Trevor Gillmeister still gets stopped on the street by Queenslanders to talk to him about the 1995 State of Origin series.
And who can blame them? Gillmeister led a makeshift team dubbed ‘Fatty’s Nevilles’ to a stunning 3-0 win over a star-studded New South Wales outfit.
It’s considered one of, if not the most, iconic Origin series to date and now 30 years on Gillmeister has reflected on the memorable build-up and recalls the moment that still gives him goosebumps.
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The drama surrounding the 1995 series started well before a ball was even kicked.
With Super League troubles brewing, the Australian Rugby League ruled all Super League-aligned players ineligible to play. This had minimal impact on New South Wales, but for Queensland it meant some of their best players couldn’t be picked.
It also cost the Maroons a coach, with Wayne Bennett stepping down after originally signing on to lead Queensland in that series.
It was an uphill battle for the QRL but their next move proved to be pivotal.
They enlisted Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin, who with his minimal coaching experience, put together a team and coaching staff that would eventually stun their rivals.
Gillmeister was no stranger to the Origin arena, having played in seven series’ prior. But nothing could prepare him for the surprise phone call he got from Vautin ahead of Game One.
“He said, ‘Are you right for Origin?’ and I asked who’s playing and who can’t,” Gillmeister recalled to foxsports.com.au.
“He said, ‘We’ll be right because I’m the coach.’ I started laughing and then he said, ‘There’s something funnier — you’re captain.’ We both had a giggle.”
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The pair knew each other well given they were former Origin teammates and while the new dynamic was hilarious to them both at first, Gillmeister believes Vautin was the perfect person to pull off an ambush.
“He was the bloke who I thought was the best for the job and he did an amazing job, to be honest,” he said.
“No disrespect to Wayne but I think for the timing, ‘Fatty’ was just the right bloke. He’s passionate and he actually had a very good knowledge of footy as well.
“He would’ve made a really good coach in the NRL. I’m biased because ‘Fatty’ was my first (Origin) roommate… I love him to death, he’s a great fella.”
With a coach on board and a team picked, it was time for the toughest job of all, to bring together a bunch of blokes — some of whom had never met each other — and get them ready to face the Blues at Sydney Football Stadium.
“We were rated no chance of winning and we were going to get towelled up apparently,” Gillmeister said of the commentary leading up to the series opener.
“The name ‘Fatty’s Nevilles’ didn’t worry me at all. That’s their choice and I probably would’ve called us worse.”
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Vautin had to rally the fresh-faced squad and fire them up to take on a NSW side that had the likes of Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler in it.
There was no point dancing around the fact that on paper the Blues were a better side. So the Maroons did what they do best — lent into their passion.
“I remember talking to Fatty and saying ‘we’re not going to beat them on talent and skill,’ and he agreed,” Gillmeister said.
“The only thing we’ve got is to work out a big bond that’s never been done like this before, the mateship and looking after each other mentality… and that’s what we did.”
The unbreakable bond was created at the first team meeting at the Travelodge Hotel when Vautin asked his right-hand man Chris ‘Choppy’ Close to say a few words.
Close played in the very first State of Origin game, so Vautin wanted him to talk specifically to the debutants about what it means to play for Queensland.
“I’ve got the hairs on my arms going up,” Gillmeister said before retelling the story.
“Choppy got up and got about five or six words out then got all emotional and couldn’t talk so sat down.
“You could’ve heard a pin drop in the room.
“I remember Robbie O’Davis was sitting beside me and he said, ‘Give me a jersey, I want to play now.’
“Choppy didn’t mean to do that. I was talking to Fatty afterwards and Choppy came over to say, ‘Sorry mate, I stuffed that up.’ Fatty said, ‘Nah mate, that was perfect’.”
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Despite coming together to form a tight bond in camp, Gillmeister still didn’t go into the series confident.
“I was hesitant, I don’t mind saying that. With nine debutants you don’t know how they’re going to perform,” he admitted.
Gillmeister isn’t one for grand pre-game speeches, he prefers to speak to his teammates individually and to save his words for the field. But a couple of little interactions in the sheds before Game One told him all he needed to know.
“I could see the look in their eyes that they were all raring to go. I was a little bit hesitant but thought ‘this is going to be fun, this is going to be good’,” he said.
And it was good. Very good, in fact. The makeshift Queensland side delivered in a gritty opening game with a sole penalty goal sealing the Maroons’ 2-0 win.
“I still remember the looks on a lot of blokes’ faces (after the game), they were dumbfounded we beat these blokes,” Gillmeister laughed.
“As the series went on the group just got tighter and tighter and we obviously played out of our skin.
“They just did their job,” Gillmeister added on the debutants.
“Some of those blokes ended up being super players and some of the best. If they didn’t get that opportunity who knows what would’ve happened. It’s amazing what happens when you get an opportunity.”
Game Two was played at the MCG, where Queensland sealed the series with a 20-12 win.
”Relief” is how Gillmeister summed up his post-match emotions.
They had done it, the series was wrapped up. But the job wasn’t over because the cherry on top would be a series whitewash on home turf at Lang Park.
However there was one big hurdle Gillmeister had to overcome first — blood poisoning.
His knee was stood on in Game Two and the wound got so badly infected that he ended up in hospital.
The call for him to play in Game Three wasn’t made until three hours before kick-off.
“I was trying to look after my knee and do the right thing but it wasn’t coming good so I went to the doctor and he said ‘you idiot… you’ve got blood poisoning’,” Gillmeister said.
“They brought me out the day of the game. We made a decision at 5pm but the doctor said ‘the only way you’re allowed to play is if you go back to the hospital after the game’.
“Fatty and Choppy were in the room… I remember Fatty saying ‘If I had the opportunity to hold that shield and have everyone chair you around the field I know what I’d be doing.’ I said ‘well why didn’t you say that half an hour ago?’”
Gillmeister got his moment with the shield when Queensland celebrated a 24-16 win in front of a packed crowd at their iconic home.
“It was a magnificent feeling,” Gillmeister said.
But as promised, after the game he headed straight back to the hospital… although he did try to escape to catch the after-party.
“Apparently I tried to get out of the hospital that night — I don’t remember it. They put me on some medication and apparently I tried to get out in my gown,” he laughed.
30 years on from the ‘95 series, the players will reconnect at a luncheon at Suncorp Stadium on Tuesday ahead of this year’s series opener. Gillmeister will also be celebrated when he delivers the match ball on field for Game One.
He’s a Queensland icon and he’s reminded of that often by the local community.
“Around this time of year I’ll be walking down the street and people will wind their windows down and say ‘Gilly, ‘95 — best ever!’ and then they’d just drive off and I’ll never see them again,” he said.
He’s also reminded of it by some New South Welshman.
“I’m still good mates with some of those NSW blokes and they still can’t believe it that we won. They still shakes their heads,” Gillmeister laughed.
