NSW Origin coach Laurie Daley has predicted loyalty will play a huge role at the Blues selection table for this year’s series.
That’s a big switch for NSW – loyalty has traditionally been Queensland’s forte.
Since the Origin series kicked off in 1982 (in 1980 and ’81 they were one-off games) there have been 102 games, with Queensland winning 54, NSW 46, and two drawn.
Throughout that period Queensland have only used 179 players to NSW’s 255.
The loyalty card was even more noticeable during Queensland’s record-breaking eight successive series wins from 2006 to 2013. Queensland only used 48 players, but NSW passed that mark during the third series in 2008. By the time Queensland had set their record, NSW had selected 88 players.
In the Queensland sides there was a constant core of brilliant footballers – Johnathan Thurston played 27, Cameron Smith 26, Nate Myles 24, Greg Inglis 23, Sam Thaiday 21, Billy Slater 21, Darius Boyd 20, Petero Civoniceva 19, Darren Lockyer 18, Matthew Scott 18, and Cooper Cronk 16.
NSW couldn’t possibly compete on those terms – Jarryd Hayne played 20, Paul Gallen 19, Greg Bird 14, Kurt Gidley 12, and Ben Creagh 11.
Little wonder Queensland won 17-7 in Origin games during their record.
But the ultimate Queensland loyalty was shown to Mal Meniga, who coached all eight of those record series. In the same period NSW picked four coaches – Graeme Murray (2006-2007), Craig Bellamy (2008-2010), Ricky Stuart (2011-2012), and Daley.
This year Daley will have to compete against the usual massive firepower Queensland will send onto the park, arguably more with the Maroons still hurting after the 2-1 loss last year. But Daley will lose a home game to the MCG when it was NSW’s turn to host two Origins.
If the rugby league heirachy genuinely believe staging an Origin game at the MCG will promote the 13-man code in the 18-man heartland, they are delusional
Melburnians don’t give a rats about rugby league. If you can’t talk AFL in Melbourne for 13 months a year, you’d have nobody to talk to. All that ridiculous MCG decision has achieved is forcing the Queensland and NSW faithful to pay for extra air fares and accommodation.
If there are 80,000 at the MCG on June 17 for Origin 2, there will be 70-75,000 from NSW and Queensland all having to dig deep to pay for a fanciful whim that denies NSW a due home game.
Had Queensland been denied a home game for the MCG, the explosions would have been heard nationwide, and with every good reason.
There are some iconic Australian sporting events that should never be tampered with: the MCG for the AFL grand final, the MCG for the Boxing Day Test, the Australian Open tennis at Melbourne Park, and the Australian Formula One championship at Albert Park.
Plus ANZ Stadium in Sydney for the NRL grand final, and the SCG for the New Year’s Day Test.
And no Origin games at the MCG, only Suncorp and ANZ Stadium for those who care.
Justthetip
Guest
Marco Nsw haven't produced a playmaker who can even be considered good at rep level in over a decade. The top 5 playmakers from either state are qlders. Out of emerging talent Luke brooks, edgley and Milford are looking like will be hearing their names a lot more. Nsw have far bigger problems that will probably take another decade to correct. They boast 3 times the playing pool and a history with a comp far stronger than anything qld had yet have gained nothing. Frankly it's embarrassing.
Jeremy
Guest
Doesn't make sense. Haven't we been reading over the past months that Daley is a blackflipper?
up in the north
Roar Rookie
Why anyone would stay loyal to a losing side is beyond me. Obviously changes need to be made to correct the loss. Not always huge changes, sometimes a subtle change or two is all that is needed. In NSW case big questions are being asked of the incumbent halves pair and quite rightly too. Quite frankly they're rubbish form-wise and I fear the loyalty card, combined with the obsession to select club combinations will result in a hiding.
Tom
Guest
It's easy to stay loyal to a winning team I can remember the Maroons naming 10 debutants after being whitewashed and named 7 in the first game in 2006. The Maroons made mass changes during their dark times as well.
James T
Guest
Last year nsw scored 3 tries in 3 games, if they attempt to play the same way without Hayne I believe they'll get belted. Changes are rarely made to a winning side, as well as same coach for 8 years. These facts lead to few changes not loyalty.
nerval
Guest
Thank the Lord David isn't running rugby league in Australia. It's at times like this that the man's preference for rugby union really comes to the fore...
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Some evidence: FTA AFL in Sydney averaging 29k according to; http://footyindustry.com/files/afl/media/tvratings/2015/2015AFLRatingsR1-3.png FTA NRL in Melbourne averaging 34k according to; https://twitter.com/RL_Ratings/status/591158326450229249 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CDQ3XQGUUAA5dak.jpg:large So NRL in Melbourne outrates AFL in Sydney despite no Storm games on FTA, the Swans who are broadcast every week live.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Marco, crowds are slightly up & TV ratings are starting to boom so much that a non Storm NRL game has attracted just as many TV viewers as Lions in QLD & Swans in NSW on TV. I think you'll find ALL codes are experiencing a drop or non growth in spectators & definitely TV ratings, so for the NRL to remain stable the code is doing well.
marco
Guest
League is a two state game. Thats it. To take an origin game away from its heartland is unusual in these times of falling crowds and ratings. A packed ANZ would be the better tonic for league, I agree with Lord.
Dav
Guest
I went to the first game at the MCG in the early nineties, QLD lost but it was a blast, they put on the works for you, mexican wave, streaker, blokes going home in the back of the paddy wagon, members are wankers, got plastered, was much younger back then, don't know what you guys are complaining about? good excuse to get out of town, could do you Sydney Bubble people a lot of good!
Kerry
Guest
State of Origin functions on a 3 year cycle these days. QLD Home, NSW Home and Neutral. The NRL receives big money to take the game there, plus a nice big bit of publicity in a major market. Will this ever make league the dominant code in the south? no. but its grows the slice of the pie. 1 game out 9 isnt a huge loss to the northern states. Crowd will be 90-95 000 and will consist of (roughly) 1/3 travelling supporters and 2/3 locals (these are imaginary figures, but then again so are yours).
up in the north
Roar Rookie
How good would it be to sit on the halfway line at the MCG for a league game? Not good at all. Rectangular pegs in round holes. Hope the tickets are cheap.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
lol fair enough. I didn't really have a problem with the one off neutral game until recently. I thought it was a good tie breaker. One series with 2 in QLD, another with 2 in NSW, and a third series with one game at a neutral venue. It takes away from the two states supporters. The only thing that supports it would be that it is our showpiece event and makes a good advertisement (so long as the teams play by the rules and stop it becoming a bore like game 2 last year) but on the other hand our showpiece event is QLD vs NSW. Why should we give up a game for a state that can barely tell the difference between Rugby and League?
David Lord
Expert
WDD, the overestimate is how many Victorians will be at the MCG on June 17.
Casper
Guest
The way Hodkinson and Reynolds have been going, Laurie's loyalty will be tested because he'll live or die by the results. He'd be hoping for a convenient injury to save his bacon on current form but QLD will be very comfortable if he 'picks and sticks'. I'm in your boat when it comes to State of Origin venues, the games are our origin, not Victoria's and the practice of 'selling' the games will eventually reduce the value instead of having the opposite effect. There's a push to sell a game to be played in NZ, what would they care about it other than having a novelty event to attend. The same goes for the new prices being charged, it's alienating the core supporters and we'll end up with Suncorp being packed with a bunch of corporate toffs that have no passion for the code and are only there because they are being entertained by sponsors. I already see it in my work environment where 'rah rah' supporters are angling for a free ticket to the origin game
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
I think you overestimate how many blue supporters will be in Melbourne.