Maroons State of Origin 1995 legends back Tino Fa’asuamaleaui to lead Queensland to victory

Three decades after the infamous ‘Neville Nobodies’ produced a stunning Origin whitewash, coach Paul Vautin has declared Maroons enforcer Tino Fa’asuamaleaui can help Queensland repeat history.

State of Origin legend Fatty Vautin has declared Tino Fa’asuamaleaui the best forward he has seen in 20 years and the man to lead the Maroons to an upset victory at Suncorp Stadium next week.

“Follow Tino,’’ was Vautin’s response when asked whether he had a simple Queensland game plan that could dethrone the Blues.

“I think Tino is the best forward I have seen for 20 years. There is nothing he cannot do. He is fantastic. His workrate is high. His attack at the line is good.

“He can offload and he can actually chase from marker. It is rare to see a player chase from marker. He is a magnificent forward. I would be following him. That’s how they win.

“I think without the pressure of (the Titans) captaincy he will play even better and there is one other thing I like about him … he can play for 80 minutes.’’

Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin has says Tino Fa’asuamaleaui is the NRL’s best forward in the last 20 years and he can lead the Maroons to an upset victory. Picture Lachie Millard

Vautin, Trevor Gillmeister and Billy Moore, three of the game’s best story tellers with exceptional comic timing, took an enthralled crowd at Pinkenba’s Trade Coast Hotel on an emotional journey back to Queensland’s most famous upset series win in 1995 at a long lunch on Wednesday.

The 30th anniversary of the 3-0 series win has thrust that magnificently motley crew of unsung heroes – titled the Neville Nobodies – back in the spotlight and their tales never grow old.

Wayne Bennett was down to coach the team but was ruled out due to the Super League war, meaning Vautin had to step in as coach.

Vautin said Gillmeister chuckled over the phone when Vautin revealed he would be the new coach, prompting him to quip to Gillmeister “hey, I will tell you something even funnier … you are captain.’’

This year’s Origin series marks 30 years since the infamous ‘Neville Nobodies’, coached by Vautin, produced a 3-0 clean sweep in 1995.

Then there was the time – okay, perhaps this story was a bit tall – that the 1995 Queensland selectors were looking for a halfback and wanted to choose Papua New Guinea born Adrian Lam.

Initially he was out of the frame but someone in the selection meeting allegedly quipped Queensland annexed part of New Guinea in 1883 so – as the saying goes – that’s in Queensland. In he went.

Together Vautin and Gillmeister built a team spirit which bonded so tightly after three upset wins that many of the players remain close friends who won’t hear a bad word about each other.

Vautin and Gillmeister sat beside each other at the function and you only had to see them in conversation to realise, all these years later, they have the ability to finish each other’s sentences and stories.

The ‘Neville Nobodies’ reunite ahead of the 2025 series. Picture: Liam Kidston

Amid all the humorous stories one little noticed but significant fact was that the three men were all backrow forwards with incredible heart who were dwarfed by some of the giant players around them.

Gillmeister said his playing weight was just 88kg and when he came out of hospital to lead Queensland to victory in the last game of 1995 Moore said the overwhelming memory of hoisting him up after the game was how light he was.

Billy Slater’s team are underdogs but nowhere near to the extent that Vautin’s team were.

“I really like our side this year,’’ Vautin said

“I don’t know why people are talking us down. We have got the team to win this.

“It does not matter how good they are. It’s about ticker. It’s not about ability. It is about what’s inside. It depends on how good they play on the day. How much they want it. You keep turning up at the coal face in everything you do in the game. You cannot rest. It does not matter how tired you are.’’

The 2025 Queensland Maroons State of Origin jersey for this years series pays respect to the 1995 winners. Picture: QRL

Vautin loves his league history. One Christmas someone gave him a box set of video of every State of Origin game played in the 1980s and he watched the lot, leaving him to conclude two things – prop Greg Dowling was a hugely underrated players and however great you thought Wally Lewis was as a player, he was even better.

He feels history can lift a side and is pleased Slater sees this point.

“One thing I like about Billy is that coaches over the years have not taken the history of Origin into consideration. Billy does. Billy gets it. He has had former players go in and talk to the team. I was really honoured to do it a few years ago.

“Billy believes in the history of Origin and what has happened before him. I am sure he passes that on. When those old players talk the current team all learn something from those players.

“He is a really smart coach. ’’