Queensland prop Steve Price is tackled during Queensland v New South Wales State of Origin Game 3 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Wednesday, July 15, 2009. AAP Image/Dave Hunt
It might have been brutal and bloody, and that might be a guilty pleasure these days, but I’m going to enjoy it for as long as possible.
New South Wales finally looked like they had Queensland’s measure in the passion and aggro stakes, they finally looked like they wanted it, finally looked like they cared just as much as the blokes in the mythical Maroon jumper.
Sure there were a few mistakes. But you show me a match without errors and I’ll show you a dull, robotic contest.
Sure the inevitable phone calls to talk back radio will come from concerned mothers about how their little darlings will be scarred for life after seeing two blokes belting each other (supposedly more harmful than two decades of crap parenting).
But for a contest which is supposedly lacking the passion of yesteryear, there seemed to be plenty on show.
Even the fans at Lang Park got into the act by throwing their occupational health and safety compliant plastic cups onto the ground. Or maybe they were just making it easier for the cleaners.
For the first time since the Lewis era, there seems to be players keen to cast themselves in the role of pantomime villain. Maybe the names Hodges and Barrett will now be used as jibes in school yards on the respective sides of the border.
I don’t know which moment from Hodges will be more memorable: his acrobatic leap in an attempt to score or his gesturing to the Blues players to step outside after the late brawl.
Maybe it is impossible to separate genius from madness.
Of course, where to now for the Blues selectors?
Their campaign started with the focus on youth and ended with the best performance coming from a side with the oldest halves combination on record.
Could you really dump Barrett and Kimmorley, particularly the latter, on account of their age?
There are some players who just look built for Origin. A Watmough and T. Learoyd-Lars would be the first forwards named on my New South Wales team for next year.
And where to for the administrators?
Of course, everyone raves about wanting to return to the good ol’ days and the tough stuff did seem to excite the public. But no one wants to see blokes getting their heads taken off by some Les Boyd throwback.
Does Origin deserve special treatment?
Queensland head into next year, looking for five straight, but potentially without some of the old stagers who have been the core of their domination.
However, seeing it’s Queensland, it will probably be hard to tell the difference.
Whatever happens in the future, David Gallop probably had his best night’s sleep in months. Origin 2010 is certainly looking bankable.
Just make sure they bring the biff.
Richard Brockhurst
Guest
Noddy got involved in the Price- White fight He was grabbing at Prices arms because White was copping a beating. White knows Price is distracted and puts in a big one. I've seen it all before.
ThelmaWrites
Guest
Thanks again, MyGeneration! Meantime, back to the Dogs v Titans!
MyGeneration
Roar Guru
Well, I thought it was that whole White-Price thing. I think it was at the start of the play that led up to the try. Only working off memory, though. Hope I haven't led anyone astray, and hope you aren't talking out of your pocket (lot of people might have been on the NSW 13+). Remember, bet responsibly :-)
ThelmaWrites
Guest
MyGeneration Thank you! At the expense of appearing pedantic, what was the foul play? and then I'll go back and watch that part of the game again.
MyGeneration
Roar Guru
Thelma, foul play in the lead up to the try. No try.
ThelmaWrites
Guest
Can we please go back to the game itself? Why was the last try adjudged No Try? I plead ignorance.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
In fairness, they are still excellent numbers all round - with the series decided by the 3rd game, it's understandable that there is a bit of a drop off. If potential viewers had known there was going to be a bit of biffo - I daresay those 200,000 would have hung around for the 3rd game!!
Michael C
Guest
D.O.W. we've got regional centres......Geelong, .....and Adelaide......;-)
DogsOfWar
Roar Rookie
Once it included regionals the 2nd game was the highest rating Origin of all time. Unlike the AFL, it's not just about Capital Cities with the NRL having teams in many regional centres.
