged on to Lang Park with the support of an entire state driving him on to finally get one over on “big brother” from down south.
Tired of being hammered in interstate clashes teams full of former Queenslanders who headed to Sydney to make their name, the Maroons embraced the Origin concept from night one.
The images of 35-year-old Beetson leading Meninga, Close, Lewis, Lang, Reddy and company on to Lang Park still send shivers down the spine. The big bloke was all business and he was ready to take on all comers.
Game 2, 1988 at Lang Park: ‘King’ binned
That man Stone again found himself the centre of controversy, this time sending ‘The King’ Wally Lewis to the sin bin in front of his loyal Lang Park subjects.
What followed was a barrage of beer cans hurled onto the field by enraged Maroons fans.
The angry mob also screamed “Send Stone off” as Lang Park went into total meltdown.
Luckily for Stone the Maroons won 16-6, ensuring he could make it out of The Cauldron alive.
Game 3, 1991 at Lang Park: Brave Lowey
When Graham Lowe defied ill-health to help the Maroons beat the mob from across the border, he earned a special place in Queensland folklore.
The first “outsider” to coach the Maroons, Lowe was rushed to intensive care with a deep vein thrombosis in the lead-up to decider at Lang Park and was so ill it seemed he had no hope of being at the match.
Lowe was in the middle of several major health crises – he also suffered a brain haemorrhage and two strokes around the same time.
A phone call to the hospital from Wally Lewis and his fellow players lifted Lowe’s spirits and he courageously made it to the Cauldron to see his boys wrap up the series with a 14-12 win.
Game 3, 2001 at ANZ Stadium: Alfie returns
Allan Langer had called time on his decorated career in Australia and was enjoying the slower pace of Super League with Warrington in 2001 when his old mate Wayne Bennett conjured a plan to bring Alf back for one last hurrah.
With the series tied 1-1 and regular halfback Paul Green injured, the super coach put in an SOS to 34-year-old Langer.
Bennett phoned Langer for one of their regular chats and asked “how would you like to come back for the third game?” and Alf cheekily replied, “what took you so long to ask?”
In front of an adoring home crowd, Langer orchestrated a memorable Maroons win and bagged a try, much to the delight of his young team-mates and his wily coach.
Game 1, 2005 at Suncorp Stadium: Bowen swoops
The opening game of the ’05 series was an absolute beauty and it was perhaps fitting it went into golden point.
After the home side had opened up a seemingly unbeatable lead the Blues stormed back to lock it up at 20-20 after 80 minutes.
Blues halfback Brett Kimmorley then spotted an opening on the left-hand side in the 84th minute and looked to find centre Matt Cooper with a cutout pass.
That’s when Maroons super-sub Matt Bowen pounced, picking off the pass and streaking away to score one of the most memorable tries ever scored at Suncorp as 52,484 fans went crazy.
Game 3, 2011 at Suncorp Stadium: Locky’s farewell
The Last Stand for one of Queensland’s finest was an emotional night for so many reasons.
After 36 Origins, 22 of those as captain, the great Darren Lockyer took his final bow with a 34-24 win which secured the Maroons a sixth consecutive series win.
With the Suncorp Stadium crowd at fever pitch at full-time, the sight of Johnathan Thurston coming on to the field in a wheelchair to share in the celebrations tipped them over the edge.
Thurston had suffered a serious knee injury but was so desperate to be out on the field to farewell Locky that he had team doctor Roy Saunders wheel him out to join his mates. Swansongs don’t come much sweeter.
Game 1, 2014 at Suncorp Stadium: Blues dig deep
One of the bravest wins in NSW history set Laurie Daley’s team on the path to a drought-breaking series victory in 2014.
Brett Morris suffered a shoulder injury while crossing for a first-half try but refused to leave the field and would come up with a match-saving tackle on Darius Boyd late in the match.
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HIs brother Josh climbed from the canvas in the second half when he was being treated for a knee injury and raced 30 metres to make a crucial tackle.
The Blues knew it was going to take something very special to break Queensland’s stranglehold on Origin and on this night that’s exactly what they produced.
Game 3, 2017 at Suncorp Stadium: JT farewells the faithful
After his match-winning heroics in game two while nursing a busted shoulder, Maroons legend Johnathan Thurston watched on from the sideline in the third and deciding game as Cameron Smith led Queensland to a 22-6 win.
While JT would love to have been on the paddock he was at least able to savour the moment alongside his great mates and help Smith raise the Origin shield at full-time.
The adulation he received from the Suncorp Stadium faithful that night was just reward for a man who had won his state so many games over the years and done the Maroons jersey proud in a glittering 37-game Origin career.
Game 3, 2020 at Suncorp Stadium: Munster magic secures Maroons’ series win
Queensland celebrated a series win for the true believers with Cameron Munster leading Wayne Bennett’s babes to a stunning 20-14 win over a brave NSW on a night where a future star, Harry Grant, was born.
With his mentor Cameron Smith watching from the Channel Nine commentary box at Suncorp Stadium, 22-year-old Grant broke the game open in the second half with his dummy-half running and 62nd-minute try igniting the Maroons.
The match went right down to the wire with NSW attacking Queensland’s line late and calling for a captain’s challenge after the siren when Junior Paulo knocked-on, such was the closeness of the final stages.
Man of the match and Wally Lewis Medal winner Munster was enormous at five-eighth for Queensland while the Maroons forwards – led by Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Lindsay Collins – defended with intensity.
Game 3, 2024 at Suncorp Stadium: Blues stand tall in enemy territory
After trailing 1-0 in the series the Blues had hit back with a stunning win in Melbourne before producing one of their best wins of the modern era in the decider.
With Mitch Moses calling the shots in Nathan Cleary’s absence, the Blues took the lead in the 65th minute courtesy of a long-range Bradman Best try before Moses crossed three minutes later to ice a famous victory.
Emotions had spilled over during a dramatic incident in the 31st minute when Jarome Luai stood up to Daly Cherry-Evans and the pair ended up crossing the sideline and locking horns in front of the Maroons bench.
Players came from everywhere to defend their mates, including Cameron Murray, who was on the Blues bench at the time but ran in to fly the flag and ended up being sin binned.
