If you live in NSW, are passionate about rugby league and support the Blues, it’s fair to say that the last ten years have been grim.
We all know the stats because our friends from Queensland have relentlessly reminded us of them. But in case you had forgotten, since 2006 New South Wales has only won one State of Origin Series.
One.
This is a source of tremendous shame for Blues supporters who hold onto the 2014 series like a beacon of light in what is otherwise, darkness.
NSW fans recall the 12-8 victory by NSW in Game I of that winning series with tries to Brett Morris and Jarryd Hayne. Trent Hodkinson is remembered as a hero after he scored the try that ended Queensland’s eight-series dominance in Game II. The photo of Jarryd Hayne running toward and then embracing the sea of blue before breaking down in tears is still shared and it is still one of my favourite Origin moments of all time.
The 32-8 thrashing of the Blues by the Maroons in Game III is of course, forgotten.
State of Origin is one of the biggest moments on the rugby league calendar. It might be the biggest.
As early as March, people begin thinking about their team and it only takes one good performance for players to be suggested by fans as State of Origin ‘smokies’. When game day comes the rivalry is fierce and nothing is more important than defeating your rival from across the border.
But why do we get so excited about State of Origin? What has created this rivalry and ferocity about a domestic game? Why can’t we get this excited about some of the other fixtures throughout the year? Would we still be so focused on the concept if Queensland had not been so dominant in the last ten years?
Despite a number of other important fixtures on the rugby league calendar, none even come close to matching the hype and rivalry that surround State of Origin.
The men’s All Stars game at the beginning of the year has struggled as a concept. While the meaning and importance of this game is very obvious for the Indigenous All Stars, the World All Stars are a muddle with very little binding them together other than the fact that they play rugby league and in recent years, it has certainly shown on the field.
The City versus Country fixture has also lost its meaning over time to the point where this year, Bulldogs coach Des Hasler made it clear that he did not want any of his players picked in the team, citing a ‘four-day turn around’ as the reason.
Despite this, Des is very happy for his players to be eligible for Origin, because it is a ‘different spectacle’. It’s an interesting move by the NRL and NSWRL to allow coaches to dictate when their players are/are not available for representative selection (and for me, if clubs do not take the fixtures seriously, why should fans?)
It’s a shame that these games have lost some of the shine associated with them.
The City versus Country game was once an important celebration of the number of players that came from the bush and was an indication of the NRL’s commitment to country rugby league. It was also a good chance to take rugby league to regional Australia and use the fixture as a tool to help continue to grow the game in the bush.
The All Stars concept clearly needs a bit of a refresh, but you can’t doubt the value of this game, particularly after watching the pre-match rituals performed by the Indigenous All Stars Team this year. In a sporting landscape where other codes have had issues with racism and acceptance of Indigenous players, I do not see these issues in rugby league.
This is not, of course, only due to the All Stars game, but it certainly plays an important part in encouraging tolerance, acceptance and diversity across the game.
Most disappointing of all though is that we can’t seem to generate a similar sense of hype and excitement ahead of Representative Round this weekend, particularly in a Rugby League World Cup year.
As a game, there is tremendous opportunity in this space and Australia has a responsibility to help grow the game internationally, particularly among our Pacific neighbours where an increasing number of our first-grade footballers are coming from.
I hope that one day we are in a position where international rugby league is celebrated and anticipated in the same way that State of Origin is and a ticket to the Pacific Test is as valuable as a ticket to State of Origin Game III.
The tide might be changing, particularly with the quality of teams announced ahead of the Pacific Test on Saturday and the interest in seeing England take on Samoa in what should be a very competitive clash. My hope is that this weekend will spark an increased interest in international rugby league which is timely considering the start of the Rugby League World Cup in October.
For the moment, there’s no doubt that other than the finals, that the three State of Origin games command the most attention in the rugby league calendar.
It truly is a spectacle and is watched by people across the country whether they are die-hard rugby league supporters, the casual fan or someone who tunes in to a couple of select games a year.
So let the build-up begin and if you’re from NSW and already getting stitched up by your friends in Queensland and need something to brag to your Queensland mates about, I have a small gem for you.
In 2016, the NSW women’s team won the Interstate Challenge for the first time in 17 years defeating Queensland by 8-4 and bringing the Nellie Doherty Cup to New South Wales for the first time.
If you want to talk about breaking a Queensland dynasty, this should be your go-to moment.
There’s a lot of emotion around State of Origin and I know how keen many fans are to see the Blues win the series this year. This exact emotion was on show last year in that historic victory with plenty of tears and ‘stacks on’ after the game with the NSW women’s team being able to celebrate for the first time after an Origin.
This year’s team has already been announced and I’m confident that with a team including Jillaroos like Sammy Bremner, Caitlin Moran, Allana Ferguson, Maddie Studdon, Corban McGregor, Ruan Sims and Elianna Walton, a new dynasty will begin.
Hopefully the men can follow suit later this month.
Matt
Guest
Origin is a dying concept and has become not much better that your average NRL games as a spectacle. The NRL finals of late have been far superior games of footy. It's time to kill it off and focus on improving the International game.
