Who makes up NSW's greatest 'one Origin wonder' side?

Be it humility or platitude, the professional sportsman is prone to stating they’re happy to have simply played one game in the top grade.

Mind you, the law of inverse proportion is often at play here. This kind of statement tends to come from the bloke who has represented at the highest level and considered to be a modern great.

Given State of Origin is considered the pinnacle of rugby league, what to make of those players who (only?) managed one game in the Sky Blue? They’re stuck in a kind of representative vortex; they are consigned to front bar debate, the merit of their selection eternally in question.

Bear in mind circumstance, as much as competition, plays a part in having the ‘one’ against your name. The first two years of the now legendary interstate encounter featured stand alone games rather than series.

Tommy Raudonikis, a Blues legend, has one lone cap to his name. Likewise Graham Eadie. History will tell you, along with any pack-a-day pundit, that they were no flash in the pan.

There are a number of players who in any other era would have worn the jersey more often and with great distinction. Mick Potter is a two-time Dally M winner only held at bay by Gary Jack, while the fluid David Peachey was unlucky to be overlooked for Robbie Ross (although Ross acquitted himself well).

Bob Cooper or Steve Bowden’s toughness may just have been the tonic for NSW’s decade long lull.

The Super League split and boycott saw Origin jerseys awarded to those who would ordinarily be thankful just to smell one (read: David Hall).

Then of course there are those who in hindsight slot into the “seemed like a good idea at the time” category (read: Phil Duke and Ryan O’Hara).

All in all, there have been 45 now retired players with one Origin appearance to their name. This excludes current one-gamers like James Tedesco, Wade Graham, Michael Gordon, Jamal Idris, Jamie Buhrer, Keith Galloway and Jarrod Mullen.

The back row stocks are flushed with ability. As for the wingers? Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

With all that in mind, while some may have been considered lucky, understand that an average State of Origin player is still at a level we could only ever dream of being.

As an exercise in pointless fun and without explanation, this team takes into consideration the positions the player could reasonably play, not necessarily the position they were chosen in for their one-off appearance.

Enjoy.

Fullback: Graham Eadie (David Peachey, Mick Potter, Garry Dowling)

Wingers: Darren Albert, Hazem El Masri (Nathan Merritt, David Hall, Steve Turner, Craig Hancock, John Hopoate, Ricky Walford, Phil Duke)

Centres: Tony Melrose, Brett Rodwell (Michael Buettner, Phil Blake)

Five-eighth: Phil Blake (Terry Campese, Steve Carter, Graeme O’Grady, Michael Buettner)

Halfback: Tommy Raudonikis (Kevin Hastings, Steve Martin, Phil Blake)

Lock: Terry Matterson (Graeme O’Grady, Dean Young, Paul Merlo, Jim Leis)

Second row: Graeme Wynn, Robert Stone (Chris Walsh, Scott Gourley, Bob Cooper, Paul Merlo, David Brooks)

Props: Mark Sargent, Don McKinnon (Ryan O’Hara, Ron Hilditch, Gary Hambly, Tony Butterfield, Steve Hansen, Robert Stone, Steve Bowden)

Hooker: Steve Edge (Rex Wright, Dean Young, Barry Jensen, Aaron Raper)

Reserves: Dean Young, Michael Buettner, Scott Gourley and Ron Hilditch