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I really used to look forward to State of Origin.
Nothing was better than the prospect of seeing the Queensland underdog overcome the odds, and nothing better than revelling in a glorious pre-match Phil Gould monologue.
Even dead rubbers were worth watching. Normally, I’d be excited by an imminent clean sweep of failures for New South Wales, but there’s something lifeless about this year’s non-deciding match.
Sadly, Origin Three 2023 is shaping up as the deadest dead rubber ever.
What should be the highlight of the NRL season unfortunately looms as likely being the dampest of damp squibs. Not even the promise of a broadcast bereft of players breathlessly babbling on about respecting possession can lift the spirits.
Why exactly has this year’s game three failed to quicken the pulse? Is it because we nearly always look forward to an exciting decider? Not at all.
In the words of Tom Jones, it’s not unusual for an Origin series to be decided prematurely. By my calculations nearly half of all Origin series have been decided before game three.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow celebrates a try in State of Origin game two. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
But I can’t recall the pervasive lethargy that has settled on this series existing in previous years. It was only a few years ago in 2018 with the series lost that the lead-up to the third game bristled with bluster as Queensland vowed to send retiring fullback Billy Slater out on a high note. It seemed an important thing to do.
Fast forward to the present and NSW seems to have little interest in sending their retiring coach Fittler out with a strong finish.
There are many theories that might explain this. Perhaps the spin-the-wheel approach to selection has disillusioned many Blues supporters.
From a Queensland point of view the loss of golden boy Reece Walsh may have diminished some public interest. No one would ever publicly condone his antics, but privately perhaps we feel his childish tantrums are slightly entertaining.
Maroon supporters also may have tasted a delicious schadenfreude with the dropping of arch-villain Jarome Luai, but seeing him sulk after losing gives viewers one less thing to look forward to.
Another reason for the disinterest in the match may be just how fascinating the Ashes cricket has been. It has clearly pulled focus, to such an extent that maybe some consideration could be given to playing the third Origin match as just one forty minute half that would fit neatly into the lunch break of the third Test.
Even the players seem to have moved on. Once Kalyn Ponga and Latrell Mitchell decided they had better things to do, how could you blame supporters for following suit?
Something needs to be done to save Origin. Perhaps NSW could look over the ditch and pick a few NZ players. The inclusion of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves might just give the series the good old fashioned poke in the eye it needs.
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