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For all you less informed rugby-league followers, let me just clear something up for you.
Contrary to popular belief, the reason Queensland have won six State of Origin series in a row is simply because their current crop of players make up arguably the greatest representative side the game has ever seen.
End of story.
It has nothing to do with the famous (and imaginary) ‘Queensland spirit’, nor is it the result of a superior pride or passion for their state.
They are just better footballers.
The notion that Queensland cares more about Origin is offensive to all New South Welshman, and I for one am sick of hearing it.
I challenge anyone to go and find a player or fan of rugby league in New South Wales that says “I don’t care who wins State of Origin”. It is a ridiculous sentiment and one that has been too readily accepted as fact for far too long.
What people seem eager to forget is that prior to 2006 (before the current Queensland side came together) New South Wales and Queensland were locked at 12 series victories apiece, and 2005 saw New South Wales complete their own three-year domination of State of Origin.
At that time it was New South Wales that produced the better footballer, namely a bloke called Andrew ‘Joey’ Johns.
If you’re after some proof that Queensland’s super-human spirit is a myth, look no further than Game III of the 2000 series.
Legendary Queensland back-rower Gorden Tallis, a player who is supposed to epitomise everything that it is to be a Queenslander, cared about representing his state so much that he called for the game to be scrapped altogether, having already lost the series in Game II.
NSW put 56 points past Queensland that evening, which is a record flogging. I wonder where the Queensland spirit was on that occasion.
How about Game III of the 2005 series; everything was on the line, it was one game apiece going into the final match-up at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and Queensland were hot favourites.
It was the perfect stage for that Queensland mentality to come to the fore.
Well, New South Wales won 32 – 10 in front of over 52,000 screaming Queenslanders, having led 32-nil with five minutes to play. You wouldn’t say there was much spirit in that effort, would you?
NSW will go in to this 2012 series with every chance of winning. They will be well prepared by coach Ricky Stuart and it seems increasingly likely that the talented Todd Carney will make his long-overdue debut in a sky-blue jumper, perhaps providing that spark that New South Wales have been missing.
The more likely scenario, however, is that Johnathan Thurston, Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and now Cooper Cronk, will guide their Maroons outfit to a seventh-successive series victory.
NSW can pick the biggest, ugliest, toughest group of players they can muster, and come up with the greatest game plan rugby league has ever seen or heard about.
But there is no substitute for class, and Queensland has got it in spades.
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