REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Thursday, June 1, 1995

THE Super League war was in full flight when Queensland’s State of Origin league team knocked out NSW for the third time to claim an emphatic 3-0 sweep of the series.

The Maroons, led by coach Paul “Fatty” Vautin, won 24-16 at Suncorp Stadium to record the state’s third Origin series whitewash.

The Blues were 3-1 odds-on favourites with bookmakers before the game and the ensuing battle of the titans sparked an enthusiastically boisterous reaction from the 40,589-strong crowd.

And it was a Gold Coast player who ended up scoring the try that secured the game for the Maroons.

Ben Ikin was, at the time, the youngest player in Origin history and was just 18 as he swooped on a ball dropped by NSW fullback Matt Seers.

It was a big turnaround from earlier in the game when Ikin was brought on as a replacement.

The teenager conceded a try through a missed tackle, and was taken back off the field.

Immediately after the game, Vautin praised the rising young star.

“He did well,” the coach said. “He is a fine player and this series will be the making of him.

“When I took over the job five weeks ago, I just wanted to win. These are 17 Queensland heroes. Vautin was praised by fans too, with one banner hanging in the stadium declaring “Fatty for President”.

Meanwhile, senior executives left the Gold Coast City Council after being locked out of their offices and made to hand back their car keys and mobile phones under the supervision of security officers.