Paris, Hilton deliver dose of reality to Blues as WA make history with third straight one-day crown
Hilton Cartwright and Joel Paris have powered Western Australia to a five-wicket win over NSW in the one-day cup final, securing a historic third…
Opinion
Following their sacrifices throughout this year’s covid-affected Origin series, it’s time to repay the selfless Blues by playing all three fixtures in Queensland next year.
Let’s be fair; now that Brad Fittler’s men are unbeatable anywhere north of the Tweed, gifting New South Wales another series of away games is the least rugby league can do.
In fact, such has been their benevolence on their unprecedented road trip romp, there’s an argument to be made to send the concept up to the Sunshine State permanently – or at least until Paul Green moves on.
With this year’s series about to wrap-up, talk has turned to compensating the Blues in 2022 for their charitable gesture of plunging the Maroons in to crisis while north of the border.
This has seen debate around how to adequately give thanks to James Tedesco’s side for performing the most magnanimous deed in interstate folklore – saving the Origin concept by killing it.
Blues officials believe the only way to even out the disadvantages faced by their side – such as Queensland’s feral locals, bloodthirsty media and nefarious hometown refereeing – is by shifting them all to Sydney.
But with the logistical difficulties of transplanting the Caxton to Homebush – namely the NSW government’s current biosecurity rules outlawing Allan Langer’s Y-fronts – many believe the only way to truly return the favour is by playing at the Blues’ fortress north of the border – forever.
Not only would moving Origin to Queensland for eternity guarantee ongoing series whitewashes for the Blues, it would pay deep respect to the hosts by allowing the sacred concept a dignified death at its spiritual homeland while surrounded by loved ones.
Furthermore, by shifting operations to the largely covid-free state, it would shield the players from any potential biosecurity measures, thus granting them and their families the freedoms of the general public, like eating at a restaurant or inviting a dancer back to their hotel.
Best of all, Queensland fans wouldn’t have to move too far from their tent cities, while the Blues faithful would only have to make three 900km treks north instead of battling to get to Stadium Australia.
For those unaware, NSW are unbackable favourites to complete their 3-0 series whitewash tomorrow night at Gold Coast’s CBus Stadium, with the fixture shifted for a third time after coronavirus refused to sign a sworn statement to stay away from Newcastle.
Uprooting the match north was the latest development in rugby league’s modern topsy turvy world and its ‘new normal’- that being, repeatedly giving Queensland home games until they show a pulse.
Come full-time, it will be the Blues’ first series whitewash since the year 2000, thus ending a painful 21 year wait that could’ve finished earlier simply had an unmasked limo driver stopped at various cafes throughout Eastern Sydney.
Soundly thrashing the Maroons without a single home game is a newfound transient dominance not lost on Fittler, with the coach moving training operations as close to Queensland as possible in Kingscliff, a decision that has seen his team since record no defeats or horse riding accidents.
With NSW now aware of this clear advantage, historians are recalculating how three games a year in Queensland would’ve affected the Maroons’ famous streak under Cameron Smith and Mal Meninga – and the results are stunning.
By applying the disparity retrospectively, Queensland’s record for this period would amend in unfathomable fashion from eight-in-a-row, to eight-in-a-row with less Frequent Flyers.