The simplicity of its tribalism explains why State of Origin is Australia’s greatest sporting spectacle.
It’s 17 men from one side of the border thwacking into 17 from the other. Maroon versus sky blue. Our blokes versus your blokes.
But for the first 30-odd years of the interstate skirmish, there was a lingering suspicion that the tribe south of the Tweed cared about the whole thing just that little bit less than the mob up north.
Well, at least until Queensland force-fed New South Wales a taste of what it’s like to be the perennial underdog.
Queensland’s eight series wins in a row between 2006 and 2013 injected Origin with a crucial new ingredient. NSW were cast out into a seemingly never-ending nuclear winter, while the Maroons dined out on one of history’s greatest eras. Mal Meninga strung together so many conquests that Alexander the Great wept with envy.
NSW hit rock bottom during Queensland’s clean sweep of 2010, following the downbeat Graham Murray epoch and the confusing Craig Bellamy years. The best club coach of the modern era was shackled by head-scratching selection committees and a dearth of talent while his Storm stars — Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Greg Inglis — formed the core of Queensland’s Harlem Globetrotters.
While the Blues subsisted on the occasional second-half comeback or dead-rubber win, the Maroons gorged on a string of emphatic triumphs. Queensland became NSW’s white whale, a leviathan to slay, the All Blacks to the Blues’ Wallabies, routinely beating the underdog into submission.
Greg Inglis (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
Queensland lit a fire under NSW that has brought Origin into a new era.
While interstate clashes were always something special, their place on the calendar was questioned in 2006 after the victorious swan songs of Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns the two seasons prior.
After three straight series wins, NSW’s appetite for Origin waned to the point that thousands of empty seats witnessed Brett Finch’s match-winning field goal in the 2006 opener. But as Brett Hodgson’s wayward pass invited Darren Lockyer to clinch that year’s decider, a Maroons dynasty was born.
Ricky Stuart revived the tribal nature of Origin when he assumed the clipboard in 2011. Although he didn’t deliver the drought-breaking win Laurie Daley eventually did in 2014, he brought a spark — a sense that we’re not going to cop this anymore.
State of Origin now finds itself in a state of reversal. The power balance between the two foes has gone back to the future.
Coming in from the cold, Freddy’s baby Blues are ready to reign supreme with riches of talent backing up from consecutive series wins. Meanwhile, Queensland have readopted their traditional position of underdog battlers, picking fringe first-graders to make up the numbers and sticking it to the southerners who think they don’t deserve to be there.
NSW are better set than they were in 2006. After having their noses rubbed in the dirt for the best part of a decade, there’s no risk of complacency or the concept being labelled dead or a distraction.
Origin now means more to Blues supporters who suffered through eight in a row, elevating the rivalry to a new level.
To Adelaide, and Fittler’s squad is stacked with big names in hot form. All bar three of the New South Welshmen played finals footy and the trio that didn’t are ultra-reliable forwards Jake Trbojevic, Payne Haas and Tyson Frizell. Four of the top five Dally M vote-getters fill the back-line.
On paper, this series is the Blues’ to lose. But rag-tag Queensland teams defying the odds is the very essence of Origin.
This Queensland vintage isn’t quite Fatty’s Nevilles of 1995 — Cameron Munster and Josh Papalii, the game’s premier five-eighth and forward respectively, make sure of that. But the Maroons’ depth will be examined under the spotlight of the Adelaide Oval lights.
Queensland’s unfancied team sheet isn’t the only parallel to that famous series 25 years ago, when the Super League war sliced through Paul Vautin’s playing stocks. No series since has been played in such turbulent times as this pandemic-pummelled 2020 edition.
For many of Fatty’s Nevilles, the ’95 series opener was the biggest game of their careers. For many of the class of 2020, Wednesday evening in Adelaide is too.
The prodigal Wayne Bennett has named an extraordinary eight debutants — AJ Brimson, Xavier Coates, Brenko Lee, Phillip Sami, Jake Friend, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Lindsay Collins and Jaydn Su’A — who carry no scars of past Origin defeats.
Brimson is the one to watch. The star of a Titans club normally consigned to the off-Broadway TV shifts at 3pm Saturday or 6pm Sunday, the 22-year-old hits the prime time deputising for Kalyn Ponga.
Will he help Queensland spring an upset of 1995 proportions? Who knows.
The only thing for certain is that the tribe south of the border care about it a lot more than they did a generation ago.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Yep, you really don’t know till it’s over. I thought you was talking the big, long qld streak. Sorry
Cameron Warner
Roar Rookie
I think NSW biggest problem has always been getting ahead of itself, before games and during. I hope Freddy hasn't thought about creating a dynasty or legacy and he's just taking it one game at a time. I understand the sentiment that victories mean a bit more after such a tough run, but personally I was as devastated when Hodgson through the worst pass ever seen as I was in 2013.
