For the 14th time in the last 19 games, the Queensland Maroons have been gifted victory by way of devious cheating.
The treachery, which carried Queensland to a thoroughly undeserved 18-10 victory in front of an uninterested, Origin-hating Melbourne crowd of 53,000, has served to once again highlight the old truism that nice guys (like Ricky Stuart and Paul Gallen) finish last.
Poor old NSW, led by the saintly captain-coach duo, stood tall as representatives of all that is fair and good and decent about sport, while maroon-clad villains shamelessly exploited the bias and weakness of all rugby league officialdom to claim the win.
NSW’s ball movement was stunningly slick against the clueless Maroon defence. Mitchell Pearce showed once again what a young star he is, Jarryd Hayne was a mind-blowing superman, Greg Bird was heroic and magnificent, Todd Carney was spectacular, and Paul Gallen led from the front with honour, integrity and respect.
Queensland, comparatively, were sluggish with the ball in hand and defensively weak against the marching band of blue-clad ultramen. I agree with Roy Masters, Queensland probably shouldn’t even bother showing up for Game 2. This NSW team is amazing!
Or so it seemed for a few brief, sad hours on Wednesday morning (Toronto time), before I managed to track down a pub showing a replay of the game.
Up until that happy coming together of the day’s first pint with the game’s first hit-up, I’d been forced to rely solely on Facebook updates and the Sydney Morning Herald (I don’t read Courier Mail) for news of all things Blue and Maroon.
After seeing the game however, I had a slightly different perspective.
For instance, for all their supposedly brilliant ball movement, NSW only managed two tries from kicks (neither of which was particularly clean anyway), while Queensland’s stiff, predictable backline (featuring a number of the game’s all-time greats) produced two classic sweeping movements to reach the line.
Furthermore, Michael Jennings actually deserved his sin-binning (you can’t sprint in and throw wild blindside punches and expect to get away with it), and the final Inglis try, while a bit of a head-scratcher, did not change the result. Queensland were actually ahead at that stage…
Now, apparently Ricky Stuart – the same man previously sacked from both his clubs for being a poor coach, and his Australia post for being a sore loser and all-round hateful person – is considering quitting his job in protest.
Protest against what exactly? Coming up against a better side?
This would be the move of a remarkably bitter, twisted and delusional human being. This is not the action of the saintly, rugby league-loving rogue that The Daily Telegraph, in particular, had me believing him to be.
Surely the Ricky Stuart portrayed within their pages would be too busy teaching the homeless how to throw a flick pass, or showing underpriveleged children how to kick a drop goal, to get so worked up about a perceived refereeing mistake (that didn’t actually change the result).
Or perhaps I am being unfair. Perhaps Queensland’s dominance is indeed the result of some bizarre anti-NSW conspiracy (perpetrated, shockingly, by the NSW-dominated rugby league administration).
Perhaps this conspiracy, which has so far seen matches taken to Queensland-loving Melbourne and referees placed under strict orders to ensure Queensland win, has spread so far that even NSW’s players have been drawn in.
Todd Carney’s succession of knock-ons and missed touch-finders are clear proof of this; the man is also clearly in on the Maroon payroll! The same could also perhaps be said of Akuile Uate, who let tryscoring dud Darius Boyd outside him twice.
Not content with stealing the best Blue talent, Queensland are now paying off those left behind to play poorly! The more I think about it the more it makes sense.
Queensland, you fiends! You evil, cheating, horrible fiends!
Ricky has had enough and I can’t blame him. The stench of Maroonyness has grown too strong in rugby league. It sickens me. If the NSW rugby league had given me a rich, six-figure salary to work three weeks a year, I’d quit it too. That’d teach those bastards for not supporting me! Go forth Ricky, you inspiration.
Epiquin
Guest
Yeah coz thaiday hasn't done the exact same thing every match since he debuted...
