The Front Row: Cheering Maroons without chugging XXXX beer is a bridge too far for many fans

The thought of cheering on the Maroons, themselves adorned by the famous quartet of red Xs on yellow, while chugging a rival beer will be a bridge too far for many fans, writes Rohan O’Neil.

Michael Morgan. Photo: Getty Images

I CAN see it now.

Origin III on the hallowed turf of Suncorp Stadium, the series tied at 1-1 and those dirty Blues holding a two-point lead, just minutes away from breaking the hearts of 50,000 screaming Maroons fans.

With the game on the line and the Origin shield just seconds away from slipping south of the Tweed, Cowboys playmaker Michael Morgan channels his 2015 grand final heroics and engineers a matchwinning try for the ages.

Queensland Origin player Michael Morgan. Photo: Adam Head

The stadium explodes in an ear-shattering wave of noise, with the triumphant Queensland fans grinning from ear to ear as they embrace their loved ones and hug strangers.

Sounds like the perfect time to indulge in a well-deserved drop of our state’s favourite beer, XXXX, right?

Wrong.

A ban on “Milton Mangoes” is a very real prospect facing footy fans at The Cauldron this year with news breaking that Queensland fans won’t be able to buy the quintessential Origin beer due to trouble brewing between beer big wigs.

XXXX has one of the longest-running sponsorship deals in history in place with our mighty Maroons but rival brewers Carlton have been locked in as the “Beer of Origin” for 2018, with punters forced to fill their cups at arguably the biggest game of the year with Great Northern.

Chalk it up as another win for the geniuses at NRL HQ, with the game’s true stakeholders, the fans, emerging as the biggest losers in this ugly beer brawl.

So now, after shelling out hundreds of their hard-earned on tickets and supporter gear, not to mention flights and accommodation for the truly dedicated cane toad diehards, fans in the sunshine state will be denied their go-to drink that has become synonymous with Origin’s fierce intrastate rivalry.

For amber ale enthusiasts at footy grounds — who are already forced to battle long queues, piddly plastic cups and a mid-strength — this could be a killer blow.

The thought of cheering on the men in Maroon, themselves donning jerseys and shorts adorned by the famous quartet of red Xs on yellow, while chugging a rival beer will be a bridge too far for many a fan.

Surely the QRL will step in to right this wrong.

Common sense has to win out here in the end for the sake of Queenslanders everywhere.

And if not, who’s up for a few post-game Chardys while toasting yet another glorious Origin triumph?

Originally published as The Front Row: Cheering Maroons without chugging XXXX beer is a bridge too far for many fans