Grant Denyer’s extraordinary ball-boy connection to infamous 1995 Origin brawl

Gold Logie winner Grant Denyer will have flashbacks on Wednesday night to 1995 when he was a ball-boy with a front-row seat to one of the craziest brawls in State of Origin history.

Before he became a Gold Logie winner Grant Denyer was a ball-boy with a front-row seat to one of the craziest brawls in State of Origin history.

The television game show host has relived his extraordinary story as a teenager, when he was chosen to lead NSW and Queensland out onto the MCG in game two of the 1995 series.

Denyer said State of Origin’s return to the MCG next Wednesday provided him with flashbacks of “one of the wildest nights of my life.’’

Based in Melbourne having moved with his family from the NSW Central Coast, Denyer had been hand-picked to be ball-boy for the match.

Barely four minutes after he led the Blues onto the pitch Denyer was scurrying for cover as the likes of Blues forward David Barnhill and Maroons rival Billy Moore sparked an all-in brawl in front of 87,000 fans.

1995 Origin Brawl (1)

1995 Origin Brawl (2)

“I remember there had been rumours kicking around that things might get a little spicy,” Denyer said.

“You could feel the tension when you were in the dressing rooms with the boys, it was like, ‘oh my god, this is going to be wild.’

“We then led them out of the tunnel and the crowd at the ‘G’ was electric. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

“We could sense the agro was dialling up and then it just exploded.

“The sound of bodies on bodies was wild. The thumps were so big they reverberated the rib cage.

“It was nuts as the players just went at each other in this massive brawl.”

Grant Denyer heads out onto the MCG ahead of the NSW team prior to Origin II in 1995.

Denyer (top right) enjoyed a perfect view of Origin at the MCG.

Denyer was one of few teenagers that actually played rugby league in Victoria at the time.

“Junior rugby league had just started down in Victoria,” Denyer said.

“It was the first time rugby league had been played as an organised association and there were just two teams. So my team played against the same team each week.

“One of the benefits was we all had to try out for the ball boy job at State of Origin. I got to do three State of Origins and two Test matches.

“Being on the MCG with 90,000 people around you as a 15--year-old was just an incredible honour.

“I was playing the game at the time, so it meant a lot to me to be among my idols.”

Ironically, Denyer said his ball-boy experience ignited a fire within that became the catalyst to his 30-year television and radio career, where he is now the host of TV game show, Deal or No Deal.

“It was one of those things that inspires you to think maybe I can be one of those guys that performs at a high level, maybe not in the sport of rugby league, but I think it ignited a spark in me to have a go at life,” Denyer said.

“I thought maybe I’m just not content to stay here in the suburbs, why don’t I pull my socks up and see if I can make a go of my life.”

Denyer added that he would be cheering the Blues on Wednesday night.

“Origin is still a big part of our family tradition,” Denyer said.

“Once you’ve been on the ground and on the sideline, it stays with you.”

Originally published as Grant Denyer’s extraordinary ball-boy connection to infamous 1995 Origin brawl