Westpac NSW Blues backrower Angus Crichton becomes just the sixth True Blue to win the Wally Lewis Medal in its 21-year history as the Player of the Ampol State of Origin series.
The honour came into existence in 2004 and was first won by another Blues back-rower and former assistant coach, Craig Fitzgibbon.
Fullback Anthony Minichiello was awarded it in 2005 – the last time the Blues won a Suncorp Stadium decider before the loud and proud Maroons home crowd.
But with the 11 series wins in 12 years for the Queenslanders, the Wally Lewis Medal was hard to come by for NSW players apart from former skipper Paul Gallen in the drought-breaking 2014 win.
It is therefore not lost on Crichton the significance of another NSW player claiming it nearly 20 years on from the last time the Blues stood up in front of the raucous crowd to grab an against-the-odds victory.
“I’m stoked… but I’m just happy that we won,” Crichton told nswrl.com.au in the Blues dressing sheds on Wednesday night.
“The medal is obviously a nice little cherry on top.”
Crichton’s journey in 2024 has not been a smooth one by any means. As he struggled to get his mental health in a better state, he began the season in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup playing for the Sydney Roosters.
But a return to the form that carried him back into the NRL also deposited him back in the Westpac NSW Blues team after a two-year absence, courtesy of new head coach Michael Maguire.
“I’m even more happy for him. He loves his players and he works so hard for his players.
“Getting a win in his first series is so thoroughly deserved,” Crichton said.
“He had a firm belief in all of us and I so appreciate him giving me my opportunity to come back into this arena.
“I’m keen to keep building on it.”
He won a NRL premiership with the Roosters in 2019 so knows the euphoria around winning a major trophy.
“It’s up there – right up there … very cool,” he said, when asked to rank this Origin series with the 2019 win over the Canberra Raiders.
“It’s like a little mini premiership within the (NRL) premiership season.
“I’m going to enjoy this win with the boys but then my gaze turns back to the Roosters.
“I can’t wait to get back to my other team and get that last bit of the season sewn up.”
Crichton ran for 486 metres over the three matches of the 2024 State of Origin series – an average of 162 per game – along with 14 tackle busts, 10 offloads, a try assist and two linebreak assists.
Those figures would have been further improved if he had played the full 80 minutes in all three games, only limited by a Head Injury Assessment (HIA) early in Game Three after a tackle on Reece Walsh.
“My head felt fine it was more my neck. But it’s all good now.”
