State of Origin 2023: NSW Blues players earn $1.7m more than Queensland Maroons | Phil Rothfield

If State of Origin games were decided by player salaries, the NSW Blues would dominate the Maroons. But pay packets don’t win Origin games, writes Phil Rothfield.

If State of Origin games were decided by player salaries, the NSW Blues would cruise to victory over Queensland... but money means nothing when they run out onto the field. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

If State of Origin games were decided by the monetary value of each side, the NSW Blues would cruise to victory at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday night.

The Blues have six players worth one million dollars or more – Nathan Cleary, Latrell Mitchell, James Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic, Nicho Hynes and Payne Haas.

The Maroons have just two – the halves Cameron Munster and Daly Cherry-Evans.

All up we’ve valued Freddy’s Blues at $14.8 million compared to Billy Slater’s Maroons at $13.1 million.

That’s a difference of $1.7 million – or two $850,000 players.

The Blues have stars worth more money in most positions.

Some like the hookers, Api Koroisau and Ben Hunt, cancel each other out on $800,000 each.

Obviously the strongest team ‘on paper’ means nothing on Wednesday night in the series opener.

If State of Origin games were decided by player salaries, the NSW Blues would cruise to victory over Queensland... but money means nothing when they run out onto the field. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

We’ve witnessed underdogs winning so many times.

Blues assistant coach Greg Alexander says it comes down to effort and desire more than salary valuations.

“Pay packets don’t win State of Origin games,” he said, “They’re irrelevant on the night. The most talented team doesn’t always win.

“There’s a whole lot of things that make an Origin player and a team.

“I actually comes down to 80 per cent effort. You need that brilliance but effort overtakes everything. It’s about your desire and how much you want it.”

Alexander then talks about the good value players in the NRL.

“In an NRL team not everyone is on big money,” he said. “Some are minimum wage and they do a job for their team week in week out. That’s just footy.”

You think back to 2020.

Remember Dennis ‘Bullfrog’ Ritchie? Remember his line: ‘worst QLD side in 40 years.’

The 2020 Maroons side was called the ‘worst QLD side in 40 years’ but they still managed to stun the Blues and claim the series. Picture: Getty Images.

On paper they looked a far inferior side and worth several million less than the Blues yet old supercoach Wayne Bennett steered them to victory in a third-game decider.

They won the series with the likes of Corey Allan, Brenko Lee, Edrick Lee and Phillip Sami – handy NRL players but hardly superstars.

The bookies obviously agree the Blues have a definite edge - the Blues go into the game as $1.67 favourites on the TAB with Queensland at $2.25.

Cleary is a $5.50 favourite to win man-of-the-match ahead of Munster at $6.50 at Tedesco $7.

Josh Addo-Carr is a $9 favourite for first try-scorer with Brian To’o and Selwyn Cobbo at $11.