High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The 1998 Rugby league State of Origin series was the 17th year that the annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches contested between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams was played under `State of Origin` selection rules. The return of Super League - aligned stars to Origin following the end of the game`s crippling civil war meant the stampeding Brisbane Broncos players were back - to the chagrin of the Blues.