Another year, another Queensland State of Origin victory. While some New South Welshmen will find solace in the fact that the Blues appear to be inching closer to an elusive series win, the harsh reality is that the 2012 State of Origin series concluded with an all-too-familiar result.
The Queensland Maroons won their seventh consecutive series, and did it the hard way, winning by a single point in game three, courtesy of a late Cooper Cronk field goal.
It was a hard fought series, with some of the most bruising and punishing defence in Origin history. As the book closes on another chapter of Origin football – this one probably named ‘Petero’s farewell’ – we analyse four observations from the 2012 series.
1. Please, no whinging from the Blues or their fans
While I’d like to consider myself an objective sports writer, come Origin time it’s hard to put one’s loyalties to the side. Truth be told, I like the banter between the two states at this time of year, I enjoy the one-eyed bias that accompanies it, and I have no hesitation in getting involved in a little bit of it myself.
Part of that bias is obviously concentrated on refereeing decisions. Yet I want no part of blaming the officials for last night’s result.
In my opinion, the refereeing throughout the entire series was not up to Origin standard, and game three was no exception. However, I don’t think it was unbalanced at Suncorp Stadium, and therefore played little role in the actual outcome. It was bad both ways.
In terms of the most contentious call of the night – the Justin Hodges try – I have zero issue with the decision. In fact, I’m still trying to work out how anyone could claim that it was a shepherd. It was a try, no doubt at all.
Brad Fittler called it the worst decision he’s ever seen in Origin. However, this was the same man that said Ben Creagh had suffered a ‘twenty seven centimetre’ cut to his head. Get a ruler out Freddy – if Creagh had a 27cm cut, his brain would be popping out.
Queensland won fair and square. Jog along, whingers.
2. Have a rest, Mitchell
You’d have to think Mitchell Pearce would be at long odds to get another shot at Origin next year.
All series long, in the most important position on the park, Pearce offered little in attack. He rarely threatened the line, had no dynamism or subtlety with his passing, and his kicking lacked variety, skill and precision.
In fact, it was interesting to notice the Blues utilise different kickers in attack last night, particularly Robbie Farah and Jarryd Hayne. What does it say about your halfback when the hooker and winger are preferred options with the boot?
Pearce supporters point to his defence when they argue his case for selection. However, he missed plenty of tackles in this series, and none were more costly than his miss on Johnathan Thurston in the first half, which led to a crucial Maroons try seconds later.
Despite never really nailing down his spot, Pearce has played halfback for the Blues since game three in 2008. And yet he is still to guide his team to a series win. While the reason for the Blues lack of success cannot be attributed to just one player, Pearce can’t continue to be given a free ride in the number seven jersey when his performances for NSW do not warrant it.
After all, what’s the opposite of “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it”?
3. The Blues choked
For two years in a row, the Blues have saved their worst game for the deciding match of the series.
For all the progress that many feel the Blues have made, at the end of the day, they still face the reality of losing another series. Improvement is irrelevant at this level of football. Winning is the only thing that matters.
The frustration for Blues fans with last night’s loss is not just that the Blues failed to win, it’s the fact they played dreadfully. Missed tackles. Dropped ball. Poor kicking. Forced passes. Kicking the ball out on the full on a restart.
These were not ‘positive’ mistakes, but fundamental errors that you would chastise a schoolboy for making. It was dumb football, and it was ugly to watch the Blues self combust.
It wasn’t just errors of execution either.
The Blues persistent kicking early in the tackle count was nothing short of baffling. It certainly wasn’t a case of the Maroons defenders being out of position and the Blues attempting to catch them off guard; NSW were kicking early in the tackle count to locations on the field that were well covered.
Queensland didn’t play exceptional football, but they made fewer mistakes, and took their opportunities when they were presented. The Blues, on the other hand, were woeful.
When you’re outplayed, you give credit to the opposition, and take the loss on the chin. But when you lose the series by a single point, and you’ve shot yourself in the foot, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.
4. In Queensland’s seven year reign, this was their most impressive series win
When a team’s success is labelled a dynasty, you can be assured that many impressive victories have been earned, and such is true of Queensland’s seven years of domination.