Nanco
Guest
Agree Don't have to read it. Ignore the facts of eligibility in NRL.
Britexit
Guest
BTW I enjoyed the legitimate RL international on Friday night and the ref didn't try to even it up too much.
Britexit
Guest
Did Cronulla give Ruan Sims the only womens RL contract to prevent here going back and playing for the Rugby Union Wallaroos? An answer rather than abuse would be a nice change.
Justin Kearney
Guest
The issues you raise are your own obsessive hatred of the game and they dont deserve a serious response. Cant respond any further as i am busy watching confected football on my confected television.
Bretexit
Guest
Funny you only watch confected TV and cant give an answer to any of the issues I have raised - not one just abuse - are you so bereft of analysis
Sharkattack
Guest
lol simply because good defeated evil
Sharkattack
Guest
lol simply because good defeated evil
Sharkattack
Guest
Epiquin, NSW has a terrible habit of hypocrisy and throwing stones at glass houses. They think everybody hates them, when in fact, they are bitching about their own shortcomings. QLDers really don't care where anybody comes from, but poor little NSW (and it shoes GLARINGLY on the Roar comments) have some mysterious dislike of QLD and Victoria in particular, it predates Origin as well.
Justin Kearney
Guest
Dunno. I am too busy thoroughly enjoying the international football that you hate so much!
Justin Kearney
Guest
Just watching you continually gripe like this is hilarious. Keep them coming bretexit. Great day of test footy today. I hope you enjoyed every minute!
Bretexit
Guest
"The ‘instant flag of convenience’ that you mock is helping to spread and grow the game" Right meanwhile most people in Australia who know the facts laugh. You haven't named another sport that does this ie change nationalities at will and have basically all heritage players represent their?? country and rarely play in their? country. BTW Cummins sewed up SOO by another come from behind at the death win in the Fiji game. The average winning margin this year in his games is 4 points. Amazing
Britexit
Guest
Do you really methink or just guess
Britexit
Guest
The RU is taking the right approach with NSW Tonga, NSW Fiji etc with residents representing their area and heritage and I bet a lot more of them played RU in their home country. Similarly International cup in AFL has residents representing their country (with up to 4 Aussies with residency quals) allowed to play. I have overheard conversations at work where people actually think these RL players are residents and have learnt their craft in their home island. Doesn't that worry you?. Name another sport where this is allowed to happen or that people can change their representation at will eg Fifita and Vautevi who I noticed playing for Tonga after playing a decade for NZ. If you think that's ok then that is very sad.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Britexit, Your comments suggest that you believe that unless players are born, have learnt their sport or are plying their trade in their home nations, that they shouldn't be representing that nation. I believe that I've shown that I do not agree with that and the why behind it. I believe that I have also shown that your arguments really don't go anywhere since the games are being played and that there is a lot interest in them and that they are all legitimate. Could they be 'more' legitimate in the sense that you imply? Sure, of course they could. The 'instant flag of convenience' that you mock is helping to spread and grow the game. It may be that the game would grow quicker etc if all the players were chosen solely from domestic leagues. But at the moment, the code is not using that approach and for all those involved, it does not seem that any of them think it to be a joke or fake or whatever other description you can come up with to belittle what is occurring. I think it is time to agree to disagree here. If you should watch them, I hope you enjoy the games.
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
Matthew stealer says hi
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
You may have a point there brexit. Maybe watching you post the same negative garbage about rugby league under so many ids has made me stale. Time to reflect methinks.
Britexit
Guest
Justin, You seem to be a cheer leading lapdog who hangs on the content of others rather than offering any constructive defence of your position. At least the others have a reasonable understanding of their position.
Britexit
Guest
Thanks Justin for your non reply SA I can’t answer that question as I don’t know. But then, I suspect that you already knew that. " Given that the players cannot play for these nations unless they were born there, residents for at least 3 years or are no more than a grandparent away (I would assume that most of the players are no more than a parent away) then your question is somewhat disingenuous." True - "direct link" was a poor choice of words perhaps residentially qualified - my point which you cant answer is how many played RL on the island or how about an easier one how many have actually lived on the island. My point about AFL heritage competition remains - what other code plays entirely or nearly all heritage players as a national team in internationals on foreign soil and doesn't pick residents. Would you laugh if Greek heritage RU players played Croatian RU heritage players at Concord Oval and it was called a test. According to your criteria "If the AFL/RU have an international governing body that exists outside of the organisation that runs the code in Australia and wish to create a World Cup based on those nations who you say play the code by using heritage players (or not) then I’ve no problem with it." I would laugh at Greece vrs Croatia RU also. Your point about the rules being the same for all sports is incorrect. No other sport allows you to change between countries instantly so as to become a flag of convenience. You choose one and that's it or you can change after 3 years residency (soon to be 5 years in RU}. Fifita changed in 3 hours this week. So you are incorrect. In soccer you choose at youth international level and that's it.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
The players have a direct link to the nations in question because if they didn't they couldn't play for them.