More like a state of mass hysteria, filth and fury
Columnist By Kersi Meher-Homji, 12 Jul 2011 Kersi Meher-Homji is a Roar Expert
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Thank goodness it is over, I said to myself last Thursday. The super-hyped State of Origin rugby league series was over. But is it? The Maroons coach Mal Meninga is trying to keep the embers burning with tasteless remarks on tasteless remarks.
“It was a victory against the very rats and filth that tried to poison a monumental team with lies, personal attacks, arrogance and disrespect”, to quote Meninga’s recent newspaper column.
We have heard of sore losers, but a sore winner?
I am typing this away with a helmet (the ones jousters wore in Ben Hur and El Cid, not what batsmen wear today) and silver body armour. My passport and visa to an unspecified country are in my bag.
Why?
Because I’ll be attacked by every true blue Aussie! My nationality will be questioned despite my knowing the batting average of Don Bradman and gulping down three cans of beer in a session.
May I be bold enough to ask an ignorant question? Why this mass hysteria about State of Origin matches?
They are not internationals but only between two States of Australia: Queensland and New South Wales.
Still, Australians go ‘Lady Gaga’ during those three matches, which go on for weeks (and seems to me to be forever).
There are previews, reviews, analyses, parades before those matches and “rats, filth and fury” after.
And over 50,000 spectators purchase tickets for each State of Origin match weeks in advance.
I agree, the best players in the country participate in these matches and the standard of play is very high. The last hurrah for the legendary Darren Lockyer added a sentimental aftertaste.
But a Sheffield Shield cricket match between the same two States barely attracts a crowd of 250. Probably, with Test stars included, it may attract 5,000 in four days.
But 190,000 spectators watching a total of four hours of three State of Origin matches is beyond belief. Especially the media for promoting a semi-domestic tussle into a do or die death defying mega event.
To me, it is mass hysteria.
I recall a Doris Day and Rock Hudson movie in 1950s in which a medicine was promoted so vehemently that the demand was in millions despite the medication not even being manufactured, let alone tested by the Therapeutic Drugs Administration.
I realise Australia also stops working during Melbourne Cup in November, but the horses come from many countries which makes it an international gala event. Also, it is an occasion to dress up and hat up, making it a social extravaganza.
If not international, why not make State of Origin a national competition by including all or most States of Australia? If I lived in Victoria, I would be livid.
Melburnians, where are you? Sydney and Brisbane are having a picnic and you are grounded.
Over to you, review committee chief Greg McCallum, and you Roarers, too.
Kersi is an author of 13 cricket books including The Waugh Twins, Cricket's Great All-rounders,Six Appeal and Nervous Nineties. He writes regularly for Inside Cricket and other publications. He has recently finished his new book on Cricket's Conflicts and Controversies, with a foreword by Greg Chappell.
- Explore:
- Mal Meninga, NSW Blues, Queensland Maroons, Rugby League, State Of Origin
July 12th 2011 @ 7:19am
Doug said | July 12th 2011 @ 7:19am | Report comment
Hi Kersi, sure its sports promotion from the Don King / Vince MacMahon school of publicity. But the games are usually good. And because of all the hype channel 9 does something very unusual for Victoria: it shows Rugby League at a reasonable hour. Which is much better than the usual 12.32 am plus or minus 43 minutes just to make sure you cant tape the game.
July 12th 2011 @ 7:46am
JCVD said | July 12th 2011 @ 7:46am | Report comment
Hi Kersi,
To understand the hysteria surrounding SOO you have to look at its past where QLD used to be flogged by NSW by QLD players!! It’s all about the passion and hatred
Essentially, SOO do have the best players in the world competing against one another – which makes it attractive to watch in the first place. If we turned it into a national state competition (i.e like the Super 15 Western Force Vs The Rebels) it won’t have the same feeling about it as the bulk of all those players predominantly come from ‘rugby’ states such as QLD and NSW. It’s all about pride from where you come from.
Hope this helps
July 12th 2011 @ 7:58am
sheek said | July 12th 2011 @ 7:58am | Report comment
Kersi,
I’m with you on this. We talk about our heroes playing with controlled aggression, & keeping the passion on an even keel.
It’s time the media & fans did likewise. Obviously everyone is losing their objectivity, looking for the next headline, or emotional hit.
The whole thing is getting out of control – I cringed watching the pre-match farce for SOO1 & refused to watch any pre-match hype for SOO2 & SOO3.
July 12th 2011 @ 8:45am
Tom of Brisbane said | July 12th 2011 @ 8:45am | Report comment
What about if Australia make or even win the RWC final later in the year? Bet you will be watching and probably participating in the over the top media hype then.
July 12th 2011 @ 10:13am
sheek said | July 12th 2011 @ 10:13am | Report comment
No Tom,
I’ve matured…..I think……….
July 12th 2011 @ 8:44am
oikee said | July 12th 2011 @ 8:44am | Report comment
You think it was bad this year, mate my blood is boiling and next year cant come around fast enough. The magnificent 7 has a nice ring to it, and the one thing not you, the law courts, Freddie Mercury or Doc Nelson can change or disrupt is the desire by every Queenslander to see the blues off.
