The Canberra Raiders have been represented in the “State of Origin” since its beginning in 1980 with Mal Meninga and others. And has since been represented on both sides of the coin – New South Wales Blues and Queensland Maroons – across the players and coaching staff.
So, what is State of Origin?
State of Origin is an annual three-game battle played out between two groups of people hailing from either side of Australia’s Rugby League heartland – NSW and QLD, a summary by Simon Masterton on the Blues’ website said.
“The interstate encounters between NSW (affectionately known as the Cockroaches) and QLD (Cane Toads) date back to 1908, when the southern rivals got the better of their opponents with an initial 43-0 thrashing. That match signalled the start of a 70-year era dominated by the side then nicknamed the Blues, which won more than 70 per cent of games against the Queenslanders,” Mr Masterton said.
“With the lack of competitiveness came the diminishing relevance of interstate Rugby League in the late 1970s, resulting in the conception of State of Origin, in which players were selected on the state they were initially from, rather than their current state of residence.
“Given the all-clear from the NSWRFL (New South Wales Rugby Football League) ahead of a dead-rubber 1980 clash, QLD demonstrated their competitiveness with an early win, giving credibility to what soon became an annual three-match series.”
The matches are now also hosted in other states including Victoria and Western Australia.
Here are the Canberra Raiders players who have appeared in State of Origin:
NSW
John Ferguson: (1985-1989), eight games. “Chicka” Ferguson played 94 games for Canberra between 1986 and 1990 and famously scored a try in the dying minutes of the 1989 Grand Final to send the match into extra time, with Canberra eventually defeating Balmain 19-14. He was also the oldest player to represent NSW, aged 34 years and 348 days, in Game III of the 1989 series.
Glenn Lazarus: (1989-1999), 19 games, scoring two tries. Born in Queanbeyan, Lazarus debuted with the Canberra Raiders in 1987. Two years later, he was an integral part of the Raiders’ inaugural premiership triumph. The front-rower played in two more grand finals for Canberra, winning in 1990 and losing in 1991, both against Penrith. He was inducted into the NSWRL Hall of Fame in 2021.
Laurie Daley: (1989-1999), 23 games, scoring six tries, and captaining the side from 1992-1994. At the peak of his power, Raider #88’s attacking brilliance and reliable defence was the linchpin of three premierships with Canberra. Don Furner senior spotted Daley while the 15-year-old was playing first grade for the Junee Diesels in the Group 9 competition. Daley made his first-grade debut for Canberra in 1987. He became a cornerstone of the Canberra backline as the Raiders swept to three titles in a golden six-year period. He is immortalised in bronze at GIO Stadium Canberra. He coached the Blues from 2013-2017, once again taking up the role in the 2025 series. Aged just 22, Daley was named NSW captain in 1992, becoming the youngest skipper in the state’s history and winning three straight series (92-94).
Bradley Clyde: (1989-1994), 12 games, scoring two tries. A worthy successor to the heritage of the great lock forwards such as Raper and Coote, Bradley Clyde was a cornerstone of successful teams for club, state and country. Clyde’s mobility, skill and toughness made him the prototype of the 21st century forward and helped lead the Raiders to an era of unprecedented success. He played 11 seasons with the Raiders, including three Grand Finals. He was subsequently named in the 1990’s ”Team Of The Decade” and one of Rugby League Week’s 25 greatest-ever NSW Origin players.
Ricky Stuart: (player 1990-1994, coach 2010-2012), 14 games, scoring three tries. Stuart took over coaching the NSW side from Craig Bellamy in 2010. The 2012 series would be Stuart’s final year in charge of the Blues, with his side getting closer to victory than they had been in several years. Losing by eight points in the series opener, NSW enjoyed success on their home turf again with a 16-12 victory – before a heartbreaking decider loss in Brisbane. Having fought back to a 20-20 scoreline, the Blues were sunk by a late Cooper Cronk field goal. In his playing days for NSW, Stuart featured alongside now-Blues coach Daley in the halves. Both Stuart and Daley, alongside coach Phil Gould, were credited for helping with their sides’ success.
Jason Croker: (1993-2001), five games. He was the most-capped Raiders player with 318 matches until Josh Papalii overtook him in 2025. Croker made appearances for NSW in 1993, 1996 and 2001, winning four of the five matches he played.
Ken Nagas: (1994), two games. Nagas made just two appearances for the Blues, winning both contests.
