Who is luckier to have played State of Origin football, Justin O’Neill or Paul Gallen?
Leading into the opening game of the Origin series, I saw half a dozen articles published about players supposedly ‘fortunate’ or ‘forgettable’ for the part they have played in interstate folklore.
From the vitriolic deluge after the 28-4 result, it seems a fair chance O’Neill may find himself cruelly consigned to such ranks down the tracks.
To me, making a list of people who didn’t deserve to play Origin is like trying to denounce an Olympian or a Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
In such rare, refined company, nobody arrives on luck alone. Indeed, the only people who should count themselves fortunate to receive those types of accolades are people who cheat the system to get there – even if they were decent athletes otherwise.
But not once on any list of ‘players lucky to have played Origin’ list have we seen the likes of Gallen, Rodney Howe or Robbie O’Davis.
All were allowed to continue on in Origin after suspensions for performance-enhancing substances.
In retrospect that to me seems a much more lamentable mark upon the game than a bungled pass between Phil Sigsworth and Phil Duke.
In all other facets I think making ‘worst of’ lists about State of Origin says something about ourselves as a society and, more pointedly, the profession of sports writing.
I get where the concept comes from – it’s a chance to delve into the memory banks and recall obscure or dramatic moments from an event that has provided gold-plated entertainment for almost 40 years.
As a writer there’s nothing wrong with being proud of being a trainspotter. It comes with the territory. But there is a fine line between being a trainspotter and being a tosspot – and usually that division is made along the ridge of arrogance.
Delusion, envy and insecurity allow the man on the street to sometimes think they could compete at the elite level with just a few months of training. But let’s be clear, there’s a hierarchical structure in rugby league that cannot be denied.
(Image: AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Your stock standard park footballer would destroy most armchair athletes. Paid country or suburban A-grade players would obliterate most amateurs. State league players are another step up again, and only a small percentage of state leaguers ever get to taste the NRL.
From that select band, the cream are chosen to play in the Origin arena.
For 99 per cent of people who have laced on a set of sprigs, even having one interstate game beside your name would be an amazing honour. But still we allow ourselves license to tear down others who have scaled the mountain.
Seeing names like Michael Buettner, Steve Carter and Phil Blake tossed around among ‘forgettable’ Origin players was for me the act which brought this to boiling point.
If anything, I’m more surprised those particular players didn’t feature in more Origins than the record books show.
One of the greatest – and most humbling – experiences I had as a young reporter was to spend five consecutive days training under Billy Johnstone at the North Queensland Cowboys. This was in 2002 when they won only eight games from 24 starts, so they were by no means a team of superstars.
I went into the experience considering myself a fair athlete – someone who had done reasonably well in fitness drills in a state league set-up and had been an avid sportsman all my life. Friends would call my training regime ‘hardcore’.
Still, I don’t think the mental or physical torture I was put through in five days of training with an NRL squad will ever be forgotten.
I have never gasped for air, vomited as regularly, felt so physically inferior or doubted myself as much as that week.
By the end of the experiment I was spending an hour in an ice bath a day just to soothe the soreness, my legs were collapsing on simple 20-kilo lunges and I was getting beaten in sprints by guys 40 kilograms heavier.
There were blokes carrying serious injuries who were outdoing me on middle-distance drills that I considered my bread and butter – guys who played only a handful of NRL games.
That’s honestly how far out of our league athletes are at the elite level, which is something we don’t readily wish to admit to. And they do this day after day, week after week, pushing through pain with their livelihood dependent on them never giving up.
When Justin O’Neill next walks into the field, he will do so with all sorts of clouds and question marks hanging around him from this tough week under the spotlight. But this is a guy who held the Australian long jump record as a teenager, someone who played for the Australian Institute of Sport, Queensland under 18s, and scored a try when Melbourne won the national youth competition grand final. He also scored tries for the Storm and Cowboys in first-grade premiership deciders in 2012 and 2015.
There’s no ‘luck’ in him becoming an Origin footballer, and, if anything, Wednesday night only re-emphasises just how woefully inept any of us would be marking Jarryd Hayne or taking the ball off our line into the Blues’ rampaging defence.
Not that we want to confess to that.
Rob
Guest
Article is written by a Chinese doctor who lives in Cronulla and has been employed by Cronulla to fight doping allegations? Why has Essendon players been banned along with Sandor Earl? You have based your argument around naturally occurring hormone? But it's produce in a lab and injected in a syringe to aid the athlete to produce healing above what the body can naturally produce. It's supplied from overseas and not given by club Doctor. Sounds like cheating to me.
