Blame Paul Gallen’s NSW captaincy for State of Origin tensions reaching a new low, Queensland Rugby League boss Peter Betros says.
Betros has backed Maroons veteran Corey Parker’s call that Origin team relations are at their worst in the wake of NSW’s game three post-match presentation snub led by Gallen.
Betros was still seething after Gallen turned his back on Cameron Smith and led NSW away as the Queensland skipper was receiving the Origin trophy at ANZ Stadium last Wednesday.
Gallen claimed the post-match snub had been brought about by Queensland’s excessive sledging of the Blues, in particular the NSW skipper in his last Origin.
Betros lay the blame squarely on Gallen’s leadership.
“It wouldn’t be hard for NSW to get a better attitude,” Betros told AAP.
“Paul is determined to win for his state and good on him for that.
“But the tactics they use leave a lot to be desired.
“Their attitude showed in the end when Paul Gallen led the players away while Cameron was still speaking.
“As a leader he (Gallen) sometimes led the wrong way.”
Asked if the Gallen snub would put a fire in Queensland’s belly next year, Betros said: “Of course it will, it was just damn rude.
“There is definite animosity there (between teams).
“You don’t walk away when a team is being presented the shield.
“It showed extreme disrespect to Queensland.
“It didn’t go unnoticed. Hopefully we can avenge that next year.”
Parker had earlier revealed Origin ill-feeling between the teams was as bad as ever after game three – his 19th and final match for Queensland.
“There’s a thing called sportsmanship and I think that’s what aggravated most Queenslanders through that game,” Parker told Sky Sports Radio on Monday.
“I do feel there’s that real bad blood … between the two teams.”
Parker was within a group of players identified by Gallen as being one of the chief sledging perpetrators following Queensland’s 26-16 Origin II victory over the Blues.
The retiring Blues captain hit out at Parker, Johnathan Thurston and Matt Gillett for the manner in which they celebrated in the face of NSW players on fulltime at Suncorp Stadium last month.
“You talk about disrespect, you’ve only got to look back in Game II and the end of that game Johnathan Thurston looks directly at me and says `F… your Blues’,” Gallen told Triple M.
Barry John Rules
Guest
WWE in spades
The Barry
Roar Guru
Is it only Gallen that can dish it out but can't take it? After winning Game II, JT was giving NSW the up yours and "F#$k NSW". After Game III he's fuming about a perceived lack of respect. For every bit of bad NSW behaviour there's a Queensland one to match and vice versa. They really are as bad as each other. Which I'm fine with...except one or the other keeps moaning about it after the match.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
He was on the rush hour with Sterlo the night he said that and was basically "fair enough that's your opinion which you get paid for, but I'm gonna try prove you wrong"
Cass
Guest
Gallen's problem has always been that he can dish it out but can't take it. And that's got nothing to do with Origin this year he's been the same throughout his entire career. Very few players take things as personally as he does. Look at how badly he dealt with the Cronulla PEDS scandal and he couldn't even deal with Peter Sterling giving his opinion of his form prior to Origin. He wants to be able to say whatever he wants about anyone and everything but he can't cop anything back.
Lovey
Guest
Not what he said to the papers.
Dingo
Guest
The QRL beefing up next years Origin because allegedly they have 2 games to sell but of course one will be sold to Melbourne and the first one will be in Sydney as always so he needn't worry but still he may have trouble selling out Game 3 if its 2-0 to Qld.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Sure, I can appreciate that. I just think it's all a bit silly.
Renegade
Roar Guru
What alternate universe are you in? I've heard gals comments.. They walked over to a bunch of fans....there was no disrespect intended.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Gals done a great job in the past like an old pro boxer selling a fight, actually promoting and hyping up origin when he doesn't have to. The rugby league community should be thanking him
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Hahaha. That's amazing!
Lovey
Guest
I actually agree with the headline, it is all Gal's fault. In fact he admitted as such, because he had been sledged on field, FFS! This is shocking sportsmanship from a captain, and he should be penalised. NSWRL has failed, in general on their duties, as well. Aaron Woods knew to stay, good on him. This is the sort of bloke who should be leader. The "grub" talk is mostly nonsense, apart from a couple of hot-heads, I don't see much difference in how they all play.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
As someone who grew up outside either state but has spent a fairly substantial amount of time working in both capitals as an adult, I find it somewhat understandable as both are very different places yet somewhat stuck together; I don't think it solely extends to rugby league either, sport is a way for proxy representations of the state to have a contest.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
As someone suggested in another thread, rugby league is infected by a bizarre form of sub-nationalism. I'd say it was charming and cute, but people actually take it seriously.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Yeah...poor form from both sides.
John
Guest
When did NRL start taking marketing tips from the WWE?
stu
Guest
The QLDers ignite the fire and the NSW guys jump in. Cameron Smith is a pro at sledging and making 'discrete' comments designed to insult. Too much sledging and cheap shots ever since they banned shoulder chargers and the odd bit of biff!
Benedict Arnold
Guest
I think the sledging has always been there, except this year it has gone to another level. I don't know whether it is because some guys are retiring or there is new players coming through, but I think there is some deep resentment there. You could possibly attribute it back to the Australia team when the QLD players were singing "aye yay yippi yippi yay yay yay" or klemmer going over the top in state origin 2 last year at the mcg. But both events definitely have taken it up a level. In game 2 last year when NSW won convincingly pearce was out there bagging JT and there was obvious sledging happening. I'm all for it but it was quite over the top in that one particular game, we must remember the Blues still had the shield in the cabinet and going into the decider last year you could imagine the blues were finally ready to bury the QLD dominance. I guess when the game 3 rolled around and the blues got spanked some sledging was exchanged. Hodges doing a hayne plane all that... I guess what happened this year was the sledging has now gone over the top. I'm all for "what happens on the field stays there" but this year, I must say, the players have broken that unspoken rule. Never have I seen it happen until this year where we now know the expletives etc. in the papers. Quite pathetic really. I don't think the players should be airing this publicly in papers, or acting like brats when the whistle is blown. The blues players in the game 3 presentation probably need to have a bit of a lesson in regards to behaviour and class. They might still have been upset and angry with the result, but resorting to childhood antics is a little dumb imo. These blokes do need to realise that once the game is over and their job on the field is done, they are still the ones representing their state. Even in defeat you can still be graceful about it and showing you are a decent side and state with the way in which you conduct yourselves. To me that is culture and respect.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
This is like watching an elongated professional wrestling feud. A boring talkfest with a bunch of people who apparently never grew up beyond high school and no chance of anyone actually throwing a real punch.
The Barry
Roar Guru
This really is getting pathetic... "You disrespected us" "Nuh-uh, you disrespected us" "Well you disrespected us more" Parkers got a nerve complaining about NSW sportsmanship in game III. Was that before or after he smashed debutant Tedesco in the face with a forearm while he was tackled and being held on the ground? I have no problem with Parkers actions, footy is footy. Both teams just need to get on with it on the field and have the good grace to shut the f@&k up about it off the field. You can't play dirty and sledge but complain when you cop it. I contrast I saw Nate Myles interviewed on Fox and refusing to be drawn in the tit for tat garbage. He said 'leave it on the field' and meant it. Both sides are as bad as each other. There's no moral high ground to be had here. Parker, Gillet, Maguire and Thurston carried on like galoots after game II, Gallen and co like sooks after game III. Someone else will do it next year...
Cynical Play
Guest
The hysterics from QLD after SOO III have been nothing short of laughable. QLD’s sense of entitlement goes way beyond arrogance. It’s getting bizarre from the QRL… #Galcausedglobalwarming