Lewis Meninga Lockyer and co are untouchable here in Queensland, you pick a fight with them , your picking a fight with the whole family.
Melbourne has the final and their big events, Sydney has the final and harbour, Queensland has origin and we have now made it our own.
Surely you cant begrudge us this small luxury.
Bring on next year, i am already pumped.
The rats and filth who Mal is reffering to should hold their heads in shame, turning Lockyers fairwell into nothing more than a blues circus act, and this is why rugby league until we see off these old dinosaurs ruining the game will keep it cocooned and hidden.
This game need some class, look at the superbowl in America, then look at the pumpkins running our sport, i say no more.
July 12th 2011 @ 8:45am
Ken said | July 12th 2011 @ 8:45am | Report comment
Hey Kersi,
Honestly I’ve never really understood why ‘internationalism’ would be considered a major factor in a sporting contest. In some ways it might even be considered an ugly concept (although I suppose no less so than the bickering going on across state lines at the moment!). More to the point though wouldn’t we judge sporting contests by the skill level and passion they generate? In sports like Cricket, this certainly manifests itself most intensely at the international level but in RL it peaks at Origin.
While I concede that the hype is now out of control, at least this was a somewhat organic creation – it was never intended to overshadow the international rep games (or even to be an ongoing concern) but the contest that resulted demanded that it be considered the pinnacle.
re: only QLD and NSW being represented. It’s a tough one, changing the format will almost certainly dilute the contest – yet there is a stated goal of the game as a whole to grow. It’s not really a genuine issue at the moment, but it might be upon us quickly once it starts with the Storm under 20′s team (with a high percentage of Victorian juniors) currently killing the Toyota Cup. Not sure what the answer is there, eventually Origin will probably have to change for the good of the game.
July 12th 2011 @ 9:50am
The Cattery said | July 12th 2011 @ 9:50am | Report comment
Yes, it has to be said that the majority of Australians agree with Ken’s opening statement – we have voted with our feet and eyes.
Ultimately, Rugby League has made a success of its SOO concept – no one can begrudge them that – they have earned it themselves.
As a Melburnian, I don’t buy into the mass hysteria, but I’m not going to whinge about it either – good luck to them.
As one Roar poster said recently: those Wednesday nights belong to League – it’s their time.
July 12th 2011 @ 8:54pm
Sam said | July 12th 2011 @ 8:54pm | Report comment
I don’t think having (hypothetically) superstars emerge from states outside NSW/QLD will be a problem. Noone really minds that Benji Marshall, one of the best players in the world, can’t play Origin. Its more about the QLD vs NSW mentality that has evolved over the years. QLD and NSW will always produce great rugby league players, because that is league heartland, so it will always be a great contest.
July 12th 2011 @ 8:55am
Futbanous said | July 12th 2011 @ 8:55am | Report comment
I guess in most competitions you have to earn the right to be there at the end. In QLD this year the Roar,Firebirds,Reds all did that .
SOO you just turn up so you need something extra to capture attention. Unadulterated hype takes the place of actually putting in the hard yards to be worthy of competing against an opponent who has also earned their spot.
Also worthy of media attention.
You dont really need to express an opinion on this living in Qld anyway,just make observations of people you know.
Last weekend at a gathering the SOO was discussed by people who having known for decades have zilch interest in Rugby League ie dont follow NRL etc.
I was waiting for the Reds well earned win to be discussed from the previous night.
Not one remark, I mentioned it but got blank stares.
Whilst theres obviously genuine interest from RL fans,there is no doubt also a mass hysteria if you like element surrounding SOO in Qld at least that attracts non fans,built up over 3 decades by intense publicity by both the media outlets & sponsors. If you watch channel Nine its in your face over the period.
Why does it attract non fans.
Simple really its the water cooler effect. Workers get a midweek break from the mundane by discussing SOO.
Same as mentioned by Kersi as the Melbourne cup.
How else can you explain a 2 state out of 5 state clash year in year out , playing an essentially English provincial sport.
I dont buy the best players in the world business either. In fact yes its true on one level,because few other places play the sport,but in reality to be that they have to be genuine world class players in the true sense. Unless you consider that players developed in Qld & Nsw are representative of the world as a whole. A nonsense.
So SOO gets priority in Qld(Nsw people can speak for themselves) over the ,Roar,Reds,Broncos Lions,Firebirds,Bulls by default, not because it has really earned it in the true sense of sporting competition for team sports.
Whilst people are bored out of their minds by midweek at work,the ratings team at Channel Nine etc will milk it for all that its worth.
July 12th 2011 @ 9:15am
Jeff said | July 12th 2011 @ 9:15am | Report comment
It’s all about marketing.. Meninga is probably just ‘running with a script’ as are all the little intrigues in the reality TV shows.. Do not believe what you see on tele or read in Papers. most of the content in the media is merely articles designed to Sell the product’..