Bfc
Guest
Spot on...Everyone is entitled to have an opinion, and while we all can agree to disagree on the relative merits of players (eg player 'A' is better than player 'B' etc...), there is an incontrovertible truth....I pay to watch, players like O'Neill are paid to play. Becoming an NRL player is incredibly difficult and if one has played but 1 Origin game...that is pretty darn fine going. Stuart Law was dumped after just 1 cricket Test, and I think he said something of the lines that it was OK as he had played 1 Test more than most...
Sammy the Tank
Guest
My point is some of the diatribe that goes on in this place and twitter etc is way over the top. What you say on here and other media is what you should say if that person was in your company...I will stick to my there are to many heroes on social media who have done nothing in there life but comment as if they had a idea. He had a bad game, he doesn't need you to tell him!
Robert Burgin
Expert
Spot on. I was fully aware I wrote this before the game. I'll still never say he or any other player was fortunate to have ever played Origin in a way that is petty or dismissive or pretends I could do any better however. All I'm calling for is some manners and perspective in how we conduct ourselves.
Robert Burgin
Expert
I think we are agreeing on the same thing eagleJack. It's not wrong to say someone had a bad game if it can be justified, but a singular game and a career are two very different matters.
Robert Burgin
Expert
Just to clarify, I'm not saying it 's wrong to be critical, not wrong to say he should be replaced, but more pointedly that someone's entire career can be summarised as "forgettable" or "fortunate" is the height of arrogance.
Griffo
Guest
So probably had minimal impact on his performance then...
Griffo
Guest
Doesn't recovery impact performance? If not then why bother with it?
Griffo
Guest
But they didn't cheat the cap in 2012 which was when he won it.
Caroline Layt
Guest
Great article Robert and so very true. No player who is selected for Origin is a weak player. I felt sorry for O'Neill. You don't do what he has achieved in the game by being an also-ran. Just shows how good Hayne can be when he brings his A-game.
Jeff dustby
Guest
I don't get this O'Neil is not an origin standard player That's the truth
Wobly
Guest
Total rubbish.... Do your own proper research. Here, I'll help you...... http://theconversation.com/cronulla-sharks-and-thymosin-beta-4-is-it-doping-12694 I don't mind having a conversation, but only if you stop with the fake news.
Rob
Guest
Peptides have never been legal. Sandor Earl got 2 years and was receiving the same gear from Dank. Flanagan had a separate bank account with a bank not associated with the club to pay for Danks services?Gallen and players were never forth coming in what they had received by injections. The year they finished 13 was when they were being investigated. Wouldn't surprise if they are still finding ways to take the stuff considering they got away with any real punishment.
Swanny
Guest
Bad luck griffo. No body won the premiership when storm cheated the cap. Fact
Mark
Guest
I enjoyed this article Playing origin is a great achievement when you think about it, and O'Neil is not fortunate to play at that level, he's a good footballer In saying that, I still think qld should change a few selections for game 2 which includes O'Neill centre spot My prediction- blues 3-0 Go blues!
Rob
Guest
I would say there are some genetically gifted, wonderfully athletic and powerfully strong men playing at the highest level. I would also say there are some very smart, skilful footballers that never play anything but lower grade football. Some fans are more passionate and knowledgeable about rugby league than a majority of the numbskulls playing at the elite level but unfortunately they never possessed the physical gifts required.
Jimmmy
Guest
Exactly EJ he had a poor game but that doesn't make him a poor player. Overall he has been excellent. I will tell you one thing about him though. He is a shocking winger, He can really lose it ,Manu style under the high ball . See his 2015 game against the Broncs. I was thinking what have the Cows bought themselves here . Complete change when he moved to the centres.
Bloody R Bull
Roar Rookie
With out arm chair selectors, & critics what has our wonderful game got. If these people can see how good or bad the players are going week to week, surely the Queensland (or should I say Bronco) selectors can see. If your playing no good in the regular comp game, then your not going too go any good in a rep team. All the telephone boxes have gone, so now the ordinary footballer have no where to change into Superman. Even in Queensland !!!!
Craig
Guest
I like the sentiment of your article and it's good for some perspective, but it's not reasonable or practical. Who are you to complain about a meal at a restaurant? Who are you to question a plumbers work? Who are you to write a bad review of a hotel on tripadvisor? Is your hotel better? Who are you to compliment a footballer? If you're not qualified to criticise them, how on earth are you qualified to praise them? The game relies on commentary from fans, journalists and ex footballers. In your eyes who is qualified to critiscise or judge Cameron Smith? Other first graders don't hold a candle to him, so even current footballers shouldn't be able to have an opinion on him. It's a privilege to be a professional footballer, albeit a tremdendous amount of work. Taking criticims is part of the job description. Personal attacks are of course not acceptable.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Can't pass judgement on a movie unless your old home videos are Scorsese quality.