Yet, I tend to believe this was their most impressive series win yet.
The Blues have definitely closed the talent gap, and actually played better than Queensland for large amounts of the series. It looked like NSW were finally going to break the Maroons’ stranglehold on the Origin trophy, but the Maroons simply refused to let go.
Despite not playing great football, carrying some older members of the squad, Cooper Cronk delivering a sub-par series, Billy Slater playing hurt and then being ruled out of the decider and the Blues mounting plenty of pressure upon them, the Maroons still found a way to win.
Though we always like to witness a gifted team show off their sublime skills, sometimes it’s even more impressive when said team has to call on different talents, like resolve, grit and intelligence.
Bravo Queensland, all kudos to you, because you’ve really earned this victory.
And, annoyingly, your fans have earned another year of gloating.
Locky666
Guest
Is that right? Where was the legendary Peter Sterling born, in Toowoomba, which happens to be in QLD, right. I guess that's all okay when NSW were dominating Origin but different story now QLD have won 7 in a row regarding Greg Inglis's birth place. I would like Mals to name all the players representing QLD who were born in NSW. Come on, dieing to know who these players are!
A1
Guest
You've never read or seen Queenslanders treat New South Welshmen unsavorily? You're the one with Maroon tinted glasses on. You're so one eyed, it's hilarious. "Queensland's feral fans turned on some of their worst behaviour and directed it at the families of the Blues stars on Wednesday night. Greg Bird was forced to watch his sister booted from Suncorp Stadium after his family was abused by fans throughout the night. And Brett Stewart had to endure some horrible taunts that angered officials in the Blues team. Bird's family members were set upon by fans, who kept calling him a ''glasser'' in reference to his well-documented drama in 2008 with his girlfriend at the time. Bird was eventually found not guilty of the charge. Bird's mum Iris eventually lost patience and threw a drink on those giving it to her son. His sister got involved when things got heated and was removed from the area. Luke Lewis's mum Sharon also defended Iris. It happened at the end of the game, with Bird watching on from the field. He was concerned at the time. The attacks on Stewart were verbal - after he scored his try, the fans broke into a chant of ''rapist'' - referring to a horrible time in Stewart's life when he was stitched up by a crazy father who targeted him. Stewart was acquitted of all charges. The Blues fullback rarely gets fazed by anything, but it angered those in team management."
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Do you want a cuddle?
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League
Guest
I've been hearing New South Welshmen on this site ridicule Queenslanders constantly since I first started posting on here. I rarely, if ever, see Queenslanders treat the New South Welshmen on here as unsavourily. If you and Ryan haven't noticed it then you're obviously viewing the board with rose-coloured glasses.
A1
Guest
And I'd be lying if I said I hadn't witnessed the same. But there are just as many Queenslsnders just as bad. And you're one of them. You say New South Welshmen have a superiority complex, when that's EXACTLY what you have! As Ryan said to you above, the irony is hilarious!
A1
Guest
Go read the comments that were posted by Queenslsnders on here. If you don’t see the bias and illogic that is a regular theme in 90% of them then you must be one of them.
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League
Guest
Go read the comments that were posted by the New South Welshmen on here. If you don't see the bias and illogic that is a regular theme in 90% of them then you must be one of them.
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League
Guest
I never said all New South Welshmen were guilty of bigotry and bias. But I know what I've encountered. I would be lying if I said that I haven't encountered a lot of New South Welshman who believe that Queenslanders are dumb rednecks.
Blaze
Guest
Ryan, I noticed that johnno commended you on getting so many comments earlier, however I'm not so sure that QGIRL's comments can be counted individually... They all seem to just be repeating the same qld bias dribble over and over... Lol.
