Meninga made his first grade début in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership at the age of 18 with Souths Magpies. He was selected to play for Brisbane in the 1979 Amco Cup, kicking a goal in the final which was lost to the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Also, Meninga was first selected to play centre for Queensland in 1979, and the following year helped his state to win rugby league's first ever State of Origin match against New South Wales at Lang Park, kicking seven goals from seven attempts (Meninga was one of the last players to use the toe-poke kicking style rather than the more accurate around-the-corner style that was starting to take hold). That Origin game was on 8 July 1980, Meninga's 20th birthday. Later that year he played in the Magpies' BRL Premiership grand final loss, scoring a try and kicking 3 goals as the Magpies went down to Norths 17–15. However, in 1981 Meninga again reached the grand final with Souths who defeated the Redcliffe Dolphins 13–9.