Their day is coming, as sure as night follows day. The wheel is just starting to turn, and it will turn.
The Blues will be back.
As a proud Queenslander I hate saying it but we must be realistic and look at the facts.
I don’t blame you for thinking I’ve been on the drink, but just bear with me and hear me out.
Sure,I admit the Blues are in complete turmoil and chaos at the present time.
The media is ripping and tearing into the players, coaches, support staff and anyone else who crosses their path.
The players themselves are doing a bit of finger-pointing while running for cover.
And as for the supporters and fans, it’s the same old scenario of mate against mate.
So how the hell can they possibly be a threat you’re asking?
Well let me try and justify my opinion.
Probably the fall-out from the turmoil they are in at present is the best thing that can happen to them.
Usually after a wild storm there is destruction and a mess to clean up.
And often, after the not too fun clean-up, when things return to normal you can see new shoots staring to appear.
This is why I feel it’s a great chance for the Blues to regroup, have a good look at what has happened and then start planing for a new series.
A new broom sweeps clean and that is what they need to do. Clean everything up, get rid of the rubbish and start afresh.
If they haven’t learned anything from this latest upheaval then they really do have a big problem.
Fair enough, their confidence,their culture and their supporters have taken a big hit.
But they still have the nucleus of a good side,and they did show some good early form this series.
And if the right foundations are laid and built on, I feel they will be back sooner than later.
So who will the coach be to supervise the building of this new foundation?
That is the biggest and most important problem they have.
I think Laurie Daley has given it his best shot and should pass the baton on.
The new coach should not be selected because he is popular and a nice guy.
He should be experienced and strong minded with a ‘take no prisoner’ attitude on the way to the goals he has set for himself and the team.
And he must know the character of every player he wants to make up his team.
He also needs the right mix of players to feed and grow their culture.
The man that comes to mind – and he’s not the most popular man here in Queensland – is the type of coach I’m talking about.
Phil Gould.
His knowledge of the game and his ability to analyse a player and sum up a game is hard to find.
As Phil Gould has stated he is not available, then they should seek his advice on who he thinks may have similar skills and values to what he uses.
Once they overcome their coaching problems they can then go about laying their new foundation and start rebuilding.
And surely by now they must realise that the selecting and mix of the team’s make-up should be made on the principles that each player has to be compatible and fit in with the new structure,and all sing from the same sheet.
This is probably the trickiest problem .
Selecting the right mix,then instilling and feeding the culture they want the team to adopt.
To get the right mix some talented players may have to be overlooked due to amount of ‘baggage’ that comes with them. A top side can’t afford to carry too much ‘baggage’.
As I said previously they do have the side there, and a great young talent pool to choose from.
So if they do pick the right coach, a team with not too much baggage and keen to learn the culture they will be back sooner than later.
Well let’s fast forward just two years to 2020.
I’d say by then ‘old father time’ would have taken the rest of our famous ‘spine’ as we know today. We will have a brand new spine.
I’m not saying it won’t be a good spine but let’s be honest.
We have been blessed to have had, without doubt,the greatest spine State Of Origin and Australia has ever seen and will never see again in our time.
Cam Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Darren Lockyer – and then throw in the support players – and boy words can’t explain what they have given Queensland over the term of their dynasty.
Losing one of these players out of our spine is hard enough, but when we lose them all, it’s huge.
The good news is they will still be around to groom our new spine and make sure the ‘culture’ is well feed and alive and thriving.
And we will always have the booming voice of Billy Moore ringing in our ears reminding us that we are Queenslanders and we will take up the challenge and we will survive.
State Of Origin will still be there waiting.
The rivalry will be still as fierce and passionate as ever.
But I don’t know if we will every see either side create another dynasty like this one.
So they are some of my reasons I say the Blues will be back and it will be ‘game on’ again.
And I feel it will be back to the days of the old arm wrestle again.
So let’s sit back and enjoy the rest of the ride. It ain’t over yet.
And who knows how long it will last?
And I’ll tell you what, it’s been a great ride so far.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Peter the pumpkin eater, its gotten that ridiculous that the Qld'ers even have their own show (which astounded me) called 'Queenslanders Only'. But its typical of what length Queenslanders will go to,. Unbelievable, I'll leave it at that, because my statement makes more sense as I dwell into this SOO madness, further and further.