MVDave
Guest
Interesting TV ratings for the game and series; Game 1 Syd Melb Bris Adel Perth 1 State Of Origin Rugby League NSW V Qld 1st - Match Nine 2,287,000 971,000 328,000 834,000 73,000 82,000 Game 2 1 State Of Origin Rugby League Nsw V Qld 2nd - Match Nine 2,091,000 812,000 321,000 800,000 67,000 90,000 Game 3 2 State Of Origin Rugby League NSW V Qld 3rd – Match Nine 1,842,000 795,000 268,000 647,000 67,000 65,000 So the games rated very well but dropped 200,000 for the 2nd and then another 200,000 for the 3rd games, 20% drop off through the series...3rd game dead rubber but l heard there was no such thing in SOO? Is this normal? Interestingly the Melb audience dropped by 20% over the course of the series. So was it the extra publicity of having the 1st game in Melb that brought the bigger audience and how do the Melb figures compare from past series?
DogsOfWar
Roar Rookie
C'mon mushi, greg bird was a dog. What he did off the field is just a reflection of society in general these days. Lucky for him he is allowed to play in France, even the UK wouldn't accept him.
Mushi
Guest
What about greg bird, you know when he has to fight a man or at least go unarmed versus a woman?
Westy
Guest
Yikes your normal balance left you a little. I watched and enjoyed the great series between Boks and Lions. There were certain incidents there two one would rather forget but overall they were tremendous rugby contests. I saw aNSW team playing with a passion for their state I had not seen for some time. Anyway go the wallabies .
Westy
Guest
AS my son said take out the fight in the last minute and a half and what it was was a great no holds barred physical confrontation . But the skill started to flow in the second half with those 9 linebreaks from the Reds and Blues. Hayne and Inglis are exhilerating to watch. Hayne is more athletic than campese but may not be as fast but both have this element of creating defensive uncertainty from inane situations. Some of those 30 metre or more passes to Inglis in the second half were brilliant. Inglis and Hayne are wonderous to behold and if Hodges could keep his mouth shut he is a fine rugby league attacking and defensive ( he does read lines unlike some others)rugby league centre. Boyd ain't to bad either. If ever a player was designed to niggle it is Ennis . Who can forget Crocker chasing him around at the end. Now to the Wallabies v Blacks on Saturday . Great week for rugby league/ rugby in Australia. Any rugby follower who did not appreciate Inglis in full flight /his fend/ Hodges acrobatics/ the covering tackles of Kimmorely and gidley/ the covering play of Barrett reading short kicks/ sustained defensive aggression / dangerous aggressive running of Watmough / Hodges defensive lines and Kimmorely kick chase and immediate second and third efforts in defence would find it difficult to appreciate all the skills of rugby. Kimmorely came the closest his second third and fourth efforts in the last 15 minutes extraordinary Different games but as Deans says some commonality of skills. Not to recognise it means I think you miss something in the more complex game of rugby union. This was a passionate and good game of rugby league which displayed some damn good rugby skills. Noddy's covering tackle on Inglis would have bought a smile to his fellow Novacastrians Burgess and Hipwell as well as Johns and Finch. Something in the water up there keep producing half backs who can tackle in both codes.
Dave
Guest
Brett Whit, Ben Ross is a one off exception that proves the rule
Lewie
Guest
Dave, "If Hodges thinks he can make threats against Cronulla, he is kidding himself. When is the last time a Cronulla player ever come out worst in a confrontation like this?" March 2008, Brett White smacked the snot out of Ben Ross after Ross had elbowed Cooper Cronk in the head.
Richard Brockhurst
Guest
Bill You should be a crimminal defence barrister.
Jameswm
Guest
I agree - {rice should have got the same penalty as White. It's not White's fault that he landed one.
Michael C
Roar Guru
Andrew - apologies - replace "King hit" with "KO'd". btw - any truth to the rumour there'll be a Hall vs White fight on the next Danny Green undercard?? Crosscoder - 2 distinct issues I guess - one was the Wilsons vs the video running during their comments - - perhaps that was unfortunate, perhaps they didn't realise that the video editor was showing the punch about 4 times. The other one is the attitude of the game towards 2 blokes standing toe to toe and belting each other. It doesn't happen too often - but, it does happen and it's seemingly accepted and often applauded. Normally, one of the guys isn't knocked out cold - - so, granted, it's NOT a normal situation. - -
Bill
Guest
Agreed Jameswm. If Price had got up off the deck instead of being put to sleep by White we would not hear any complaining about Waterhouse from Queenslanders. If White had been sin binned then of course so should Price have been. It is immaterial that he was not fit to continue playing because it ensures that QLD would not have been able to replace him.