Bring back New South Wales v Queensland

But rugby also has largely a two state setup, at least in terms of those states that actually develop players.

Probably one of those inconvenient truths that back when Qld/NSW games were arguably at their most intense (in the late 70's early 80's) Qld teams had blokes like Geoff Shaw and Cornelson running around (and at the end of that period Michael O'Connor). The good old days weren't necessarily quite as good as we might think (in that respect anyway)!

No thread for it yet, but just wanted to say "great night!" Go the Reds!

would have to have richard brown at no.8 and a spot for Chisolm on the bench as well. Paul warwick is also still doing a great job for Munster, and would have been capped by Ireland years ago if hadn't played sevens for Aus. Is Daley a QLD'er all i know about him is that his dad played origin for NSW.

Schifcofske was born and raised in QLD mate

I'm not a fan of state-of-origin. It works well for rugby league with its two state setup, but I like the cricket concept where players can move from state to state through choice. There's an old Graham Connors song - "home is not where you're born but where you want to die". With have no choice where we're born, but hopefully we have a choice where we want to die. And live, & play our sport.....

Stillmissit, Those who advocate South Australia as the missing link in Australian rugby's expansion need not worry - The Qld Reds are the new South Australian provincial team, in their bright scarlet uniform!!! When SA is admitted to the S36 (?!?!), the Reds will move to Adelaide, freeing Queensland to return to a team wearing Maroon!!! Whenever that will be..... (with collars)..... On a more serious note, expansion is always associated with growth pains. The long-term future well-being of Australian rugby must be accompanied by short-term pain. However, if the ARU is serious about admitting the Rebels, they might facilitate their entry a little more helpfully than is currently the case. All 4 current provinces must give a bit in order to make Victoria competitive. However, we want to avoid the wanton destruction that occurred especially to Queensland in 2005-06 when the WA Force entered the S14. The pain for admitting Victoria must be shared more or less equally. Next year promises to be a great year for Australian rugby, providing the Rebels are given a fair deal. We will be able to witness 20 games in Australia between the 5 provinces, all playing each other twice, once at home & once away. I am a tough critic of the ARU & Australian rugby, & will continue to be so, but there are some promising signs ahead. I can't wait for 2011, S15 super rugby with the World Cup at the end of the year..........

Mackenzie is from Victoria. NSW poached him years ago

I'd take Turinui over the turnstyle that is Kurtley Beale.

Correct me if I'm wrong but Latham was born and bred in Narrabri, NSW before coming down and playing for Randwick for about 4/5 years before moving to Qld because he was stuck behind Matt Burke.

Ewen McKenzie (NSW) (coach) - because the ARU prevented the QRU from hiring Connolly for Foley in 2011 Dan Braid (NZ) - Is it NZ or NSW you are talking about? I'm confused. He's a marquee import. Ezra Taylor (NZ) - Brisbane born, like Sekope Kepu is Sydney born. Did you have a point here? Dayna Edwards (NZ-NSW) - Another New Zealander who spent one season in Sydney. A Faingaa (ACT) - S Faingaa (ACT) - Not New South Welshmen are they? Also, I would not have hired them at the time and have seen nothing to make me change my mind. Leroy Houston ( NZ NSW) - Blame Eddie Jones. Van Humphries (NSW) - Moree is about 20km over the border, and he learned his rugby in Brisbane. Adam Byrnes (NSW) - Likes punching New South Welshmen. How could Qld not offer him a contract? Digby Ioane (VIC) - Learned his rugby at Nudgee. Jack Kennedy (ACT) - Yep, our 4th string THP was a key acquisition. Lei Tomiki (NSW) - I didn't like this either. Laurie Weeks (NSW) - The Tahs gave Tilse a 4 year contract. Morgan Turinui (NSW) - I thought this was a mistake at the time. Still do. Nice enough guy, and I suppose after the Farce pinched a bunch of players and academy players - and still are - we had to look elsewhere to fill gaps. Still, you will notice that none of those players were "poached" from anywhere else: its not like we took a NSW captain from the Tahs to fix a 25-year hole in a key position. You did make my point about Mowen, and he would be welcome back - one youthful error can be forgiven.

You don't think the ACT would have enough home grown players for a team? It would certainly have more than Vic/WA. People forget the last time an all ACT side played NSW - they won, scoring 40 points in the process. It's a professional sport now. Players are going to move. You might not like sponsors but they pay the bills (and if you think 15 years after professionalism that players would go back to playing for nothing you are sorely mistaken - the Japanese comp, France, England, Ireland and the NRL would have them all signed within minutes). The sooner NSW an Queensland abandon this silly notion they represent their states the better. North Sydney Waratahs and Brisbane Reds. The Red's game in Townsville a couple of years ago got a simply pathetic crowd and try finding a person south of Wollongong who supports the "Tahs". The sooner rugby stops trying to replicate State of Origin and moves on the better. Origin is something we will never be able to copy. How about we focus on actually getting a second professional team into Sydney first! Sydney is too big to be a one team town. Even Soccer and the AFL are getting 2 pro teams in Sydney and we had a 130 year head start!

"If you cant see the difference between Barnes and Mowen on a moment’s glance, then nothing I can say will enlighten you." Gimme a break!!! Mate, the only difference between these two blokes is that you wanted to keep one and didn't care about the other bloke! They're both born and bred Qlders. And when Barnes hoofed it the average qld rugby fan spat it big time. Where were the tears when Mowen left? You guys are pretty quick to poach from NSW when the opportunity arises. Latham hadn't even been to Qld on holidays until he was 21 and couldn't make the NSW starting team, and now he's a true Qlder!! What a load of tripe! Here's a few more great Qlders for you..... all born and bred from anywhere but Qld. Recent: Chris Latham (NSW) Micheal Foley (NSW) Sam Cordingley (NSW) Clinton Schifcovski (ACT) Current: Ewen McKenzie (NSW) (coach) Dan Braid (NZ) Ezra Taylor (NZ) Dayna Edwards (NZ-NSW) A Faingaa (ACT) S Faingaa (ACT) Leroy Houston ( NZ NSW) Van Humphries (NSW) Adam Byrnes (NSW) Digby Ioane (VIC) Jack Kennedy (ACT) Lei Tomiki (NSW) Laurie Weeks (NSW) Morgan Turinui (NSW) Fair dinkum, you might as well be supporting the tahs as well!!

only happen if the third tier comp was established, super rugby transferred over to a southern H-cup, and then would be an opportunity for a rugby state of origin.

Stillmissit, there's always going to be calls for the revival of the old State of the Union games, and that's fine, but what about x number of years down the track when there are genuine ACT, Vic, and WA players at the top level (Vanderglas, Lealiifano, and Haylett-Petty, instantly come to mind)? Who do they play for? Could you draw a line from Esperence to Tweed Heads and play it as a North v South thing as a once a year game instead??

I used schoolboy rugby as my test, but I will admit Latham is a error on that category. He is a real Queenslander though, despite his unfortunate birth. If you cant see the difference between Barnes and Mowen on a moment's glance, then nothing I can say will enlighten you.

IMO grew up and learnt your rugby there would work for me, and if you had to put a date on it, minimum of high school years spent there. (Though that may only be a couple of years for a lot of Qlanders!!!!! Joke!!!!)