Exposing the myth of Queensland's pick-and-stick culture

Mal was refused service for having too many. He walked behind the bar without permission and actually served himself. He broke serving laws. The bar had to eject him, to avoid putting their licence at risk. Need you be reminded, he's the coach. Couldn't see Bennett or Sticky doing that. Police were present in the club before Pearce and weren't called. Pearce didn't leave - a fineable offence, not a chargeable one. A drunk girl alone in a room with Teo and Hoffman, ends up with a bruised face, black eye and quite bloodied lip. Qld and Mal reject all suggestions he should step aside during investigation, and play him in Origin! Not even penalised for bringing game into disrepute.

Merrin's selected for his phenomenal work rate. In that regard, he's having a great year. He's personally been in form in a pack that's faded big-time as the year's gone on. He's ranked 8th of all players in NRL Fantasy points per game. Qld have claimed he can be targetted for big-game risky plays and errors (they might have some point, but his offloads can give very good advantage). Hoffman did have an average start to the season, but picked up over the last 2 games, playing well in the win over Bunnies. He's there because NSW lost their 2 starting back rowers to injury / suspension and he has experience. The situation for Papali and Boyd is very different - it's a leap trying to pretend they're the same. Granted, there's some point with Lewis, though. He's very short of game minutes - don't know that he really qualifies as having 'form'. But before injury, he was starting in Australia's top team and is probably selected with eye to the whole series. He's on the bench as an edge player, where impact is required but not big game minutes / endless work. And it's clear the NSW selectors have drastically changed policy since Sticky came in - with much more emphasis on stability and experience. That's not really being discussed, because the topic is "Qld pick and stick", not NSW. Qld try to find any reason why they should stick. Ignoring all evidence from clubland, if needed. But never ignoring evidence from Origin land. Harrison and Shilliington were out because their Origin games started fading in 2012, allowing NSW into the battle. And they were properly found out in game 1 2012 with NSW forwards on top. Look at how the Qld pack got on top for games 2 & 3. And don't forget Taylor. He was well found out with ratings about 5/10.

In a way Origin really is dead now. No matter what NSW do from here on in it will never compare to what QLD have done.

Here you go (hopefully I counted correctly)... 1992: 21 different individual players selected over the series. 1993: 24 different individual players selected over the series (5 new players compared from the '92' series). 1994: 20 different individual players selected over the series (3 new players compared from the '93' series). 2002: 24 different individual players selected over the series. 2003: 23 different individual players selected over the series (12 new players compared from the '02' series). 2004: 21 different individual players selected over the series (6 new players compared from the '03' series). 2005: 22 different individual players selected over the series (7 new players compared from the '04' series).

In regards to the fact that NSW have picked 253 players, and QLD have picked 177 players over the years - I'd be curious to see how many people each state had picked up until 2005, before the streak started. I'm sure that QLD would still have picked less, but I doubt that it would be nearly as far apart.

Dan, sorry about your anger issues towards Qld mate. You should do the pre game motivation speech for the blues. . Mal, Billy and Cameron said to say hi to your partner. Go Qld.

Think someone needs a hug.

Unfortunately Hayley, your article has done nothing to debunk the so called myth. If anything you've recognised and reinforced the fact that a difference in footy culture does exist between the 2 rivals.

best comment so far on this thread

st george team had 3 immortals in it. the players you name apart from DCe are ok. QLD have had 5 possible immortals in inglis, smith, JT, slater and Lockyer, thats why they are winning

Lol exactly. I can't believe these QLDers actually believe it. I will agree QLD have a special kind of culture when it comes to Rugby League and in particular origin, but this "pick n stick" is a myth. Why would they drop players that have performed at origin level and won them 8 series in a row? It's ridiculous to even suggest it. But as shown by Shillo and Harrison after one loss in the series QLD are exactly the same, personally I don't think NSW would have dropped them because they have done the job so many times before. Merrin, Hoffman, Lewis.. all in extremely average from but the NSW selectors know they have done the job in the past and expect them to step up their game when it counts. That's all QLD are doing, and when you win 8 series in a row it's a lot easier to do. It's also a lot easier to do when you have Smith, Thurston, Slater, and Cronk controlling the ship. Then you take into account NSW has double the amount of players to choose from, and it's pretty obvious. I'm surprised so many QLDers actually believe their own stories, they've been telling themselves for too long I think.

Reality is NSW can't even get their best player in Lyon to put on a Sky Blue jersey. You'd probably want to iron out why people don't even want to represent your state before worrying about our second string attack.

It was actually Chris Close

There is loyalty then there is stupidity. Sometimes you have to make the tough calls. NSW just making it a few years too late.

How can it possibly be solid if you drop blokes after 1 loss..we've circled the wagons around Mitchell for 12 losses and you deem that an 'easy call'?

The problem with this article is it only takes five minutes of research to discover that Queensland have used far fewer players than New South Wales have over the past ninety nine games so they do chop and change their team less than New South Wales do that is a simple fact that can't be disputed. The fact Queensland has a smaller player pool to choose from "might" be a reason for this but the fact remains that they have used significantly less players so they do pick and stick at least relative to New South Wales. So the article itself is the myth...the author is saying loyalty to incumbent players by Qld is a myth because the author tells us it is a myth because the author wants to believe it is a myth regardless of the facts. which contradict what the author is claiming. Of course QLD drop players when they lose and no doubt sometimes even when they win but not as regularly as NSW do as the emperical evidence clearly shows.

Hodges scored the winning try last series? In 2012 in the 74th minute his great scoot from dummy half allowed Queensland to get in range for Cooper Cronk to boot the series winning drop goal. Tate has been a defensive powerhouse and safe as a bank, he won MoM in game three last year.

Well said V.O.R, more insightful than anything Squidward has contributed to this esteemed medium I'm sure. Origin means more to Queenslanders because of the pent up resentment, as you say. It means more to use because we have been looked down upon by those frigid heathens south of the border for decades. Even now we are continuously disrespected. Long may the Maroon empire reign. Who says that all good things must come to an end? The natural order of things does not apply to this team.

I think the claims are a bit vague. Surely Queensland would have made more changes if they were loosing but I think over the years they have been more consistent with the team selections. There were a few players even in this team that I would not have selected, but loyalty comes first.

Ahh Squidward, the great troll. I remember the last time the Blues won a series, in 2005, Spongebob was a show still worth watching. I think such calls were heralded by arrogant scribes south of the Tweed. Ones who beleived Queensland would never be competitive again. I don't beleive in karma, but the universe works in mysterious ways. Prepare for an abosulte rout in Brisbane. A blues massacre beyond reckoning.