Brett Mullins: (1994-1996), five games. Despite playing just five matches across two series for the Blues, Mullins scored four tries and had a 100% win record.
David Furner: (1996-2000), eight games. The former Raiders player and then coach featured in four series for the Blues, scoring one try.
Luke Priddis: (2001), three games. A Woden Valley Rams junior, Priddis spent the first two years of his NRL career in Canberra (1997-1998) before moving to Brisbane and then Penrith. He made his NSW appearances while at the Broncos in 2001.
Ben Kennedy:(1999-2005), 13 games. Kennedy began his NRL career in Canberra (1996-1999), winning the club’s rookie of the year award in 1996. He made his first NSW appearance during his final season at the Raiders in 1999.
Ryan O’Hara:(2004), one game. The prop managed 95 appearances for Canberra between 2001 and 2005, and was selected for the Blues for Game I in 2004.
Brett Finch: (2004-2006), three games, scoring one try. He was playing with the Roosters at the time, but was part of the Raiders squad from 1999-2002, playing 70 matches for the Canberra club.
Joel Monaghan: (2008-2010), three games. The outside back made 121 appearances for Canberra across two stints. He played a single game in three consecutive series for NSW, losing all three contests.
Craig Bellamy: (coach 2008-2010), nine matches with two wins and seven losses. The Foundation Raiders player took on the coaching duties for NSW in 2008. He played for the Raiders from 1982-1990 and again in 1992. He made 150 appearances for the Raiders, scoring 46 tries. Signed for the Raiders’ debut season of 1982 by Don Furner senior, the man affectionately known as ‘Bellyache’ played the majority of his career at the Raiders in the centres, but was also used as a utility player, covering fullback, winger, five-eighth and lock. He was inducted into the Raiders Hall of Fame in 2020. Injury midway through the 1987 season saw Bellamy miss the Raiders’ charge to their first ever Grand Final appearance which resulted in an 18-8 loss to Manly. Three seasons later, Bellamy came off the bench in Canberra’s 18-14 win over Penrith in the 1990 Grand Final at the Sydney Football Stadium after captaining the Reserve Grade team in this competition’s decider on the same day. He is a two-time winner of the Raiders Clubman of the Year award, 1986 and 1990.
Terry Campese: (2009), one game. Born in Queanbeyan, Campese played 139 games for Canberra between 2004 and 2014. His lone appearance for NSW came in Game I 2009 which the Blues lost 28-18.,
Tom Learoyd-Lahrs: (2009-2010), four games. The hulking front-rower played 109 games for Canberra from 2006 to 2014. He won just one of his four games for the Blues.
Josh Dugan: (2010-2017), 12 games, scoring three tries. Born and bred in Canberra, Dugan was a key component of the Raiders’ Premiership-winning NYC side in 2008. Having been called up to play First Grade in 2009, Dugan immediately made an impression as he was named the club’s Rookie of the Year and was a joint winner of the Meninga Medal. He made his first appearance for NSW while playing for the Raiders in 2011. Canberra cut ties with Dugan in 2013 after several off-field controversies, the final straw being the infamous rooftop cruisers incident with Blake Ferguson. He made 11 more appearances for the Blues in his time at the Dragons.
Blake Ferguson: (2013-2019), nine games. Ferguson played 60 games across three seasons at the Raiders and played his first Origin match in his final season in Canberra (2013).
Jack Wighton: (2019-2022), 11 matches, scoring three tries. The 2019 Clive Churchill Medalist and 2020 Dally M Medalist played 242 games for Canberra before moving to South Sydney in 2024. He made his NSW debut in 2019, playing all three matches as the Blues won the series 2-1.
Nick Cotric: (2019), one game. A Canberra junior, Cotric played 135 games for Canberra across two stints. His lone Origin appearance came in Game I 2019, which NSW lost 18-14. He was ruled out of Game II with and ankle injury and never made it back into the side.
Hudson Young (2023-current): five matches. He played the first two matches of the 2023 series before being dropped for Game III, then returned for the 2024 opener but was again omitted. Despite being dropped twice, Young earned another call-up in 2025 and has impressed off the bench in the first two games. He will line up on the bench once again for the decider in his sixth appearance.
