State Of Origin
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…
Imagine the headlines… New South Wales selects Sonny Bill Williams in game one of the 2014 State Of Origin series. I think the entire country would go into a meltdown. International eligibility rules state that after a World Cup, the most important international tournament we have, every single player is allowed to switch nations. I…
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…
Luke Keary has had his appeal against his State Of Origin eligibility denied by the National Rugby League. Keary qualified for New South Wales under the current rules but decided he wanted to play for Queensland. He was the first big test of the current rules and it’s seems the NRL was not willing to…
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…
Do you know how many times New South Wales have changed their halves combination since Queensland started their record breaking run in the State Of Origin series? Yeah…I don’t care either! I am sick to death of hearing people say that the reason New South Wales loses State Of Origin series comes down to the…
Yes, this is still dragging on… After being told numerous times that Luke Keary qualifies for New South Wales and not for Queensland under the new State Of Origin rules, the Queensland Rugby League have decided to take a new approach. They want the rules to be broken so they can have Luke Keary anyway….
Another day, another Queensland whinge! This time its Wally Lewis having a cry over the State Of Origin eligibility rules that use many different factors to determine that Luke Keary should play for New South Wales and not Queensland. Lewis told New Limited that the NRL’s ruling, based on what Luke Keary has told them…
It is pretty clear that people with Queensland Rugby League want to have their cake and eat it too. This time around it is Queensland Rugby League chairman Peter Betros and Queensland selection boss Des Morris who have had a nice long whinge to News Limited about South Sydney youngster Luke Keary not being eligible…
Even the most one eyed Penrith Panthers supporter would tell you that Jamie Soward has played, at best, OK so far in 2014. That hasn’t stopped his name being tossed up as a possible State Of Origin bolter though! In this article written by Daily Telegraph writers Nathan Ryan and Ben Glover Soward’s name it…
Gorden Tallis has weighed into the State Of Origin eligibility debate by claiming that the current rules are a farce and designed to allow both New South Wales and Queensland to keep selecting New Zealanders. Tallis made the claims in his News Limited column and I tends to agree with what he has had to…
South Sydney youngster Luke Keary will meet with NRL Head Of Football Todd Greenberg in an effort to break the brand new State Of Origin eligibility rules and play for Queensland. Keary, who under the new rules qualifies only to play for New South Wales, is being supported by the Queensland Rugby League. There is…
Would you be shocked if I told you that Queensland was whinging once again about State Of Origin eligibility rules? This time the issue surrounds South Sydney youngster Luke Keary. Keary was born in Queensland but moved to New South Wales at a young enough age that he no longer qualifies to play for Queensland….
Over the course of the World Cup Australian Rugby League and National Rugby League officials spent time in the UK meeting with their UK counterparts from various sporting codes. It allowed Australian officials to spend well over a month on an extended fact finding mission they normally wouldn’t have had the time to complete. Out…
The 2013 Rugby League State Of Origin series is now over. Game three saw Queensland win their 8th straight State Of Origin series and now we can all look back and rate the players. My State Of Origin player ratings are harsh. I don’t really care if you like them or not. I don’t want…
Queensland has won a classic State Of Origin match in Sydney, wrapping up game three 12-10 and securing a record 8th straight series in a row. Queenslands defense won them this game. Despite a lopsided penalty count and a pile of tackle after tackle defending their own try line, the Queensland scrambling defense was nothing…
Having an internationally successful web site gives you certain responsibilities. One of them is to provide a service to the Rugby League community when the time arises. Mitchell Pearce has gone missing. We all miss him. His family misses him, his club misses him, his state has missed him. We just want to find where…
I feel like we have been here before… New South Wales got the 2013 State Of Origin series off to a great start with an emphatic victory in Sydney. Then, as soon as the game finished, things started going pear shaped for the Blues. Injuries and suspensions and crushed the optimism New South Wales had…
As the New South Wales Blues line up against Queensland, looking to break their seven year stranglehold on the State Of Origin series, one player has more on the line than anyone else. After getting chance after chance to prove himself at State Of Origin level, this is Mitchell Pearce’s last chance to become “That…
The Gold Coast is looking to muscle in on Lang Parks monopoly over State Of Origin football by formulating a bid to host a State Of Origin game in 2017. The Brisbane Times is reporting that Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate wants to use a State Of Origin match as a warm up to the…
Bulldogs playmaker Josh Reynolds has been dropped from the NSW bench for State Of Origin three. Boyd Cordner will take Reynolds place as the Blues look to add more side o the bench. Cordner has been in fantastic form for the Roosters in recent week. It’s great to see that he will get his opportunity….
Paul Gallen will miss State Of Origin three after being ruled out with a foot injury he picked up in game two. Gallen has played a number of series now carrying injuries. He has been a fantastic leader for New South Wales. Going into State Of Origin three without him on the field will be…
The teams have been selected. The referees have been told that both sides are cheating. Queensland drank some beer. New South Wales didn’t drink some beer. The stage has now been set for an epic conclusion to the 2013 State Of Origin series. So, what would I like to see happen in this game. You…
The Queensland Rugby League have named their lineup for the third and deciding game of the 2013 State Of Origin series. As expected there have been no changes to the team that completely annihilated New South Wales in game two. The Maroons have brought Jacob Lillyman and Will Chambers into the squad though. The official…
Note: Jarryd Hayne, Paul Gallen and Josh Renynolds were replaced by James McManus, Aaron Woods and Boyd Cordner respectively. The New South Wales Rugby League has named a 20 man squad heading into State Of Origin game three. After getting smashed in the second game there have been a coupl of slight changes to the…
Game two of the 2013 State Of Origin series was a disaster for New South Wales. Not too many of the Blues players could hold their head high after the 26-6 thrashing Queensland handed them. Two players stood out though… Aaron Woods and Nathan Merritt made their State Of Origin debuts after a groundswell of…
Game two of the 2013 State Of Origin series was an ambush. Queensland came out breathing fire and New South Wales simply could not stand up to the pressure. In the aftermath of such a complete and utter beat down, its always fun to rate the performances of players from both teams. I tend to…