“The doc put his hand up”: QLD legend's insight into infamous 1995 MCG brawl

Queensland Maroons legend Trevor Gillmeister has gone behind the scenes of one of State of Origin’s most iconic moments as rugby league’s showcase prepares to return to the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Gillmeister was the Queensland captain during the infamous brawl during Game II of the 1995 series, where the Maroons sealed a memorable series victory, but the game was remembered for the biff more than the actual game.

The man, known as ‘The Axe’ for his tackling prowess, gave an insight into what sparked the brawl.

“Game I NSW said we got them a little bit on the hop and they didn’t realise what we were going to do and they’ll be ready for Game II,” Gillmeister said on SENQ Mornings.

“I remember Fatty said to everyone before we ran out ‘I’ve got a bit of mail out of the NSW camp, the first bloke to yell out Queenslander they’re going to bash, who’s going to yell it out first?’

“About 20 hands went up, even the doc put his hand up.

“I thought this is going to be good. So we’re walking to the first scrum and I went to Jed Gaven Allen, I said what do you reckon Jed and he said ‘Gilly we might as well get it on now hey’ and I said ‘happy days’.

“So yelled out Queenslander and came out swinging. I think there was 90-odd thousand at the MCG and they finally saw a decent fight.”

Gillmeister also recalled a slight jab he took at the Blues side in a funny exchange with then referee Ed Ward.

“It was amazing, Ed Ward was the referee and he called myself and Brad Fittler out and said settle down, I got there before Freddy and (Ed) was shaking,” he said.

“I said ‘it’s OK Ed, no one got hurt and by the way they started it’.”

The 1995 meeting at the MCG was the last time the Maroons won at the venue.