The 2020 State of Origin series was the 39th annual best-of-three series between the Queensland and New South Wales rugby league teams. Before this series, Queensland has won 21 times, NSW 15 times, with two series drawn.

Originally, the series was to have been played in the traditional mid-season slot; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic which caused the season to be suspended after round two, the series was moved to November, with the three matches to be played on consecutive Wednesday nights. On 15 May, the NRL announced that the matches would be played on three consecutive Wednesdays after the season's end, these being 4, 11 and 18 November.

For just the third time, a game was played away from Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne, with Game 1 played at Adelaide’s Adelaide Oval.

Before the start of the series, Daily Telegraph journalist Dean Ritchie described the Queensland team as the worst ever Maroons side. Queensland would go on to upset a highly fancied New South Wales side and win the series 2–1.

Game I

Game II

Game III

Teams New South Wales Blues PositionGame 1Game 2Game 3Fullback James Tedesco James Tedesco (c)Wing Daniel TupouCentre Clinton GuthersonCentre Jack WightonWing Josh Addo-CarrFive-eighth Luke Keary Cody WalkerHalfback Nathan ClearyProp Daniel SaifitiHooker Damien CookProp Junior Paulo Payne HaasSecond row Boyd Cordner (c) Angus CrichtonSecond row Tyson FrizellLock Jake TrbojevicInterchange Cody Walker Dale FinucaneInterchange Payne Haas Junior PauloInterchange Cameron Murray Nathan BrownInterchange Angus Crichton Isaah YeoCoach Brad Fittler 1 - As the series was to be played after the Grand Final due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the NSW team was announced in a unique fashion, with players named on the Blues twitter page after their team was eliminated from the NRL finals series.

2 - Boyd Cordner suffered a concussion in Game 1, eventually leading to him announcing his retirement in 2021. It paved the way for James Tedesco to take over the captaincy from Game 2.

Queensland Maroons PositionGame 1Game 2Game 3Fullback AJ Brimson Valentine Holmes Corey AllanWing Xavier Coates Valentine HolmesCentre Dane Gagai Kurt Capewell Dane GagaiCentre Kurt Capewell Dane Gagai Brenko LeeWing Phillip Sami Edrick LeeFive-eighth Cameron MunsterHalfback Daly Cherry-Evans (c)Prop Christian Welch Dunamis Lui Christian WelchHooker Jake FriendProp Josh PapaliiSecond row Felise Kaufusi Kurt CapewellSecond row Coen Hess Jaydn Su'A Felise KaufusiLock Tino Fa'asuamaleauiInterchange Ben Hunt Jaydn Su'AInterchange Lindsay Collins Harry GrantInterchange Jai Arrow Lindsay CollinsInterchange Jaydn Su'A Moeaki Fotuaika Jai ArrowCoach Wayne Bennett 1 - Kalyn Ponga was originally selected in the squad, but was subsequently forced to withdraw due to injury.

Player debuts

Game 1

Cap no. 288, Clinton Gutherson Cap no. 289, Luke Keary Cap no. 290, Junior Paulo Cap no. 204, AJ Brimson Cap no. 205, Xavier Coates Cap no. 206, Phillip Sami Cap no. 207, Jake Friend Cap no. 208, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui Cap no. 209, Lindsay Collins Cap no. 210, Jaydn Su'A Cap no. 211, Kurt Capewell

Game 2

Cap no. 291, Nathan Brown Cap no. 292, Isaah Yeo Cap no. 212, Dunamis Lui Cap no. 213, Moeaki Fotuaika

Game 3

Cap no. 214, Corey Allan Cap no. 215, Edrick Lee Cap no. 216, Brenko Lee Cap no. 217, Harry Grant

Teams New South Wales Blues PlayerDate of birth (age)CapsPtsClubJosh Addo-Carr616 Melbourne Storm00 Parramatta Eels10 Parramatta Eels514 Penrith Panthers64 South Sydney Rabbitohs (c)158 Sydney Roosters10 Canberra Raiders40 Sydney Roosters00 Penrith Panthers20 Melbourne Storm1112 St George Illawarra Dragons00 Parramatta Eels10 Brisbane Broncos00 Sydney Roosters100 St George Illawarra Dragons00 Penrith Panthers00 St George Illawarra Dragons30 South Sydney Rabbitohs00 Melbourne Storm00 Parramatta Eels20 Newcastle Knights1020 Sydney Roosters94 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles40 Sydney Roosters10 South Sydney Rabbitohs30 Canberra Raiders00 Penrith Panthers

1 – Tom Trbojevic was originally selected in the squad, but was subsequently forced to withdraw due to injury. He was replaced by Zac Lomax.

Queensland Maroons PlayerDate of birth (age)CapsPtsClub00 South Sydney RabbitohsJai Arrow40 Gold Coast Titans00 Gold Coast Titans00 Penrith Panthers00 Brisbane Broncos (c)104 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles00 Brisbane Broncos00 Sydney Roosters00 Melbourne Storm00 Gold Coast Titans00 Sydney Roosters1344 South Sydney Rabbitohs00 Melbourne Storm50 North Queensland Cowboys544 North Queensland Cowboys70 St George Illawarra Dragons00 Newcastle Knights64 Melbourne Storm00 St George Illawarra Dragons00 Melbourne Storm00 Newcastle Knights00 Canberra Raiders70 Melbourne Storm158 Canberra Raiders00 Gold Coast Titans00 South Sydney Rabbitohs10 Melbourne Storm

1 – Kalyn Ponga was originally selected in the squad, but was subsequently forced to withdraw due to injury.

Women's State of Origin

The 2020 Women's State of Origin game was played on 13 November at the Sunshine Coast Stadium. Queensland won the game 24–18 to take the title for the first time since the competition came under the State of Origin brand.

Wheelchair State of Origin The annual wheelchair rugby league competition, which at the time was known as the Wheelchair State of Origin, was cancelled.

References