Remo Shankar
Roar Pro
I think this sentiment is pretty widespread amongst Blues fans. And if they pick Laurie Daley to coach the team next year and his loyal buddies - Dugan, Ferguson, Hayne, Pearce, Maloney, Fifita and Wade Graham, then I'll be watching State of origin strictly for laughs.....
Don Aprile
Guest
Bunney I hope you're right mate. My main point and concern is not so much the replacement players,but the loss of 'experience'we will lose in the next couple of years. To lose the likes of Smith,Thurston,Slater and Cronk is huge.You're talking about the best and most experienced players to have ever played the game.And experience wins games.You can't buy that kind of exerience, it's something they learned and accumlated over the peroid of their playing careers. Sure, we will have a good young side,but they will have to learn the finer parts of their trade and that will take time. And NSW are in the same boat,they could end up with a good young side as well.It could get down to who is the 'quickest' leaner Let's not forget we were only 40 minutes away from losing this series, and if it wasn't for the experience of the those players it could have a different story. So in a nutshell,Bunney, my point is that 'experience' wins games'
Bunney
Roar Rookie
Don, I don't really understand the point of this article. Is there a point? It seems like you're saying Qld can't win forever, and at some point, NSW will win again. But you don't really give me many reasons why. Of course NSW will win again. This year was very tight, but after Qld picked the wrong team in game one, NSW should've had the series. Their strength is their fwd pack, and in game one they played appropriately and smashed Qld through the middle. Had Qld picked Wallace and Hess in game one like they should have, NSW still probably win, but Wallace & Hess (along with Napa) get their first game under their belt. Napa was really good in games 2 & 3, after he got his debut out of the road. Wallace and Hess (and Holmes) were significantly better in game 3 than their debut in game 2. So, Qld's selection mistakes should've ensured that not only NSW won game 1, but game 2 as well. But the euphoria about the win was overdone, and the coach failed to act on the selection issues in his own team. NSW not only failed to grab this series, but they've given Qld a leg up in the next. They will win again, but I'm not certain when, and I'm not certain it will necessarily coincide with Smith, Slater and Cronk leaving. We still have Boyd & Holmes at the back; Munster, Milford, Morgan, DCE, Hunt, Taylor et al in the halves; and McCullough & Friend as hookers - our 2nd string spine strength is still the equal of NSW's current best.
matth
Guest
That 4 points made all the difference
matth
Guest
I don;t understand this reference. Can you Break It Down?
John Boy Walton
Guest
SOO are three exhibition games meaning diddly squat- Are you going to mope around if your team wins the comp because your state lost SOO - NO as you wont give a xxxx about it - about sums it up I say
Mango Jack
Roar Guru
Sorry, I'm rapidly losing interest in Origin. I will probably watch it next year, after all it's an excuse for a night at the pub, but I just don't care as much anymore. Like many, I expected NSW to win this year, especially with Thurston out for game 3, but the result just confirmed a growing suspicion that it actually has more to do with Qld wanting it more. NSW had clearly the stronger team on paper, but had no game plan, and little passion. It simply doesn't mean as much to NSW players, or fans for that matter. In the office after game 3 virtually no one was talking origin, unheard of a few years back, even after a loss. It's over. Well done Qld, let's declare you perpetual Origin champs and all move on.
jewboy
Guest
I agree Big Daddy. We waited too long to forget to easy.
Big Daddy
Guest
Don', A proud Queenslander would never say that.
Carlos
Guest
As long as they don't use any Parra players... what evs
Peter
Guest
New South Welshman? Thought so.
casper
Guest
vividly? (strong, distinct, or clearly perceptible), the score was 56-16, you better watch a replay.
Craig
Guest
I'm with Jeff, bring on round 21.
AGordon
Guest
and when Qld gets hammered 3-nil in next year's series, they won't be doing dummy spits? I vividly recall the headlines in the QLD papers after NSW beat 'em 56 - 12, basically suggesting all people associated with the team should be sacked, etc.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Your thoughts are what keeps this silly contest alive, there is no other sport in Australia that has such a silly 2 state contest, its absolutely ridiculous. The mentality of people who take these SOO series seriously is astonishing and downright sad!!!
Emcie
Roar Guru
Forget it Con, you can't touch this
Con Scortis
Roar Guru
You've Hammered him Emcie (see what I did there).
Emcie
Roar Guru
Then go read the articles about the premiership. Seriously, what are you trying to acclomplish here mate? Last I checked no one needed your approval to submit an article
Con Scortis
Roar Guru
You crack me up Jeff!!