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Dear NSW squad of seventeen: When you take the field for Origin One this year, I want you to be absolutely clear why you’re there. Origin transcends everything.
Let me give you an example…
Take Jamie Soward. As a Dogs fan (and I’m putting that mildly), I can’t stand the sight of that dancing midget in his white swim cap. I swore to all the Gods in the universe I’ll never forgive him as long as he lives and breathes, after “that” video ref incident in 2009.
But I have found the circumstance that may make me think twice, and that very circumstance comes dressed in a sky blue jersey.
If one J. Soward pilots us to a series win, clearly I will be forced to review my position on several levels. I imagine if I ever go to Thailand and get offered some shish-kebab tarantulas to eat, the feeling will be equally as foreign.
You see boys, origin transcends everything. Club rivalries die whenever a sky blue jersey gets worn.
I have Manly neighbours one one side, and Parramatta on the other. There’s mates from high school who love the Dragons, and a smattering of Tigers in my family.
The ill-feeling come Friday is thick as concrete on some weekends, but that being said, all of these people are instantly more tolerable come Origin time. All of a sudden Watmough is no longer an invisible suitcase carrying tool-bag. And Gallen is no longer a brain exploding thug merchant.
Among workmates, among neighbours, among your own family, the unity is an all encompassing hate when it comes to playing the canetoads.
In the 30 or so years of modern Origin football, we face a herculean obstacle in trying to extinguish Queensland’s dominance.
There is no hiding from it. The balance is crying out to be restored. The fans are aching for a series win.
And only you can do it fellas, you 17 men alone.
While we don’t wear the jersey onto the green grass of battle, make no mistake. When you lose we lose with you!
But you have to realise as fans we lose for longer. Losing Origin is a lonely venture for us. Some can easily distract a series loss with focus on their current NRL side to quell the pain, but some go away with nothing.
Now, it’s been five years! Count ’em! Five freakin’ years !!
I know not all of you have been present for the ride, and this note is not about personal accountability.
When you take the field for Origin one, it will not matter to me one iota which club you play for, where you came from, or what your journey represents. We, players and fans, are united in our hopes and dreams: Blue glory!
When you play in Origin one in the coming weeks, I want it to be absolutely clear …
We could pick any 17 to play footy. There are enough of us.
You don’t just represent yourself. You don’t just represent your club.
Or your family. Or your friends.
You represent me!
I’m the one who has to tolerate the bandwagon Queensland-supporting mates sledging YOU.
I’m the one who’ll get text messages, voicemails, Tweets and the like for days!
I’m the one who has to sit and listen to the cousins at BBQ’s crap on for another year on my birthday!
I’m the one in the stands, with the face-paint on, looking at the wrong end of the scoreline, and down the cup of a crap beer!
I’m the one who has to be nice next week to the office idiots sledging me, because I went to causal Friday dressed in the Blues jersey!
As you go about your Origin business, remember … you represent us, and you represent me!
Win it, and I’m the one who’ll be first to thank you for representing us properly.
When game time comes … find a face in the crowd … and WIN IT for them.
They deserve it. And so do I.
And so do we!
More info: State of Origin 2011 fixtures and kick-off times
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