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League
Guest
Canterbury cheated the cap in the early 2000s. Plenty of cockroaches were in their team. Allegations of sexual assault against professional sportsmen should be taken with caution. Young women do it quite often for attention. Some are silly little girls who want to score with a hunky pro athlete so they can brag to their mates, then claim they were sexually assaulted when people look down on them for giving themselves to these men so cheaply. There are genuine cases where women are assaulted by pro athletes, but there are also many examples of pro athlethes being burned by jilted young women who regret throwing themselves at famous men who don't want them. The incident between Boyd, Thaiday and the bird who accused them was as contrived as the one between thee Cronulla team in NZ hotel worker back in 2002. The hotel manager and his son gave evidence that refuted the claims made by the accuser. The accuser's colleagues said she was bragging about having sex with the entire team. The bird who made the allegations against Thaiday and Boyd was no different to the one in NZ. The Cronulla team, Boyd and Thaiday were stupid for allowing themselves to get into a situation like that, but they weren't the monsters that the media painted them out to be. Poor old Brett Stewart was been through hell after he was a victim of a similar allegation.
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League
Guest
Farah did some pretty grubby things in Origin II. He may have done it because he was emotional about his mother, but him thinking she was in a corporate box watching the match, I thought that would have all the reason that's needed to be a gentleman. I saw him rubbing players' faces in the dirt and grinding his elbow over their foreheads. That is grubby behaviour. He was talking down to them as he did it. There's also the outburst he made on Fox Sports. Perfectly good reasons to say he's a blight on the game. There's no need for that in the game. Kids see that and think it's the way to play. He's setting a bad example for children. Farah did put his foot in the way of the football so that Inglis couldn't ground it. That's striking at the ball. I don't buy the idea that he accidentally put his foot right where the ball was going to land.
Queensland's Game Is Rugby League
Guest
But I thought Greg Inglis was a New South Welshman.... You lot only let us know about his NSW roots whenever anyone brings up Queensland's origin reign.
Damn Straight
Guest
Beautifully put A1. Very succinct.
Kim Hart
Guest
It's muck raking and I fancy I am less anonymous than most given that my full name is on my posts. Never claimed that any QLD player was a saint nor that no QLD player had ever done anything wrong. I agree with A1 with the exception of the salary cap issue. I don't personally expect football players to be familiar with the intricacies of contract law and in any case as I have written before the real issue the NRL had with the Storm was the hiding of the level of breach. It was a financial crime - nothing to do with cheating in the sense of the game itself. Damn straight I've been hit by Brent Tate with as you put it 'all his might and let me tell you Bird would not have played on if that was the case. You are still the only person in the world who thinks Boyd did anything untoward in tackling Hayne. I don't follow how the manner in which Smith tackles rightly or wrongly has anything to do with the issue of penalties with reference to the stink on Wednesday night. Very slender thread. I have on several occasions agreed that Tate's was a dog shot but you can't accept that Hayne and moreso Jennings also let go dog shots. Finally you acknowledge that anything other than the greatest of conspiracies led to Queenslands victory.
josh
Guest
where is talking sh and mud raking against someone not present to defend themselves in the cowards text book? is there a picture of you next to the relevant chapter?
josh
Guest
@ Kim For someone boasting about a high IQ you're pretty dim. A. Inglis was charged. B How do you know what he didi and didn't lie about to get out of strife? were you there? We all know about the Bird case, care to discuss Thurston, Boyd, Thaiday, Myles or Smith at any length...or would that burst your morally superior bubble?
A1
Guest
Kim, you honestly think Queensland are somehow cleaner and better than NSW? Inglis, Smith, Slater and Cronk signed two contracts with the Storm and cheated the salary cap. Myles defecated in a hotel hallway. Boyd and Thaiday were accused of sexually assaulting a female in a Brisbane pub. I could rattle off a few more. Your mob aren't perfect. Neither are NSW. Move on with your life.
A1
Guest
Cheat? What like Inglis, Smith, Slater and Cronk signing two contracts with the Storm and cheating the salary cap? Grub? What like Myles head butting Farah? Like Myles defecating in a hotel hallway? A blight on the game? Like Boyd and Thaiday accused of sexually assaulting a female in a Brisbane pub? People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Charles
Guest
That is really funny Matt and well done by Cameron Smith! We will have to get back at them next year or we will be well and truly behind the eight ball.
Matt
Guest
After the game the Cameron Smith bought Paul Gallen a celebration drink. Smith ordered the drink and gave it to Gallen. He took a sip and said whats this mate lemonade or something? Smith said nah buddy its 7up!