QLD
Mal Meninga: (1980-1984), 32 games, six tries totalling a whopping 161 points. The Raiders were represented in the first year of the State of Origin with now rugby league Immortal, Meninga. He debuted at Lang Park in Brisbane on 8 July 1980, receiving many accolades. He was man of the match for Game I in 1982, received the Dick ‘Tosser’ Turner Medal for 20 Queensland appearances – the award is named after the late-Dick “Tosser” Turner who is considered the Godfather of Origin, and was a former player and administrator. Meninga also received the FOGs (Former Origin Greats) Statesman Award for 30 Queensland appearances. Meninga was captain from 1992-1,994 and coach from 2006-2015 – as coach he took the Maroons to nine series wins in 10 years, the most dominant coaching reign in Origin history. In 2020, upon the call-up of former Raiders coach Wayne Bennett, Meninga was given a short-term leave of absence as coach for the Australia Kangaroos, joining Bennett’s staff for the Maroons’ against-the-odds series win over the Blues.
Allan Smith: (1980), one game. He only played for QLD once, but in the final, full interstate series before Origin – in 1979 – he scored a record four tries in Game III at Sydney’s Leichhardt Oval. He played 11 games with the Raiders between 1982-1983. He has also been a QLD (and Australian) selector.
Mitch Brennan: (1981-1983), four games, three tries. Brennan has a “unique piece of trivia in his Maroons’ history”, according to the QLD Maroons: “In his first three QLD Origin matches, Brennan was named in three different positions – wing, centre, and finally his preferred fullback role – showcasing the versatility of the Souths Magpies junior,” the team’s website said. While he was playing for South Sydney at the time of selection, he signed with the Raiders in 1986, finishing his playing career in 1988.
Gary Belcher: (1986-1993), 16 games, four tries. On the QLD Maroons website, the “superstar” fullback was referred to as “remains one of the greatest Maroons to pull on the famous number one jersey”. He signed with the Raiders in 1986, “joining a growing Maroon contingent in the lime green”. He was part of the series wins in 1987, 1988 and 1989, playing his last match in the first game of the 1993 series.
Peter ‘Jacko’ Jackson: (1986-1992), 16 games, two tries. Jackson was a gifted footballer who relished the big stage, and when Wally Lewis was unavailable for the first time in his Origin career in 1988, QLD turned to the Runaway Bay junior. That year he helped guide the Maroons to a famous Game I win, which set the stage for Queensland’s first clean sweep. In 1987, Jackson joined Meninga in Canberra. Jackson, who died aged 33 in November 1997, remains a part of the Maroons’ spirit, with the Peter Jackson Memorial Trophy awarded to the person making the greatest contribution to the Maroons each series.
Sam Backo: (1988-1990), seven games, three tries (two of those in the final game). He received man of the match accolades in both Game II and III of 1988. The Ingham local initially played for local side, Lower Herbert, before signing with Woden Valley in Canberra. He returned to QLD for a stint with Yeppoon, but once again made Canberra his home, earning a contract with the Raiders for the 1983 NSWRL season. He played in the Raiders’ grand final lost to Manly in 1987. Backo died aged 64 on 3 August 2025.
Gary Coyne: (1989-1982), 11 games. After a stint in France, Gary Coyne signed with the Raiders, in 1986. He played second row in the Raiders’ 1989 and 1990 premiership triumphs, overcoming food poisoning to take his place in the extra-time 1989 classic. That same year he made his State of Origin debut, off the bench in Game I of the series at Lang Park. He went on to play 10 more matches for his state.
Kevin Walters: (1989-1999), 20 games, three tries. In 1989, his twin brother, Kerrod, also debuted. Kevin was the captain in 1999 which was his final appearance. Kevin took over from Meninga to coach the side from 2016-2019. He received the Peter Jackson Memorial award in 2008 and awarded the Tosser Turner Medal for 20 games. Kevin joined the Raiders in 1987, coming off the bench to replace Meninga in the grand final loss to Manly. Walters also came off the bench in the Raiders’ inaugural grand final win – against Balmain – in 1989. His finest season was 1998, when QLD regained the Origin Shield from the Blues, after two losing campaigns.
Steve Jackson: (1990-1993), nine games, one try. Forever part of rugby league folklore, Jackson’s blockbusting try to seal the Canberra Raiders’ inaugural premiership in 1989, is one of the most joyfully replayed achievements in rugby league history. He signed with the Raiders in 1986 and was named on the bench for the 1989 grand final against Balmain. He came on to replace Kiwi Test prop, Brent Todd and scored his memorable try in extra time, skittling five defenders. It was testament to his toughness that he was even able to make it to the interchange bench, after tearing knee ligaments mid-year. Jackson added to his try-scoring heroics in 1990, scoring the match-winning try for QLD in his Origin debut in Game III, again coming off the bench. He played five of the nine matches for QLD in the starting side.
