![Origin outsiders Origin outsiders](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_desktop_webp/s3/2021-08/origin-outsiders_180t7fhgx0nua1x6u7c5awi1ca.jpg.webp)
State of Origin heroes born outside of their state
![Author Photo](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/author_article_page_avatar/s3/2022-02/Black%20SN%20Thumbnail.png?itok=ykxVvoJ0)
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25 slides
It's meant to be a game of State versus State, but history shows that's not always how it works out.
Ever since the first Origin game in 1980, eligibility has been a contentious issue. You only have to look at Blues centre Steve Rogers' birth certificate to see he was born in enemy territory.
Debate continues to rage about whether a place like Suva, Fiji, qualifies as Queensland territory, but selectors, players and fans don't seem to worry.
MORE STATE OF ORIGIN COVERAGE
- Which state has won more Origin series?
- When was the last State of Origin series whitewash?
- It got ugly: State of Origin’s biggest winning margin
- Will Ray Warren come out of retirement to commentate 100th Origin game?
- Which NRL club has the biggest advantage for the State of Origin period?
But if it weren't for some of those creative eligibility rules, some Origin greats would have been lost to the series.
Flick through to see the list of Origin stars born outside the state they proudly represented.
![Greg Inglis – Kempsey, New South Wales](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/greg-inglis_1xubksh9wjc601wq937aapa1l4.jpg?itok=Mn67R7D_)
Greg Inglis – Kempsey, New South Wales
![James Tamou – Palmerston North, New Zealand](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-10/james-tamou_fr98b2dlk2fn137kltjdx2rce.jpg?itok=Yi3A5LlQ)
James Tamou – Palmerston North, New Zealand
![Sam Thaiday – Sydney, New South Wales](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/sam-thaiday_z5vlh2n0v5ss11milov02y2zc.jpg?itok=LmoAEyaW)
Sam Thaiday – Sydney, New South Wales
![James McManus – Banff, Scotland](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/james-mcmanus_1itzyq02hktkb1lgjhodsbx4nz.jpg?itok=YsMzKO6m)
James McManus – Banff, Scotland
![Billy Moore – Tenterfield, New South Wales](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/billy-moore_ccv94h4itxnp1rcuzns01nxq3.jpg?itok=6bdf77Si)
Billy Moore – Tenterfield, New South Wales
![Ben Elias – Tripoli, Lebanon](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/ben-elias_1lvxc8k2ko5lo17uzogzpnds1n.jpg?itok=MP2Vo62R)
Ben Elias – Tripoli, Lebanon
![Josh Papalii – Auckland, New Zealand](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/josh-papalii_1pjf0s9trtona1aluyus7ad09z.jpg?itok=J7ROrnSs)
Josh Papalii – Auckland, New Zealand
![Josh Dugan – Tuggeranong, Australian Capital Territory](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/josh-dugan_14gnl2sobuk0z1stgy4fp993ys.jpg?itok=JpC8yZqB)
Josh Dugan – Tuggeranong, Australian Capital Territory
![Michael Crocker – Sydney, New South Wales](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/michael-crocker_pyvqvc6da3zj1fx1epe5m1kj9.jpg?itok=u39qEsQJ)
Michael Crocker – Sydney, New South Wales
![Timana Tahu – Melbourne, Victoria](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/timana-tahu_sgvy5e8dobku1pqalvvcgfnnn.jpg?itok=si0Cv-PC)
Timana Tahu – Melbourne, Victoria
![Adrian Lam – Rabaul, Papua New Guinea](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/adrian-lam_yxtxhrla0uq01otln0418njjf.jpg?itok=PKmBWDSB)
Adrian Lam – Rabaul, Papua New Guinea
![Peter Sterling – Toowoomba, Queensland](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/peter-sterling_4zztv516w1ry1fxur9z48qs08.jpg?itok=CmBkZwRU)
Peter Sterling – Toowoomba, Queensland
![Israel Folau – Minto, New South Wales](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/israel-falou_qgw9hmrnrid12lrh0xwi9wvf.jpg?itok=oeeT_rKG)
Israel Folau – Minto, New South Wales
![Willie Mason – Auckland, New Zealand](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/willie-mason_155z5b3sc86s11nvipx1c006b6.jpg?itok=I9v4H5oK)
Willie Mason – Auckland, New Zealand
![Petero Civoniceva – Suva, Fiji](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/petero-civoniceva_195yjil1g5xps1fj4m8k39ag22.jpg?itok=3JoMVa1-)
Petero Civoniceva – Suva, Fiji
![Matt Gillett – Macksville, New South Wales](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/matt-gillett_1kqfq4fcwu83u1ed8wmz0ste6u.jpg?itok=m-sPosA6)
Matt Gillett – Macksville, New South Wales
![Tonie Carroll – Christchurch, New Zealand](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/tonie-carroll_1oauvzaf7b2z11irqoso8daum3.jpg?itok=oZr-GaGh)
Tonie Carroll – Christchurch, New Zealand
![Ian Roberts – London, England](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/ian-roberts_2kx0thdhxmvc1itod0mscseuh.jpg?itok=6uo4k3ei)
Ian Roberts – London, England
![Brad Thorn – Mosgiel, New Zealand](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/brad-thorn_1hm9hyjak6fr71eajvi3a1t475.jpg?itok=C9eK6Q8M)
Brad Thorn – Mosgiel, New Zealand
![Robbie O'Davis – Kurrajong, New South Wales](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/robbie-odavis_1ampugud03j3v1ozg8uu6o8x6v.jpg?itok=flex-tp1)
Robbie O'Davis – Kurrajong, New South Wales
![John Hopoate – Nukuʻalofa, Tonga](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/john-hopoate_hz1touvhkur21wu78aj9ntieq.jpg?itok=tlEMN9ly)
John Hopoate – Nukuʻalofa, Tonga
![Paul Bowman – Newcastle, New South Wales](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/paul-bowman_1a9v19ss9xvqo11gwimqb3a178.jpg?itok=8m0yRlIh)
Paul Bowman – Newcastle, New South Wales
![Julian O'Neill – Hornsby, New South Wales](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/julian-oneill_1l3tm620nnbv91l1y3nxqvn191.jpg?itok=NqcQcGVP)
Julian O'Neill – Hornsby, New South Wales
![Chris Johns – Brisbane, Queensland](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/chris-johns_s4307jt71ycr13hcxcb8hhmzt.jpg?itok=YbluYLqr)
Chris Johns – Brisbane, Queensland
![Karmichael Hunt – Auckland, New Zealand](https://library.sportingnews.com/styles/crop_style_16_9_mobile/s3/2021-08/karmichael-hunt_io6owi1x2hs513tcoda4zpw2o.jpg?itok=3Rbhjzkb)