 Blacklock was controversially omitted from the NSW Blues 2001 State of Origin team despite being the stand out winger of the competition.State selectors claimed that Blacklock's omission was necessary due to his small size and possible deficiencies in defence, because he would have to mark up against larger wingers such as Wendell Sailor or Lote Tuqiri.Ironically the NSW Blues lost the series 2-1 and were humiliated in game 3 at AAMI Stadium by 40-14, where QLD wingers Lote Tuqiri and Wendell Sailor, as well as QLD centre Chris Walker ran riot over the selected NSW wingers Adam MacDougall and Jamie Ainscough, Ainscough coincidentally Blacklock's Dragons wing partner.