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With the New South Wales State of Origin team set to be announced later this afternoon, Origin fever has reached epidemic proportions along the Eastern seaboard.
Criticism of team selections has become a sporting pursuit for Blues fans in recent years, and regardless of who gets picked to represent NSW in 2016, the selectors will cop a pasting from the waiting army of keyboard warriors.
Origin fever brings out the selector in all of us, and as someone who is always happy to cave to even the slightest hint of peer pressure, I obediently sat down and thought about the NSW side I would pick for Game I. Unfortunately, I found it hard to move past the fact that the best player on the Blues’ team sheet was listed under “coach”.
More Origin:
» 2016 State of Origin
» State of Origin fixtures
» State of Origin teams
After a quick nostalgic detour through Daley’s abundant Origin highlights on YouTube, I found something inherently therapeutic in reminiscing about NSW players who have actually won an Origin series. So instead of worrying about the make-up of the current squad, I have instead created a list of the greatest NSW representatives of all time.
Fullback: Garry Jack (17) – The 1987 Golden Boot recipient was a mainstay in the Blues line-up during the second half of 80s. While his flowing golden locks were more befitting of the Crown Prince of Norway, Jack was not afraid to take the tough carries from the back of the field. Safer than a nun’s virginity under the high ball, Garry gets the nod ahead of Count Minichiello and Tim Brasher.
Wing: Andrew Ettingshausen (27) and Jarryd Hayne (20) – ET may have played the bulk of his Origin career in the centres, but he debuted for NSW on the wing. Blessed with a rare combination of strength and speed, the Cronulla hero certainly possessed the physical requirements needed to dominate on the wing.
Having to make fewer tackles out wide also helped to preserve his photogenic profile for future televised fishing adventures.
Hayne is the prototypical outside back of the modern era – big, strong, lighting fast and more closely resembling an Ivy bouncer that a rugby league player. The NFL discard always saved his best footy for Origin, and almost singlehandedly dragged NSW across the line to break a series drought which seemed to extend for decades.
Hayne narrowly gets the nod ahead of Rod Wishart, as images of the Steelers legend wading through molasses after breaking the Queensland line and being caught from behind by prop Martin Lang cannot be erased from the memory bank.
Centre: Michael O’Connor and Laurie Daley – O’Connor used his raw pace and elusive running style to wreak havoc on the Queensland defensive line, and was usually good for more points than a quiver of arrows. The former Wallaby was also responsible for one of the most iconic moments in NSW Origin history, when he potted a sideline conversion in the driving rain to seal victory for the Blues in Game II of the 91 series.
Those who say that NSW players lack passion and desire certainly weren’t watching Loz go around in his pomp. Daley was the complete footballer, equally adept at cutting Canetoads in half with a punishing hit or busting through a defensive line.
Daley would be in any discussion for the greatest Blues player of all time. Pity he is a rubbish selector.
Five-eighth: Brad Fittler – Like many NSW superstars, Fittler’s versatility meant he endured a nomadic existence in the Blues line-up. Freddie excelled in both the 6 and 13 jerseys, where his imposing physique and ankle-breaking side step made him near impossible to tackle, particularly in open space.
Thanks to his ties with the Panthers and Roosters, Fittler was the shining ornament on the hood of Gus Gould’s wildly successful Origin machine.
Halfback: Andrew Johns – The 8th Immortal and Lord Mayor of Newcastle dominated the State of Origin arena like few before him. Joey possessed a sublime kicking game, rock-solid defence and the ability to lift those playing alongside him. It is comical to think that early in his career, Johns was overlooked at halfback in favour of John Simon, a fact which Simon manages to work into most conversations.
Prop: Paul Harragon and Glenn Lazarus – The Chief and the Brick with Eyes. While they may sound more like a flamboyant pro-wrestling tag team than a pair of blue collar props, these two mammoth mountains of meat were a fearsome front-row force for the Blues.
The Chief simplified his playing style to Neanderthal level – run straight, run hard, and don’t stop running until decorated with multiple Maroon jerseys. It is a little-known fact that fellow Novocastrian Daniel Johns wrote a hit song about Harragon’s direct playing style.
Senator Lazarus brought a different set of skills to the table. While he was an impenetrable wall in defence and revelled in grinding out the tough metres in attack, Lazarus also possessed the silky skills not usually associated with a man of his considerable girth.
He played like a halfback trapped in John Candy’s body, and this added another dimension to the Blues’ attack.
Hooker: Benny Elias (22) – The Tripoli Trojan possessed a nuggety toughness rarely seen in the modern day hooker. Reliable in defence and providing great service from dummy half, the former Tiger enjoyed a stellar career in the Blue.
It’s impossible to forget that iconic image of a battered and bruised Backdoor Benny, his face a proverbial crimson mass, hugging his mother after helping NSW to victory in the 1992 series decider. Such heroic resilience in the face of an obvious medical need is what rugby league is all about.
Second Row: Wayne Pearce and Paul Gallen – Junior was the ultimate rugby league professional. A renowned cleanskin and teetotaller, Pearce’s work ethic and leadership were the stuff of legend. He captained NSW to their first ever series clean sweep in 1987, and would later go on to coach the side to a series victory in 2000. Pity the apple fell so far from the tree.
Gallen has been an Origin institution during the Blues historic run of defeats. He delighted in taking the baton from Joey Johns to become the most hated man south of the Tweed, and now the very mention of his name causes Queensland fists to clench and blood to boil. The reformed grub is best known in Origin circles for his heroic 80 minute performance at prop in the 2011 series; however this feat was later polluted by the possibility of peptides. He also famously punched on with Nate Myles, but judging by the big Queenslander’s reaction, Gallen would struggle to knock the froth off a schooner.
Lock: Brad Clyde – During the height of his powers, Clyde was widely viewed as the best forward of his generation, or any generation for that matter. The boy from Belconnen was flawless in defence and a damaging runner of the football, but it was his tireless work-rate which set him apart from his peers. Clyde was a driving force of the NSW squad which won three series on the trot from 92-94, although injury robbed the great man of chance to participate in the 1993 series.
Coach: Phil Gould – Regardless of what you think of Gus as a commentator, there can be no doubting his coaching chops at Origin level. Gould guided NSW to 5 series victories during two stints as coach, making him the most successful Blues Origin coach of all time. The added bonus of having Gus as coach is that he can’t deliver a windy pregame monologue, or remonstrate endlessly on the dire state of rugby league.
Stayed tuned for One Week’s greatest Queensland side of all time, which will be released on Wednesday.
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