| 1982 State of Origin series | |
|---|---|
| Won by |  Queensland (1st series title) |
| Series margin | 2–1 |
| Points scored | 69 |
| Attendance | 67,003 (ave. 22,334 per match) |
| Top points scorer(s) | Mal Meninga (12) |
| Top try scorer(s) |  Ziggy Niszczot & Brad Izzard John Ribot (2) |
The 1982 State of Origin series was the first annual three-match series for rugby league between New South Wales and Queensland to be played entirely under "state of origin" selection rules. After the matches in 1980 and 1981 that trialed the concept, 'Origin' was fully embraced in 1982, with no matches using the previous seventy-four years' residential-based selection rules ever played again.
The series came down to the deciding third match, which a mistake-riddled New South Wales lost to a more professional Queensland.[1]
- ^ Clarkson, Alan (24 June 1982). "Hancock cleared of cheek fracture". The Sydney Morning Herald. John Fairfax and Sons Ltd. p. 34. Retrieved 6 October 2009.