For once NRL are packing out stadiums for games that in reality not many people should have any interest in at all.. Yup,,, Stuart and Meninga are both acting it up to create hysteria, which in turn gets people to pay money to watch the results…— in all its just a big larf!!!.
July 12th 2011 @ 9:45am
oikee said | July 12th 2011 @ 9:45am | Report comment
So all sporting events are just a big laugh. Manchester paying big money to buy players, a big laugh. Collingwood winning a final, one big laugh, and the Reds on Saturday nite, one big laugh.
Mate Queensland and every Queenslander are out to see our boys beat NSW, and anyone who gets in our way, we will devour you and spit out ya bones.
Those 100 thousand Queensland fans buy tickets to see our boys play just for a laugh. They boo and scream blue murder because they just feel like nothing more than turn up to a interstate game because it might be a good laugh.
This has been happening for over 30 years, it did not only start this week you know.
If anything, i think your having a laugh.
A week ago i wrote a post saying this is a serious matter, deadly serious. Queensland take these games seriously, as do NSW and its no laughing matter. Lots of time and effort are put into Origin because of this very fact, it is a serious game played by the best players all giving 110% by both teams to not only win, but also put their state on the map.
You only have to look at Queensland and the way the state has developed to see we place plenty of pride and effort into our origin team doing well. Sometimes it is all we have got for the year, this year we won the jackpot, all our teams have done well.
The spirit of origin lives on, and its contagous right across Queensland.
6 months after the floods and queensland has really lifted, you can feel it on the streets.
Maybe it is about marketing, we are marketing to ourselves that we can lift when the chips are down.
Anything wrong with this statement.
July 12th 2011 @ 4:40pm
Jeff said | July 12th 2011 @ 4:40pm | Report comment
And you obviously don’t think that Ricky and Mal are just promoting NEXT years games by a bit of promotional banter.. — OK sorry Oiks, I gave ya more credit than this….
July 12th 2011 @ 11:13pm
Kersi Meher-Homji said | July 12th 2011 @ 11:13pm | Report comment
Jeff, these SOS RL matches are like IPL cricket; not with international flavour but massive crowd-pullers.
High-power marketing can sell any product.
July 12th 2011 @ 9:30am
mushi said | July 12th 2011 @ 9:30am | Report comment
Kersi so the point is that only a Oh Kersi I’m embarrassed that they made you write this.
Normally your articles are insightful and well thought out so I’m assuming this is the Roar “stir the pot for hits” directive. Well mission accomplished but you’ve got to feel a little dirty right?
Hell even your article provides its own counter argument when you say the best players in the country participate then make a very weak tangential reference to the Melbourne cup and second tier cricket.
Please oh please powers that be on Roar free Kersi so that he can actually go back to writing his quality articles and not be reduced to this babbling dribble.
July 12th 2011 @ 9:58am
Ami35 said | July 12th 2011 @ 9:58am | Report comment
It’s hyped the way it is because QLD & NSW people love State of Origin, and its appeal, doesn’t/shouldn’t really need to be determined. We love it because we love it, don’t ask us why, we just do.
July 12th 2011 @ 10:07am
Handles O'Love said | July 12th 2011 @ 10:07am | Report comment
Queensland loves to beat NSW for much the same reason that Australians love to beat England. It is the arrogance, the ‘born to rule’ crap that comes from the Sydney media and sports administration. We certainly have a chip on our shoulders, but we are quite proud of it. The SOO rivalry is driven by Qld passion, and this was built by years of NSW dominance of the interstate competition, and their refusal to even acknowledge that the Queensland players in the NSW side made a difference. In rugby, we still hold a grudge from the mid 60s, the year NSW refused to send a team to play Queensland because they didn’t feel Qld would be competitive.
Nobody who was there will forget sitting in the Ballymore stand in 1976 chanting “we want 50″. Much more satisfying than “we are Red”!
Even today, NSW players in all codes, including cricket, dominate selections in a manner at odds with their performance. If Phil Hughes played in any other state we would never have heard of him. Last weekend the Australian schoolboys rugby team and Australia A were announced. 46 players in all. 10 from Queensland, a sprinkling from other states, and 30, fully 30, from NSW. This might surprise anybody who saw Queensland 1 coast through the tournament undefeated, including putting a massive 30 point second half on NSW 1 to win the final match.
Rugby league grand finals – locked to Sydney for ever. Doens’t matter if the final 4 teams are Melbourne, Cowboys, Titans and Broncos, they will all march off to Sydney and play in front of half full stadiums. Bledisloe Cups – locked to Sydney for the next 10 years.
The reason SOO would not work as well if extended is that we Queenslanders would struggle to maintain the rage against anybody other than the Blues.
July 12th 2011 @ 11:00am
Mals said | July 12th 2011 @ 11:00am | Report comment
Rugby league grand finals, Bledisloe Cups etc being played in Sydney happen simply because of economics… nothing to do with the fans. Tack 30,000 extra seats onto Suncorp stadium & the administrators of League & Union would change this Sydney centric focus very quickly.