In the aftermath of the opening game of the 2012 State of Origin series, it’s become popular practice, particularly north of the border, to label New South Wales as whingers.
The accusation didn’t miss anyone either. It’s been levelled at Blues captain Paul Gallen and his players, coach Ricky Stuart, assistant coach Trent Barrett, ex-Blues players who voiced their opinion, the Sydney media, and of course, the Blues fans.
Even yours truly was labelled a whinger after I wrote last week that the refereeing in game one was appalling.
I stand by what I wrote though, as I believe the officiating wasn’t up to Origin standard. It matters little to me that Bill Harrigan came out and defended his referees on Thursday. Even allowing for Hollywood’s explanations, at best you could call the three decisions in question 50/50 calls.
Everyone accepts that some decisions will actually be 50/50 judgment calls. You just hope you receive 50 percent in your favour. However, zero percent of the three biggest calls of the night went the Blues way.
But enough about the actual decisions from last Wednesday. What’s done is done, and it’s time to move forward and stop the so-called whinging.
So is the label fair? When it comes to rugby league, is it accurate to call New South Welshmen whingers?
The most obvious thing to point out is that sweeping statements, just like stereotypes, are a dangerous minefield to navigate. It’s not wise to pigeonhole an entire demographic.
Yet the easy counter-point is that no Queenslanders are actually doing that. Most Maroons are more or less telling their southern counterparts to accept the referees decision, move onto game two, and stop moaning about Origin I.
Which is a fair point.
However, it’s also an extremely easy position to take when it’s your team that won the game. It’s an effortless decision to take the high road when your state was the beneficiary of the controversial decisions. And above all, you tend to be slightly more relaxed about such matters when you’re riding a 6 year winning streak.
You’re only a whinger if you lose.
Or if you’re Mal Meninga.
In any event, the Queenslanders who have called the Blues whingers this week would appear to suffer from a very bad case of selective memory.
Those who complained about Gallen’s tone and language to the referees last Wednesday should remember that it was fairly tame compared to Gordon Tallis calling Bill Harrigan “a (expletive) cheat” to his face, and subsequently getting his marching orders.
The great Wally Lewis once earned time in the bin for dissent, proving The Emperor of Lang Park was the king of the odd whinge himself.
There are also unconfirmed reports that Bill Harrigan had to have ex-Queensland Maroons captain Adriam Lam surgically removed from his ear after the 2000 Origin series, such was Lam’s penchant for whining for the full 80 minutes.
And, as aforementioned, who could forget Mal Meninga’s almighty whinge after last year’s Origin series, when he went on a rant about rats and filth? It was arguably the greatest Origin whinge of all time.
As for the media, The Courier Mail excels itself when it comes to whinging. Parochial, biased and one-eyed, the propaganda in that particular newspaper would rival anything out of Nazi Germany in the 1930’s.
Yet, all of this is not to suggest that Queensland are bigger whingers than New South Wales.
And I’m certainly not arguing that New South Welshmen don’t whinge either.
Gallen’s post-match petulance after Game III last year still makes me cringe. As does Ray Price’s comment during the week that he would have led the Blues off the park in protest after Greg Inglis was awarded that try.
I’m also reliably informed by Queensland friends when they travel south, that the Sydney media is horribly bias and more than prone to a good old whinge.
I guess that indicates that you hear what you want to hear, and read what you want to read.
At the end of the day, both states are guilty of having a whinge.
My point is that State of Origin arouses intense passion. It stirs serious emotion. And with that passion and emotion comes irrational behaviour, attitudes and comments. After all, there are no more passionate and emotional beings than women, and we all know how irrational they can be!
State of Origin. It’s a time to be biased. It’s a time to be one-eyed. It’s a time when you love to hate your brethren from across the border.
It’s a time to whinge.
Especially if referee decisions keep favouring Queensland.
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League
Guest
I thought Mal took the criticism quite well. If he was a petulant brat (IE. Gallen, Stuart) then he would have responded to the Sydney media ASAP. He kept his cool and didn't let them have it until the team got the job done. He was just making sure they were held accountable. Mal should replace that Holmes bloke on Mediawatch :)
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League
Guest
Queenslanders won't mind having the 3rd match of the series. It'll give them a chance to see their team hold up the shield after they whitewash the cockroaches.
