New South Wales rugby league team
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| Nickname | The Blues | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governing body | New South Wales Rugby League | ||||||
| Head coach | Laurie Daley (2013-present) | ||||||
| Captain | Paul Gallen (2011-16) | ||||||
| Most caps | Brad Fittler (31) | ||||||
| Top try-scorer | Michael O'Connor (11) | ||||||
| Top point-scorer | Michael O'Connor (129) | ||||||
| Home stadium | ANZ Stadium (84,000) | ||||||
| First game | |||||||
 New South Wales 8–12 New Zealand  (Royal Agricultural Society Ground, Sydney; 1907) |
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| First State of Origin game | |||||||
 Queensland 20–10 New South Wales (Lang Park, Brisbane; 8 July 1980) |
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| Biggest win | |||||||
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New South Wales 56-16 Queensland (Stadium Australia, Sydney; 26 June 2000) |
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| Biggest defeat | |||||||
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Queensland 52-6 New South Wales (Suncorp Stadium; 8 July 2015) |
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The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Also known as the Blues due to their sky blue jerseys, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against neighbouring team, the Queensland rugby league team. This annual event is a series of three games competing for the State of Origin shield. In 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 the Blues were captained by Paul Gallen and coached by Laurie Daley.
Prior to 1980 when the "state-of-origin" selection criteria were introduced, the New South Wales team, in addition to playing annually against Queensland, played matches against foreign touring sides and occasionally toured overseas themselves. They have played all their home matches at Stadium Australia, New South Wales' largest stadium, since it was built in 1999.
The New South Wales rugby league team pre-dates the Australian national team, playing their inaugural match against a rebel New Zealand rugby team on the 1907–08 New Zealand rugby tour of Australia and Great Britain under existing rugby union rules. That inaugural "All Blues" side, the first football team assembled by the newly formed NSWRFL was:
Backs: Charles Hedley · Johnno Stuntz · Ed Fry · Dally Messenger · Frank Cheadle · Albert Rosenfeld · Lou D'Alpuget
Forwards: Harry Hamill · Arthur Hennessy · Bob Mable · Peter Moir · Sid Pearce · Billy Cann · Robert Graves · Herb Brackenreg
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