Steve Walters: (1990-1996), 14 games, one try. He took out the man of the match award in 1991 in Game II. In 2014, he was the recipient of the Peter Jackson Memorial Award. The eldest brother of twins Kevin and Kerrod, Walters made his name with the Raiders, featuring in three winning grand final sides. Walters signed with the Raiders in 1986, and played 11 seasons with the club. He made his Origin debut in 1990 and was a regular in the Maroon jersey until 1996, playing 14 matches for QLD. His rivalry with NSW hooker, Ben Elias became the stuff of legend.
Darren Fritz: (1994), three games. Fritz was only 19 when he joined the Raiders at the end of the 1988 season. He played four first grade games off the bench in 1989, when the Raiders claimed their maiden premiership before injury sidelined him in 1990 when the Raiders made it back-to-back titles. He cemented a first grade spot in 1991 and played in the grand final loss to Penrith. Such was his form, he fielded offers from seven rival clubs, before electing to stay at the Raiders. A move to the Illawarra Steelers in 1994 saw Fritz produce his best season, with the then 25-year-old earning his QLD debut in Game I, from the bench. He started in the front row in the next two games, first alongside Andrew Gee, and then with Mark Hohn as his co-prop.
Jason Smith: (1994-2000), 16 games, one try. He was awarded man of the match for Game II in 1995. He played for the Raiders for two years from 2005.
Clinton Schifcofske: (2002-2006), two games. The son of a central QLD gold miner, Schifcofske only played two games for his state: the first in 2002, and the second four years later. He joined the Raiders in 2001 and played six seasons for the club, scoring a then club record 245 points in his first season. He was twice winner of the club’s Player of the Year award and finished his time at the club with 1,052 points, a total bettered only by Jarrod Croker and David Furner. Schifcofske was fullback in the 2006 State of Origin Series decider in Melbourne, a game which QLD won 16-14, a result which set in motion a sequence of eight series wins. Schifcofske kicked two goals in that memorable decider.
Shaun Berrigan: (2002-2007) 15 games, two tries. He received the Peter Jackson Memorial Award in 2007. In his first Origin series he played five-eighth; in the second he was halfback, and in his third, a centre. He was an interchange player in the other two series, training at hooker all week, but then playing second row, when called into the action. He played for the Raiders, the club he followed as a boy, for two seasons from 2012.
Adam Mogg: (2006), two games, three tries. His debut in Game II of 2006 followed the withdrawal of Greg Inglis, through injury. He scored two tries on debut, as QLD crushed NSW 30-6 at Suncorp Stadium. Then, in the decider in Melbourne, Mogg scored another try, in the Maroons’ series clinching, 16-14 win. He signed with Raiders in 2003, making 81 appearances and scoring 37 tries between 2003-2006, bringing him to the attention of the QLD selectors. After playing overseas for a few years, Mogg returned to the Raiders in 2010, playing a further 15 games for the club that year, before hanging up the boots.
Neville Costigan: (2007-2010), six games. Costigan joined the Raiders in 2007 and made his State of Origin debut in Game I that year. He was part of three series wins – 2007, 2009 and 2010.
David Shillington: (2009-2013), eight games. Shillington joined the Raiders in 2009, and it was from the nation’s capital that he made his State of Origin debut for the Maroons in Game III that year. Shillington played all three Origin matches in 2010 and missed the 2011 Origin series because of a torn pec, but coach Meninga had no hesitation recalling him in 2012. Shillington made the last of his eight Origin appearances in Game I of the 2013 series. Of Shillington’s 215 NRL games, 131 of them were with the Raiders.
David Taylor: (2010-2012), eight games. After spending some time playing for the Catalans Dragons in France from 2016, Taylor returned to the NRL, this time signing with the Canberra Raiders (he has also played for the Brisbane Broncos, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Gold Coast Titans).
Josh Papalii: (2013-2022 and 2025), 20 games, three tries. The now Raiders most-capped player surpassing Jarrod Croker’s 318 match, played under 18s and under 20s before making his NRL debut for the Raiders in 2011 and representing the Junior Kiwis. Papalii is about to play his 21st State of Origin, having come out of retirement for selection in Game III of the 2025 series.
