Since I was old enough to remember it’s stood like a colossus on the horizon at the point where autumn meets winter. No, not my birthday – State of Origin rugby league.
Relationships, careers and your tenuous grip on reality come and go, but State of Origin is always there to put things right.
And after 30 years at the coalface, I’ve gathered enough anecdotal evidence to support my claim that State of Origin is the greatest thing ever.
More State of Origin:
>> 2014 State of Origin 1 live scores
>> State of Origin draw and news, teams referees, results
>> State of Origin preview (VIDEO)
>> PRENTICE: Why NSW will win Game 1
>> PRICHARD: Why QLD will win Game 1
>> GURU: I sniff an Origin upset
>> TURNER: Behind the scenes of Origin preparation
It’s educational
As a seven-year-old in 1984, I learnt how to use the rewind button on our VCR (Google it, under-20s) so I could repeatedly take in every nuance of the brawl that opened State of Origin Game 2 in the SCG mud.
Towards the end of the ’80s, I learnt that when you’re sitting on the cement concourse at the old Lang Park, it’s perfectly acceptable to pelt beer cans at New South Wales fans. And if the referee is bold enough to sin bin Wally Lewis for sticking up for his mates, you can pelt them onto the field as well.
From watching my dad, I also learnt that televisions have a secret microphone installed in them, and that if you yell loud enough at what’s happening on screen, you might even be able to influence what’s happening at the ground. I was usually too tense to yell at the TV as a kid, all tangled up in nerves on the couch as the benevolent Wally and Geno and Alfie came up against the evil forces of Jack and Elias and Sironen, but now I give that microphone as good a go as anyone.
One day, a player might even hear me.
It turns otherwise sane humans into bloodthirsty savages
My mother and aunt are two regular middle-aged ladies whose hobbies include going to rockabilly dances and sewing funky dresses out of vintage fabric.
They’re also shocked and appalled that rugby league players are no longer allowed to swing fists at each other for fear of spending ten minutes cooling their heels on the bench while their team battles on without them.
Multiply that bloodlust by 40,000 and it’s hardly surprising that everyone at the Olympic Stadium was on their feet last year, hailing a bloke in blue who’d given a bloke in maroon two of his finest while the latter’s eyes were focused elsewhere.
On the mean streets of Kings Cross they’d condemn that as a coward punch attack. In the fever pitch of State of Origin rugby league, it’s a textbook brave stand.
It turns regular words into unquantifiable adjectives
Commentators throw around phrases like “that right there was an Origin play” or “he’s an Origin-type player” without Origin having any particular meaning, yet are still instantly understood by the viewers at home.
[roar_cat_gal]
Its pre-match hype is stupendously overblown
Rugby league’s host broadcaster cops plenty of stick from fans, much of it justified, but State of Origin is one time of the year the Nine Network comes into its own.
Until New South Wales eventually end this unprecedented era of Queensland dominance, Nine will happily declare every contest “the biggest game in Origin history”, until the subsequent game knocks it off its perch. If every NRL game had this much smoke blown up its posterior in the half hour before kickoff, a Titans-Raiders clash on two-hour delay would suddenly have parents pumping their kids full of energy drinks so they could go the distance on a Friday night.
Each telecast’s crowning glory? The Phil Gould pre-game monologue.
The earnestness of his on-field soliloquy, delivered straight down the lens of a tracking camera which highlights the vastness of that night’s coliseum, elevates Origin from a mere game of rugby league football to An Event Of Great National Import.
Hell, even I’d chuck on the sky blue after that. After four years as a New South Wales resident, I just about qualify.
Which brings me to…
It’s inclusive
Italians and New South Welshmen can play for Queensland. New Zealanders and former Queensland Residents can play for New South Wales. Even Papua New Guinea and Fiji have storied Origin histories every bit as rich as such noted Australian rugby league nurseries as Palmerston North and Kaitaia.
And by the good grace of the Nine Network, people outside of New South Wales and Queensland are also allowed to watch it live.
It’s the best banter you’ll have with opposition fans all year
And rubbing New South Wales faces in it is what Origin football is all about.
Queensland 2-1 #nineinarow
Shadow
Roar Rookie
Queensland's dominance has really invigorated Origin. You can trust queensland to permanently hate nsw. I used to marvel as a kid at the 'queensland comeback'. The passion the players had for the jersey and the whole state coming together to stick it up nsw. But nsw public is really starting to get behind the blues united by a hatred of the rednecks up north and desire to put them back in their place. Long live origin!
Shadow
Roar Rookie
Its a pity he doesnt do them anymore. Last nights pregame was woeful. Trust C9 to stuff hyping the most hypable contest in the world. They really should get that gladiator theme back as well. Used to give me goosebumps before the game
Shadow
Roar Rookie
This kids an absolute superstar!
