For the first time in recent memory, a Suncorp Stadium hosted State of Origin game has not sold out within mere hours of tickets going on sale. As of 8:00 pm on Wednesday night, 9,000 seats remained unsold for Game One of the Origin series, with the majority of fans agreeing that tickets are just…
I know State Of Origin is the crown jewel of Rugby League and I am an avid New South Welshman myself, but I do feel that it is killing the international game of Rugby League. Say for example you give Anthony Milford a choice to play for Samoa or QLD and Australia, there are so…
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…
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…
Each and every week until the finals I will present the totally unofficial LeagueFreak.com power rankings. Just a quick explanation, these are not based on who the better team is, or who would win if they played each other etc, it’s more a who would be happier with where they are, form, judgement type of…
South Sydney Rabbitohs owner Russell Crowe has opened up about the departure of forward Sam Burgess to Rugby Union, claiming that Burgess would have stayed in Rugby League had he been able to play for New South Wales in the State Of Origin series. That is all well and good, but Sam Burgess isn’t from…
There is no doubt that at representative level, Johnathan Thurston’s record is incredible. You can not deny his impact on Queensland’s historic State Of Origin winning run. Throw in his fantastic record at international level, that now include that elusive World Cup victory, and Thurston has done it all at rep level where the great…
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…
A week has passed since another heartbreaking origin series defeat. The dust has settled, and everyone has come to grip with the embarrassing reality that Queensland have stretched their streak to 8. In the emotional heat immediately succeeding game 3, many were quick to blame NSW no. 7 Mitchell Pearce for the 12-10 defeat. At…
The autopsies have wrapped up. Wally Lewis has induced some sedatives. We’ve allowed enough time for a Mal Meninga piece about rodents and grime. That means the emotional dust has officially settled on State of Origin 2013 and it’s time for the sensible wash-up from the straight-thinking public. Canvassing y’all intelligent realists, I’m hearing the…
The 2010 State Of Origin series was the first sporting even in Australia to be shown in 3D. In the lead up, the series the different retailers pushed 3D televisions heavily on the public. They created a buzz. If you didn’t have a 3D television, you’d be missing out. You didn’t want to be the…
Mitchell Pearce has played more games at halfback for New South Wales than any other player in State Of Origin history. He has never been in a series winning side. Many people would suggest it’s unfair to state those two facts. Let’s face it, there are a number of players in the New South Wales…
We are horrified! How embarrassing for Rugby League! What a disgrace! Let’s go and interview his family and friends! You have to love the Australian media sometimes. They love nothing more than to hoist their false outrage banners and go on crusades righting perceived wrongs. When some fmoron run onto the field last night, I…
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…
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…
Because a knee jerk reaction from the NRL has seen an issue (fighting) that was under control blow up to dominate discussion in the game, it has allowed crazies to come out of the woodwork and put forward ideas that do not pass the ten second test. What is the ten second test? Well if…
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…
Newcastle Knights winger James McManus will play just his second State Of Origin match next Wednesday night in a move that sees the in form winger make a decision I completely understand. McManus, who was born in Scotland, has turned his back on a walk up start in the World Cup for his nation of…