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'You just don't get Origin': Recollections of a New South Welshman in enemy territory

7th June, 2022
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Roar Guru
7th June, 2022
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Queensland is a special place. By an accident of circumstance, I was born here nearly 39 years ago, and I’ve now lived in Brisbane for more than 20 years since migrating from northern New South Wales to attend Griffith University.

State of Origin has always been important to me, as it is to many of my fellow New South Welshmen. But if you were to ask me if I would trade an Origin series victory for a Dragons premiership, I’d make that trade every day of the week.

I’ve met plenty of Queenslanders who wouldn’t trade an Origin victory for anything.

I once attended a conference in Cairns with a bunch of academics and officials, including the leaders of several Indigenous communities in north and far north Queensland.

I took my designated place at the table and within about two minutes the man sitting next to me – who I would soon discover was a member of the Tallis clan – had figured out that I was a Dragons fan with roots in NSW.

Later, after I’d said my bit and was engaged in some Q&A, I happened to let slip my provenance, at which point a cry rang out: “He’s a Dragons fan too”. These revelations elicited a chorus of boos from a room of otherwise smart and lovely people.

Like I said, it’s a special place.

I’ve observed a few other quirks and oddities during my time as a Blue domiciled in Brisbane. Here are a few of them.

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The Courier Mail

While print media is in seemingly terminal decline, the Courier Mail remains a prominent and somewhat infamous presence in Brisbane. It’s everywhere, and I usually peruse its pages as I await my morning coffee.

It’s feared by the political class for its often coruscating performance reviews of cabinet ministers. There’s something akin to a mantra among the top brass of the public service: does this pass the Courier Mail test? This is another way of asking: how could this be misconstrued?

It’s also not uncommon to see bumper stickers posing the question, ‘Is it true or did you read it in the Courier Mail’?

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JULY 14: Isaah Yeo of the Blues is tackled during game three of the 2021 State of Origin Series between the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons at Cbus Super Stadium on July 14, 2021 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

State of Origin time is when the organ in question goes completely off the reservation. There’ve been conspiracy theories and some pretty outlandish attacks on players, coaches and referees during hard times for Queensland, along with the boorish triumphalism during good times.

One of my favourites was the reaction after a masterful Andrew Johns-led NSW to victory in the 2005 series. The Courier Mail churlishly noted that “It took NSW 25 years to draw level with Queensland in overall Origin clashes”.

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Variable standards of business attire

While in recent years I’ve attended a few meetings in track pants and slippers due to the pandemic and remote working, I still can’t quite get my head around otherwise sensible colleagues who turn up to the office wearing a Queensland jersey on the day of an Origin game.

If walking around the CBD at lunchtime is any guide, it’s a widespread phenomenon. Does this happen in Sydney or other parts of NSW?

I don’t know about you, but I struggle to take a person wearing a rugby league jersey at work seriously. Maybe I’m a young fuddy-duddy.

If you’re not with us, you’re against us

Many years ago, when I was starting my professional career as the office lackey, I was occasionally called upon to answer the phone in the office of a then senior and very well-known cabinet minister.

As I’m sure you can imagine, these offices tend to attract some weird and disturbing calls. That’s bad; Origin time was worse.

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(Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

In the lead-up to an Origin game some radio stations – and not just radio stations in Queensland – like to call prominent politicians to ask them about who they support in Origin as some sort of weird loyalty test.

Naturally the media unit didn’t want to deal with these calls – they had actual issues to worry about – so the youngsters on the phones were instructed to play up the Queensland patriotism and get rid of them as quickly as possible.

At one point I fielded a call from a radio station in the Northern Territory asking who the minister thought would win. “Queensland of course,” I replied. And so it continued until, unsatisfied with the stock answers, they asked who I supported.

Do I tell the truth? No, not an option. Do I just say Queensland? Couldn’t do it. I settled on: “I’m from Tasmania; I’m a neutral. May the best team win”.

Mistake – they weren’t buying it. My lack of passion for Queensland had been noticed. There was a Blue in the machinery of the Queensland government. Fortunately nobody important cared.

You don’t ‘get’ Origin

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When I’ve reflected on such quirks and oddities I’ve often been met with a ‘you just don’t get Origin, David’.

I’ve heard similar lines trotted out by commentators and former players when NSW are struggling. They lack passion. They don’t want it as much as Queensland. They don’t get Origin.

What does this mean? The simple explanation might be an extension of what I mentioned in my introduction: I care about Origin, but it’s not as important as my beloved Dragons.

But the way people go on, you’d think they’re talking about something mystical or spiritual – that something had been bottled within Queensland when the lawyers were debating at the constitutional conventions of the late 1890s.

I think it’s more prosaic. It’s about ownership. State of Origin belongs to Queensland. It’s something that was wrested from NSW, correcting a supposed injustice. Don’t bother pointing out the residency rules that were in place for more than 70 years or the basic economics that underpinned their outcome.

And definitely don’t point out that one of Queensland’s greatest ever players and captains came from Balmain. That’s in Queensland.

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