Anthony Milford: (2017-2018), two games. Milford made his Origin debut in Game I of 2017 at Suncorp Stadium after Johnathan Thurston was ruled out through injury. He was also selected on the interchange bench for the first game of the 2018 series. Milford made his NRL debut for Canberra as an 18-year-old, the same year he represented Samoa in the Rugby League World Cup in Britain and France. Through the Souths Logan Magpies pathways, Milford was signed by the Raiders, enjoying success with the Canberra’s SG Ball (under 18) and under 20s teams in 2012. He made his NRL debut for the Raiders, off the bench, in Round 5, 2013 and was selected to captain the QLD Under 20s State of Origin side.
Edrick Lee: (2020), one game, one try. Edrick only played one Origin game – the Game III decider in Brisbane, alongside his cousin, Brenko. With the score locked at 6-6, Edrick scored a try from a Cameron Munster cross-kick, giving the Maroons a 12-6 halftime lead. QLD went on to win 20-14. Lee joined the Raiders in 2011as an 18-year-old, before making his first-grade debut the following year, staying with the team for five seasons. He also represented QLD in the inaugural under 20s State of Origin match in 2012, scoring two tries in the 18-14 loss.
Brenko Lee: (2020), one game. Brenko joined his cousin, Edrick in debuting in Game III. Brenko signed with the Canberra Raiders in 2012, playing for the QQLD Under 18 Origin side the same year. The plumbing apprentice was a sensation in the Raiders’ National Youth Competition side and represented QLD’s Under 20s Origin in 2013 and 2014. He made his NRL debut in Round 15, 2014, at home against Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. He was then chosen in a 27-man QLD squad, making his Origin debut in the centres, alongside cousin, Edrick, in the third and deciding match of the series, at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, a match the Maroons won 20-14.
Corey Horsburgh: (2023), one game. After a consistent year of footy, Horsburgh was selected to make his State of Origin debut for the Maroons in Game III of the 2023 series, where he played 21 minutes off the bench at Accor Stadium. He was announced in the Game II squad in 2025 but did not make the final team. Horsburgh signed a contract with the Raiders as a development player in 2018. In 2019, he made his NRL debut in Round 1 against the Gold Coast Titans and went on to play 22 games for the Raiders, including the 2019 Grand Final defeat against Sydney Roosters. Following a rough 2024 season, Horsburgh has now racked up more than 100 appearances with the Canberra Raiders, plus two for the Bulldogs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
NRLW:
The interstate rivalry between NSW and QLD for the women’s league began in 1999 but wasn’t officially called State of Origin until 2018.
The standalone event consisted of just one game for the women to chase bragging rights and claim the women’s Origin shield.
The shield replaced the Nellie Doherty Cup in 2018 with the player of the match recipient now receiving the Nellie Doherty medal. Doherty was a former player and pioneer from NSW and in 1921 helped launch women’s rugby league in Australia.
In 2023, the Origin rivalry expanded to a two-game event with QLD winning on points aggregate after a 1-1 series scoreline.
Grace Kemp: (2024), three games. After switching codes from rugby union to rugby league, Kemp made her NRLW debut in round one of the 2023 season, joining the Blues side the following year. She has also played for the ACT Brumbies and represented Australia as prat of the Wallaroos team for the 2022 Rugby World Cup. Kemp is currently signed with the Raiders until the end of 2027.
Simaima Taufa: (2014-current), at least 10 games. Taufa has been involved with the NSW Sky Blues team since 2014. Her State of Origin appearances including its predecessor, the Women’s Interstate Challenge, is in the double figures. She has played in all six seasons of the NRLW competition and has now extended her time at Raiders until the end of 2027. Taufa won the inaugural Canberra Raiders NRLW Player of the Year in 2023 and also co-captained the inaugural NRLW team that same year alongside Zahara Temara. Both are continuing as co-captains this year.
Zahara Temara: (2017-2024), seven games. Halfback Temara debuted for the QLD team in 2017 in round 1 – the same year she debuted with the Jillaroos. She also represented QLD the following year. In 2024 she played halfback for QLD in Game I and a replacement in Game II.
Sophie Holyman: (2023-current), seven games. She was able to make it onto the field in all three games this year after only playing two apiece in the 2023 and 2024 series. She played rugby union before switching codes prior to the 2022 NRLW season to join the Broncos. After a year with the Broncos, Holyman moved to Canberra and has since signed with the club until the end of 2027.
Sources: NRL, The Green Machine podcast, NSWRL, Simon Masterton via NSW Blues, Canberra Raiders, Queensland Maroons, ABC, FOGS (Former Origin Greats), Wikipedia.