Nat
Roar Rookie
That's true if we are only talking recent past. They have won series with Prince, Green, Lam, Smith, Shearer, Ikin and Wagon. Exept those guys were playing Joey, Freddie, Kimorley, Simon, Toovey et al... I left them out in this example because (IMO) they cancel each other out tonight. Everyone is talking down the Qld back 5, my point is they've done and won it with far worse.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Hi Nat. While all those you name are top players, both sides. Qld always had it over NSW in the spine. Always.
Nat
Roar Rookie
Sure dud decisions have an effect but you'll never find me blaming 80mins of footy on one dud call (except of course NQ v Easts semi in '14 - that was not a forward pass). I say let the NSW press do their best. If the arrogance of NSW didn't exist neither would the over whelming desire to beat them. Really, a Melb v Roosters game is of higher quality, this game got it's status based on passion.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Perhaps my comment was obscure however I was referring to NSW of course. Regardless of the sport, if they lose it’s due to a dud decision, the weather or anything else beyond their control rather than praise the opposition. Good sports when they win but don’t take defeat in a gracious manner. I liked the DT headline after a loss a few years back “NSW win” & the article was about a completely different topic. I’m sure it was compiled by a kindergarten pupil.
Nat
Roar Rookie
Good morning John. Which side are you referring too with the "god given right..."? I stopped reading the CM many years ago. Even as a Broncos fan it is sickly bias. You have to expect that from both DT and CM to pump up their readers. Although I do like the 'we wuz robbed' piece that Buzz puts out after each loss.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Good morning Nat. Sunny day here however back to normal tomorrow - cool & wet! You are aware of my partiality towards all Queensland sides (except NRL) however as an observation over the years particularly the bulk of my time living in NSW, is that they have a God given right to win everything they contest. It’s always interesting reading both the Tele & CM both Murdoch publications yet the reporting on SOO is even more biased than Gus!
Nat
Roar Rookie
It's funny the way NSW have justified their streak of losses simply down to the superior team Qld had. Tell me, would Neilson, Tate, Thaiday, Myles, Shillington, Te'o or Hannant make the NSW team? In 2012, the NSW bench was Watmough, Lewis, Creagh and T-Rex. Who would swap them for the above? Would NSW consider a backline of Schifcofski, Wesser, Tate, Mogg and Hannay? I showed an example last week that NSW start favourites nearly every year, even during the domination period. Qld know they are never going to have the depths of NSW but it is about the 17 on the park and the best team on the night, not the best players in the NRL. It is interesting to note that a 3-peat is now not enough in NSW - why? If NSW lose this series, does that relegate this team to also-rans as well because they didn't go 8-straight? Like snooker, you can plan for the next shot but you have to make the first one first.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
A late addition to my list; I’m old enough to remember a musical “Guys & Dolls” however both genders have now been converted to “guys”. You often see a group of men & women referred to as such. I am totally confused as I would have thought women would be offended to be addressed as a guy. Strange world we live in. I attribute a lot of it down to laziness as the brain & mind become inactive when a person’s head is glued to their phone! Off topic however somebody has to fly the flag for common sense.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Haha, awesome John. It’s why I think 99% of commentary and media is rubbish. Their being that stuff to us. Lol
Ad-O
Guest
Sure the 'roaches have better talent right now, but it's still a group of NRL players playing another group of NRL players. Upsets happen all the time. That was why that Maroons' dynasty was so special. They won plenty of deciders in amongst those blowouts. It's the consistency that's the mark of true quality.
The Sporacle
Roar Rookie
From the Oxford. Dynasty n relating to ducks and or sporting teams winning streaks, defined by time periods set out in years. By year; pre 2006 three years, pre 2015 one year, pre 2020 two years, there was some rubbish about pre 2014 but I didn't bother to read that :thumbup:
Willie La'ulu
Roar Guru
Confusing article, but based on the question asked, I genuinely think this NSW side can do 5-6 years FOR SURE. At worst, they do 5-6 years. Keeping in mind, last year came down to a last minute try, so it may not be as one sided as people are presuming, but they definitely have a great fountain of youth and classiness on their side of the border. As a QLD fan myself, I do not hate on it, I think it is great the tide is turning, because NSWelshmen became "stale" to Origin, which I think is a bad way to look at a dominant side. I just hope QLD fans view it how I do, a competitive game bought back to its competitive form.
Max power
Guest
Total rewrite and misunderstanding of history NSW lost many series because Qld had better players. NSW won the last 2 years because they had better players and the Qld greats had retired. Pretty simple, nothing to do with hunger or losing interest in 2006
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Would somebody more intelligent than me explain the following; How many consecutive victories comprise “a dynasty? Why is a game or event described as an “epic” when the original meaning was “once in a lifetime? Don’t get me started on “game changer” & the ridiculous overuse of the word “absolutely”. Current generation will be remembered for sensationalising & mangling the English language. Perhaps I am being “super sensitive”. NSW by a “gazillion”.