Ahh Queensland. The Gods of Origin. The undisputed kings of loyalty and success. The masters of passion and pride.
Despite missing a full season of NRL and looking well below his incredible best so far this term, Greg Inglis will once again line up for Queensland in this year’s State of Origin series.
Kevin Walters said so.
He didn’t need to though; we were already aware of Queensland’s sacrosanct loyalty program.
You know, the program that was temporarily abandoned last year, only for a group of Billy Slater-less imposters to be handed a good old fashioned rinsing in their own backyard.
The same program that came roaring in the most incredible way when a group of Billy Slater-full Gladiators made their counterparts in Blue look like school kids as they stormed home to claim their 498th decider.
Yeah, that one.
Because it works, Greg Inglis will be back this year, as will Darius Boyd. Together, they’ve previously formed the most lethal left edge in Origin history. Bucket loads of tries says as much. I don’t want to upset myself and check the actual statistics.
But that was then. This is now.
Now, neither player is what they once were. Both legends of the game, their bodies have very much caught up with them. Boyd in particular looks like he’s playing on one leg, such is the impotency of his current form. If the words of Saint Meninga are to be believed however, this will count for zilch come Game 1 of this year’s series.
Partying like it’s 2009, Boyd and Inglis will again don their warrior vests and go into battle together once more.
(Image: AAP)
Brad Fittler, stop licking your lips. Don’t insult greatness like that. But seriously Brad, get out your clip board right now.
Grab that blank team list and start writing down the following names.
“Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell”.
Pin their faces on a white board. Put them directly opposite to pictures of Greg Inglis and Darius Boyd. Old versus New. Masters vs apprentices. Left vs right.
I don’t care that one is a fullback and one is a left centre. They’re freaks – both athletically and as footballers.
I don’t care who plays centre and who plays wing. Just throw them both out there, wind them up and let them cause chaos. Put Tyson Frizell inside them, bring Angus Crichton from the interchange bench to refresh the nightmare just when it looks like going away.
Create the right side from hell.
Do not let up.
It is time for NSW to become disrespectful in the most professional yet ruthless way. Queensland have been seen good for so long on the back of a group of kings. Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk may be gone but Cam Smith and Slater remain.
These two still play like kings. They haven’t lost an iota of anything.
Inglis and Boyd have, possibly more than many would dare to admit, and they’ll play on the same side of the field.
Target it. Go at it. Exploit it. Let the kids out of the cage.
Arrogance and inexperience may sound like the most toxic of combinations, but it could just work here. We’ve tried just about everything else.
Then again, it may fail miserably. It may just result in two ageing war horses showing the world there’s still life in them yet, laughing all the way to Suncorp Bank as they add another 45 tries to their already ridiculous tally.
Ahh Queensland, the best team in sporting history. Let the record books always remind us of your greatness.
Kids don’t care about greatness anymore though, especially those who are always right.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
The Parramatta coach was furious with his side after coughing up a first-half lead and going on to lose 44-16 in an embarrassing second-half…
Jamayne Isaako missed five out of nine conversions in a huge win over the Eels - with the Channel Nine team having some fun…
The Eels led 8-4 at half-time. They lost 44-16 in a Dolphins onslaught.
Who is this team and what have they done with the Dolphins? With Wayne Bennett consigned to his sick bed back in Redcliffe, the…
The ball kept falling off the tee for Gutho's penalty kick and the fans were giving him heaps.
The Dolphins were playing with fire on their own line as Kodi Nikorima went for a reckless offload.