Matt
Guest
It's all a big conspiracy!
john
Guest
as you said wally got sin binned for decent gallen didnt and qld dont have the nsw's footy show's to call out the bad calls
Damo
Guest
Origin a farce? Get off the funny stuff. Look at the media hype it generates, the comments, the headlines, the stories. It's an amazing spectacle, great theatre, fantastic athletes. It's amazing.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
I never tried to defend the whinging. Guilty as (self) charged, and proud of it.
Yeah Sure
Guest
And no Roar writers are whingers. Unless you're Ryan. Articles defending whinging a week after the fact and the most replies I ever seen by a writer on the Roar trying to justify said whinging. That lost must have really got to you Ryan.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNCmIm00_ds
Ceebow
Guest
Get a life and a job
Ceebow
Guest
I agree tony archer, i dont understand why everyones still talking about Origin, 2012 origin is sealed and won as soon as that knock on was awarded a try, it works well for news ltd cause it stopped any possibillity of a dead rubber this year. Next yer is also another sealed victory for QLD cause they have the 2 games in suncorp which is nearly impossible for the blues to win at so i dont know why the boys are gonna bother playing soo 2 and 3 and 2013 soo cause its a done deal.
Roy
Guest
You've obviously never cast your eye over the Daily Tele, Davo ... if you ever do you'll be on the Qld bandwagon again in no time.
Sportz
Guest
Geez, awful lot of responses. Didn't bother actually reading them or the article for that matter. But hey, you did ask a question, so I'll give you an answer.... Yes.
Kim Hart
Guest
Spot on if Game 2 is a replice of Game 1 in terms of the NSW attack they will get thumped to nil. They can't rely on Slater having two bad games in succession.
Kim Hart
Guest
You sir are a liar. No Queenslander EVER has switched to supportiing the Blues for any reason.
Tony Archers Maroon Underwear
Guest
Bah I agree lets forget about SOO1...and 2 and 3 for that matter, Its a farce News Ltd will win origin is dead. NSW aren't even NSW anymore they've got Kiwis and Fijians playing for them and why wouldn't they Queensland select players from NSW, its become meaningless. Get rid of bye weeks, get rid of the cap, get rid of Origin and lets have tribal clubs fielding their best team every game in the Herculean effort of winning a premiership. Whinging now.... Origin is a bloated sacred cow, write a post free of profanities and offensive content criticising it and it most likely wont get published on half of the threads on this site (which is the best RL discussion board going). It seems we'd all rather live in the past rather than be truthful about what Origins become.
eagleJack
Guest
Interestingly part of the $12.5m proposal put forward by the Vic Govt to host an annual Origin game stipulates that they only receive Game I or II. So if this goes ahead then it will be Suncorp who holds Game III every year. No chance of any other since the ANZ deal is also in place. QLDers will have every right to whinge about that. And I'm sure will be a major stumbling block to get an annual Melb Origin over the line.
Stumpy
Roar Rookie
Grace or lack there of has nothing to do with it, it is simply a matter of professionalism. Ricky and every player had the right to express their disappointment but once done move on. What was it that cost NSW the game it wasn't the calls and there is nothing that the team or Stuart can do to alter how a ref with adjudicate on the night. Rather than thrashing around in the media the focus should be on what we can do better. Nsw did a great job at nullifying many of the strengths of the Qld game. However NSW's attack was predictable when running the ball and if Slater had played to his normal standard the tries from kick may not have eventuated. NSW need to look inward and hard at what they can deliver to change the result because no matter how righteous there complaints, NSW can only control what they do, the rest is out there waiting for the immortality of history and greatness to decide.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
I actually liked Meninga's outburst. It was passionate, honest and he didn't hold back. Nor was he worried about the reaction it would cause. I loved it. It's what Origin is all about. But - and there is no escaping this fact - it was a whinge of biblical proportions. One of the greatest the game has ever seen. And he copped no worse than Ricky Stuart regularly does. There is a ridiculous amount of irony in the fact you mention within the same comment that New South Welshmen can't take criticism, whilst highlighting that Mal clearly can't either.
rl
Guest
If Patrick Smith (who isn't a league-basher) can be bothered to write about it in our national rag, I'd say it's up there... honest injun.
Me too
Guest
NSW problem is in the head. Not as much pride in the jumper as the QLDers. The maroons no longer have the same 'us against the big boys' motivation that they once had, as they are well and truly the favourites in every series, yet they still get themselves up for these games and refuse to lose. The new underdogs just don't have that same pride in refusing to contemplate losing. They will lose and find reason for it - again and again. Start by getting rid of Stuart. Find someone that knows the buck starts and ends with the team.