‘It meant a lot more to Queensland’: Why Les Boyd faked an injury to avoid first ever Origin

Les Boyd never dodged a confrontation when he was on the footy field, but the former rugby league hard man told a fib to avoid playing in the first ever Origin game - a fib he still regrets to this day.

Les Boyd has revealed how he faked injury to avoid playing n the first State of Origin match.

Les Boyd has spoken for the first time about a 45-year secret – he feigned injury to avoid playing in the inaugural State of Origin match.

“I was a bloody idiot – I could have been part of history,” Boyd said.

Boyd, now 68, was chosen in the NSW side for the first-ever Origin match, set to be played at Lang Park in 1980.

Thinking it was nothing more than an “exhibition” game, and unaware how the concept would become Australia’s greatest sporting rivalry, Boyd had little interest in playing.

Pre-Origin interstate games were played in May that year before Boyd was chosen for a three-week mid-season Australian tour of New Zealand in June.

He returned to Australia to be told he would now be playing another representative game on July 8 – a new initiative called State of Origin.

Although he was fit, the former Wests and Manly hard man walked into the medical check at the SCG and told team doctor Bill Monaghan he had a corked thigh.

Monaghan asked whether Boyd could bend his leg – the answer was no – so the rampaging second-rower was ruled out, with selectors quickly naming Western Suburbs forward Bob Cooper as the replacement.

Over the years, Boyd has become regretful over his decision.

“It was basically an exhibition game as far as we were concerned,” Boyd said.

“We had finished playing for Australia and they said we were going to have this game where people who were born in Queensland would play for Queensland and those born in NSW would represent NSW.

The first State of Origin match at Lang Park brought new life to rugby league as Queensland beat New South Wales 20-10 with 30,000 fans turning out to watch the game. Picture: Geoff McLachlan

“It meant a lot more to Queensland than us because they got all their players back. But I thought, ‘Bugger playing this exhibition game’.

“I wasn’t going to Brisbane to play this game – I didn’t feel like playing – so I went along to the team medical and said I had a bad corked thigh and was struggling to bend my leg.

“They asked whether I would be right by the Tuesday (game day) but I said: ‘I doubt it, mate – the injury isn’t real good’. So they ruled me out and Bob Cooper took my spot. Even after they played, I was glad I didn’t play.”

Les Boyd was inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame in 2024. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Yet now, after watching Origin over the years establish itself as a rugby league juggernaut, Boyd says: “I look back, and think I was a bloody idiot because I could have been part of history. I could have been in the first State of Origin game.

“There is some regret there but no one could have ever imagined what State of Origin was going to grow into and the prestige involved in it. Well, NSW people certainly didn’t.

“Looking back now, to be part of history, in the first-ever State of Origin game, would have been amazing. I was silly to myself.”

Boyd remembers watching the Origin game from his Strathfield home.

NSW hooker George Peponis also withdrew from the first-ever Origin game because of work commitments and injury but added: “We toured New Zealand so I was also exhausted. (Origin) was also an exhibition game, although it’s the best thing they ever did. I was at a stage of my life where I needed to recuperate from injury.”

NSW halfback Tommy Raudonikis (L) and his Qld counterpart Greg Oliphant share a beer after the first State of Origin in 1980.

Blues lock Ray Price also pulled out of the match but claimed he would have been injured.

Former Dragons and Eels premiership-winning hooker Steve Edge replaced Peponis while Jim Leis played lock for Price.

The history-making Origin opener was a brawling game which Queensland won 20-10.

Inspirational Queensland skipper Arthur Beetson etched his name in history, and along the way landed a punch on Eels teammate Mick Cronin.

“Some wanted to pull out because it was (dubbed) ‘mate against mate’ but we didn’t want to play against our teammates,” NSW second-rower Graeme Wynn said.

“We probably weren’t as motivated as Queensland because they had a point to prove. We got ambushed that night, that’s how we felt.”

Boyd later played three State of Origin games – one each in 1981, 1982 and 1983. The last match is remembered for Boyd’s hit on Darryl Brohman, which broke the Queenslander’s jaw and led to a feud that continues to this day.

Boyd can remember receiving a cheque for just $75 after a loss – a pittance compared to the $30,000 each player pockets these days.

“We were on $300 if we won and $75 if you lost,” Boyd said. “It wasn’t much in the scheme of things but we were probably well paid compared to those players that played before us. It was more about the privilege of playing – it wasn’t a monetary thing.”

Originally published as ‘It meant a lot more to Queensland’: Why Les Boyd faked an injury to avoid first ever Origin