StevoG
Guest
Once again the referees are not doing their job, the tackling by lifting of 3 players is unbelievable in this SOO game, how many injuries were sustained in this game. The referees are allowing this, then there is the barging e.g. on Gallens tackle which was late and he was hurt but the ref didn't do anything, all these tackles I would have thought after what happened early this year should have been policed more by the referees and they should be stamped out of the game. SOO never changes it always is decided by a refereeing decision and they usually go to QLD, it's a fast and that is why it will turn many new NSW fans off when they realise like I did years ago.
Liam
Guest
Nah, you just misunderstood langou's comment j. Read the thread again.
j binnie
Guest
langou- He's already told you but obviously your sports education is very narrow, "The Old Firm' he refers to is the Rangers v Celtic games which have been played in front of house full signs for over a hundred years. jb
BrisbaneBhoy
Guest
Fair call. I did state what I think the greatest 'sporting contest' is (IMO), but you are right, I never stated what I class as the greatest 'thing' ever IMO is. Single Malt Whisky. That, or my wife and kids are (corny I know :) )
up in the north
Guest
I'm looking forward to the match-ups . Tamou on Scott. Mate against mate. Jennings on Hodges. I see tears from the queenslanders. Taite versus the world. Nate Myles, and well anyone with anger issues. JT and the entire NSW backline. But at least young mitchell is tucked up in bed. I really look forward to Tamou on Scott though.
up in the north
Guest
Rick. You've hit on it perfectly. You get it but you don't know it. Given our supposed multicultural society, everyone is included. You don't need to be born here. You just need to play your first (insert new eligibility rule here) football in either NSW or QLD. Because it really is a battle between two titans. To compare with the AFL is inviting ridicule.
Paul Nicholls
Roar Guru
Phil Gould's monologue as the crowning glory? I have watched Kindergarten monologues that are better. The Channel 9 pre-games are truly awful and almost turns me off origin
Gazzatron
Guest
And Darius.... Dam thats an awful name!!!!
langou
Roar Guru
"IMO it isn’t the greatest thing ever" BrisbaneBhoy, if you are going to make a massive claim like that, you should at least let us know what you think IS the greatest thing ever
bilbo
Guest
there is hodges
Mango Jack
Guest
Language rules are thrown out the window for Origin, as the CH9 commentators whip themselves into a frenzy of hyperbole, contradictions, tautologies and mangled phrases. I normally hate it, but in the comically over-hyped theatre of origin it somehow seems appropriate.
Mango Jack
Guest
Market forces in the pursuit of excellence. Prefect Pyne would approve.
Jackson Henry
Guest
Well mate, I don't disagree: http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/07/18/state-of-origin-has-never-been-an-even-contest/
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
NSW population according to your own data (which I don't dispute) is 50 percent greater than QLD. Now I don't know about you but 50 percent is a BIG number as is 2.5 million people in a country that only has 22 million. Now you are correct in saying Brazil has 5 x the population of Argentina, but I'm not exactly sure what you are saying here. In other words let me try to point out what I think you are saying. NSW has a population of 7.5 million and has won 12 of the 34 SOO series played. QLD has a population of 5 million and has won 20 of the 34 SOO series play, with the other two a draw. So basically QLD has won almost twice as many series over the past 34 years (which is a long period) with 50 percent less people. Did I miss something in your analysis there??? Now lets take your example of the Brazilian vs Argentina rivalry and use the World Cup as our measuring stick, since this has the biggest bragging rights and hence generates the rivalry you have mentioned. Brazil has a population of just over 200 million and has won the world cup 5 times. Argentina has a population of just over 40 million and has won the world cup 2 times. Not sure what you are saying here other than the 200 million (as I would expect) is winning here by 2.5 times. Since the world cup is contested between 32 countries, of which 10 can usually win the cup, a 5 times ratio I would not expect between these two countries when it comes to wins. If we take pure games alone then it is very even with Argentina leading by 1. Not an apples to apples comparison since these are not stand alone events such as Origin and the World Cup. I could use the counter argument about how good Australia is in all sports and that we punch well above our weight. We have won more Ashes series and tests than England, yet still to this date are out number nearly 3-1. Why? Because we are legends, but clearly this is not the case for the Blues :).
Don
Roar Rookie
Or every player Andrew Johns says is a superstar.
dr katz
Guest
As a NSW supporter I did prefer origin in the dark old days as there were plenty of players to hate (the cat, alfie, wally) as well as that refeerring clown the Grasshopper. Its hard to the hate the likes of GI, slater, smith,cronk etc as they are bloody great footballers and reasonably likeable.
dr katz
Guest
don't forgot to add "that was brilliant" to the list. If I had a buck for every time gus said that when a player has does some something as simple as pass a ball I'd be a very rich (and retired) bloke!