LM
Guest
The amount of people in here who can't sense sarcasm is scary. I would hate to be at a party with you people, it would be the most mundane affair in the history of man.
marek kreisler
Guest
All jokes aside the better side lost on the night. The ridiculous calls hurt the blues. Greg Bird's tackle the pinnacle of farceness. If that was a dangerous tackle then there should be 10 penalties every match. Jennings is only doing what that qld thug Thaiday has done for years. And why wasnt anyone that actually instigated the fight cautioned or sinbinned. And the Inglis try...50/50 but after a night of biased/incompetent refereeing it didnt surprise me that it was a try. Makes for an interesting game two and hopefully those two pork chops are stood down.....
Mushi
Guest
Two way street Dan. You're the guy prattling on about referees not automatically deserving respect. So if authority figures don't deserve your respect why should a state which has been blaming the ref get ours?
Mushi
Guest
I had the same view but then thought wasn't that you can't attempt to hold the ball up via your feet? I didn't really seek out the clarification though. a penalty opens a new can of worms regarding a sin bin for a professional foul.
Kim Hart
Guest
I can only assume they wish to bring in the rule that QLD are not allowed to score any points for any reason. Even then there would probably still be tears from the offices of the Daily Telegraph.
Lazy Ted Failyou
Guest
Was at the match, that Cochroach Jennings through that punch from behind one of his team mates in ohh so couragous fashion is what cost NSW the match. They were down a man which ended up in a try. Jennings should never be allowed back, gutless wonder!
Dan the 1st
Guest
No you're right champ. That statement was in relation to the article and it's point, albeit in humour I know......
WQ
Guest
Dan the 1st I don't want to kick anybody while they are down, certainly not my intention.
WQ
Guest
Pat I agree, I always thought it was a penalty and as such believe it should have been a penalty try. However I am happy to accept the refs ruling that it was accidental however still kicked therefore removing the knock on from Inglis
Pat Chomsky
Guest
WQ, if Farah tried to kick the ball out of Inglis' hands then it should be a penalty. You cannot kick the ball out of the ball carriers hands.
Dan the 1st
Guest
Ever heard of humility in victory, QLDrs? Did get a laugh out of the article though. But still smacks of kicking us while we're down, a QLD mentality?
mushi
Roar Guru
Using the very secretive and exclusive website that we insiders know as Google (please don’t tell anyone) I was able to track down 5 million references to the rule book. Looking at one of these I discovered the following… Section 2 (the glossary) covers knock ons, accidental strikes, rebounds and ricochets etc. The core rule here is the knock on which has the requirement of “while playing the ball”. Rebounds and Ricochets are treated as Accidental strikes so do not result in “playing the ball”. Hence I think it was Harrigan that referred to it as a rebounded or riccohets off Inglis. Here, as per WQ’s query, the issue becomes did Robbie play at it. If the answer is yes then he effectively he “stole” the ball which results in play continuing (section 11.9 stealing ball). So then the next question becomes did Greg then play at after play is continued or did he simply complete the motion he was already in (in which case it is a ricochet or rebound). The video referee essentially rules that Robbie played at the ball and Greg simply completes the motion he was already in (accidental strike) and only actively plays at the ball AFTER it bounces so no knock on. So back to WQ’s point, which you found so imbecilic, the point of contention is with the interpretation of Robbie and Gregs actions unless you want to take the accidental strike out of the rule book.
WQ
Guest
Nice Kim Hart, now that is funny!
WQ
Guest
Yes Pat that is what I am saying, he definitely kicked the ball out of his hands.
mushi
Roar Guru
slow day, leaves too much time for sarcasm
Will Sinclair
Guest
Ah Mushi - it's like shooting fish in a barrell for you, isn't it?
Will Sinclair
Guest
Not the team Pete - the fans! Being dominant means you're going to get people trying every trick to drag you down (see Man Utd, Aust Cricket, Melb Storm as examples). The real class acts just roll with the barbs. The Queensland fans seem to be letting them get under their skin.
Kim Hart
Guest
I think it is a Malaysian flat bread.
WQ
Guest
Whats a salary cap roter?