The media are already gearing up for headlines that will induce false outrage. Meninga Snubs Blues! Meninga Hates NSW Players! Mal Meninga Show Bias To Queensland Team! As a NSW supporter, every time I see headlines stating that Mal Meninga is the Australian coach, I breathe a sigh of relief! Meninga’s dominance as a coach…
The NSWRL held its awards night last night that is basically the NSWRL’s version of the Dally M Awards. Various awards for NSWRL ran competitions were handed out, and among these awards were those given to New South Wales State Of Origin players for their outstanding performances during the 2015 State Of Origin series. Those…
Manly’s Treatment Of Toovey Is A Disgrace The treatment of Geoff Toovey by the Manly Sea Eagles is a disgrace. When you consider the constant infighting at board level Toovey has had to deal with during his time as the Sea Eagles head coach, the injury list he has managed, the loss of talent he…
Two Rugby Union writers for the Sydney Morning Herald took a couple of shots at Rugby League today in the aftermath of the NSW Waratahs Super Rugby final victory over the Crusaders last weekend. I didn’t watch the game but apparently it was won by a penalty kick in the dying minutes. Of course, Rugby…
State Of Origin three felt like an exhibition game. You could very much tell the series was over just by the way the game was played. It was very strange. So now it is time to hand down the player ratings for State Of Origin three. Remember that my ratings system is on an all…
Queensland has belted New South Wales 32-8 in State Of Origin three. The Maroons dominated most of the game in terms of field position and quality possession and New South Wales rarely got at chance to attack the Queensland line during the match. While the Blues managed to hang in early, and even managed to…
It is a fact that there is a warehouse in Queensland full of boxes. In those boxes are maroon colour t-shirts. On the front of those t-shirts is a big, dirty sticker that reads “9 in a row”. I’ll be thinking of those t-shirts tonight as New South Wales runs out onto Lang Park looking…
The series winning NSW blues have named the side they hope can complete a historic three-nil whitewash in Brisbane next Wednesday night. Josh Morris is back after suffering an unfortunate injury in his heroic Origin One effort and will replace the injured Michael Jennings. Boyd Cordner also comes into the side after missing the first…
New South Wales have made only a couple of changes heading into game three of the State Of Origin series. The Blues are looking to clean sweep Queensland at Suncorp Stadium. So, is this the team to get the job done? Official New South Wales State Of Origin Team For Game Three 1. Jarryd Hayne…
Queensland were gracious in defeat, New South Wales were respectful in victory. That was one of the main talking points coming out of State Of Origin two. Don’t tell that to former Queensland player Greg Dowling though.. Dowling has launched a full on attack aimed squarely at anything any everything New South Wales, admitting he…
New South Wales have won the 2014 State Of Origin series, and now it is time to look at the always controversial player ratings. Other places hand out player ratings so freely, they don’t make players earn them. Lets face it, last nights match wasn’t the best game of State Of Origin we have ever…
New South Wales has secured their first State Of Origin series win since 2005 with a 6-4 win over Queensland at ANZ Stadium. This was one of the weirdest State Of Origin games I have ever seen. Both teams looked gun shy for 70 minutes. There wasn’t much attacking football to speak of, neither side…
We were in this position last year. New South Wales had won game one of the 2013 State Of Origin series in emphatic fashion and heading into game two of the series Blues supporters were full of confidence. In game two Queensland destroyed New South Wales. The 26-6 scoreline doesn’t begin to explain how the…
On the even of State Of Origin 101 I have taken it upon myself to select the greatest New South Wales State Of Origin team of all time. Anybody that has played State Of Origin football for New South Wales is eligible. All players are selected in career best form. This team was selected to…
If there is one thing I love writing about, it is referees… Paul Gallen and Greg Bird have called for a return to one referee for State Of Origin football. They believe one referee, one voice, would help ease confusion over decisions and make it easier for players who have to deal with just one…
In one of those “What the hell are they thinking?” moments, the Daily Telegraph is reporting that is New South Wales win State Of Origin two, they will have to wait until game three of the State Of Origin series to receive the Origin shield. You would think it makes sense to hand the trophy…
Yesterday it was confirmed that Will Hopoate and Josh Dugan will replace the injured Morris brothers in the squad for the second State of Origin squad, with Dugan set to take up the centre position. Josh Dugan has always lifted in the Origin arena, and was amongst the state’s best in last years series, however…
The lull in the competition, due to players being out, meant last Saturday Night I turned on 7mate to watch Essendon vs Richmond. Although AFL is about a million light-years behind the NRL in terms of the game, the quality of the television presentation was far superior. Not only was the game broadcast LIVE, but…
Game one of the 2014 State Of origin series was a classic contest. Now it is time to rate each players performance. Be warned, I rate players harshly no matter which side they play for. I rate all players on a scale of 1-10 and I’m not afraid to use the entire scare to show…
First of all let me say thank you to the 34 footballers that put on one of the best sporting contests I have ever seen. The 100th game of State Of Origin football will long be remembered as a war of attrition. A game that was as physically taxing as any sporting contest I have…
After almost a year of hearing Queenslanders gloating, then whinging, then working themselves into a lather over Paul Gallen telling them they have two heads, it is now time for the New South Wales to belt Queensland on their own home soil. It doesn’t matter that Queensland have won 8 series in a row, they…
Wally Lewis has launched an extraordinary attack on Paul Gallen and New South Wales, claiming Gallen should be embarrassed for losing 8 straight series and that New South Wales will never “get” State Of Origin football. Gallen, who is hated in Queensland, made a joke last week about the two headed supporters of Queensland. That…
Forget passion, talent wins State Of Origin games. While some selections are already leaking out for NSW I’m going to ignore them and post the team I would select. A few players are injured and some are suspended. That means that no NSW team anyone selects is going to be ideal. That being said, this…
His club form hasn’t been great, his form at State Of Origin level over the course of his career has not been great, and now Mitchell Pearce is dealing with an off field issue. There is a lot of speculation that Mitchell Pearce will not be selected in game one of the 2014 State Of…
State of Origin footy is almost upon us once again, accompanied by the speculation, or lack thereof, in regards to who will be picked. With the squad selections being announced next week, I’ve decided to take this opportunity to put my twenty cents in. The Maroons’ dominance has stretched to eight straight years and, as…
This is a really strange one… The Sydney Daily Telegraph is reporting that Laurie Daley has accused Ray Hadley of trying to get NSW assistant coach Matt Parish sacked because Parish is having a relationship with Ray Hadleys estranged wife. Ray Hadley has denied he tried to pressure NSWRL types to sack Parish but it…
I would stop writing about this sort of thing if Mal Meninga would just chill out, look how many series he has won as the Queensland Maroons coach, and started enjoying life a little rather than being so angry about things. In the latest round of “Things Mal Said” Mal Meninga has claimed that New…
Money is the reason that State Of Origin eligibility rules were slowly undermined by both states since the inception of the State Of Origin concept in the early 1980’s. people can talk about passion until they are Blue or Maroon in the face. The fact is that from day one coaches and officials looked at…
With State of Origin one rapidly approaching, and every man and his dog predicting the NSW line up, I’ve decided to produce the side I would choose to take on the red hot favourite home side come Origin One. As with last year, this is not the side I expect to be chosen, or the…
With Robbie Farah set to miss at least State Of Origin one with an arm injury, attention had turned to the players who might replace him at hooker for the Blues. Michael Ennis’ name has been put forward, although I tend to think he is not the player he once was. Nathan Peats has been…