Factual

Banijay Entertainment’s Endemol Shine Australia has confirmed the launch of new four-part documentary series Origin Story, produced for Channel 9 and 9Now, aligning with the group’s expanding slate of sports-focused factual content. Timed ahead of the 2026 AMPOL State of Origin series exclusive to Nine, the documentary explores the history, intensity and cultural significance of one of Australia’s most iconic sporting rivalries: New South Wales versus Queensland in rugby league.

Premiering tonight, Wednesday 20 May on Channel 9 and 9Now, Origin Story traces how a once one-sided and declining competition was transformed into a defining sporting spectacle driven by identity, pride and state loyalty. The series revisits the origins of State of Origin, beginning in 1980 with a radical rule change that shifted player eligibility from state of residence to where they first played the game. On 8 July 1980 at Lang Park in Brisbane, the experiment was put into practice, marking the beginning of a rivalry that would reshape Australian sport.
Across four episodes, the documentary combines archival footage and firsthand accounts from key figures involved in the era, charting the evolution of the contest from its experimental beginnings to a cultural institution.

Endemol Shine Australia Director of Content, Marty Benson, said: “This series is something we’re incredibly proud of. The team has poured an enormous amount of passion, care and research into telling the story of State of Origin in a way that feels both cinematic and deeply authentic. Beyond the unforgettable moments on the field, this captures the emotion, identity and fierce pride that have made this rivalry such an enduring part of Australian sport and culture.”