Origin Buzz: All the highlights and lowlights from State of Origin III

It’s the photo that is certain to cause plenty of angst in rugby union circles. Wallabies superstar Israel Folau spent State of Origin night in the company of the NRL’s 16 club chief executives.

Israel Folau at Suncorp Stadium.

• PAUL CRAWLEY: Queensland call-ups slot in seamlessly
• ANALYSIS: Should NSW move on from Mitchell Pearce?
• WHAT’S NEXT: Does Andrew Johns want to coach the NSW Blues?
• ANALYSIS: Where the decider was won and lost

THE Origin photo sure to cause a stir in rugby union circles, a miracle try and a couple of Blues players on the drink in NSW camp.

IZZY COMING BACK

It’s the photo that is certain to cause plenty of angst in rugby union circles.

Wallabies superstar Israel Folau spent State of Origin night in the company of the NRL’s 16 club chief executives.

The former Maroons Origin star was the guest of NRL boss Todd Greenberg.

Folau attended the game with his fiancé — Kiwi netball star Maria Tutaia — among the ground record crowd of more than 52,000.

Tucked away in a suite on the fifth floor, they spent the night mingling with the most powerful figures in rugby league, including Warriors boss Jim Doyle.

The Warriors have been mentioned as Folau’s most likely destination considering his fiancé’s commitments to New Zealand netball.

Israel Folau at Suncorp Stadium.

THE PHOTO BOMBER

Wouldn’t independent commission boss John Grant be loving today’s back page of the Courier Mail newspaper.

Somehow he positioned himself smack bang in the middle of what will be one of the most famous photographs in rugby league history — Cameron Smith’s farewell to Johnathan Thurston.

The good news is this may be Grant’s farewell photo too.

There is talk he won’t be on stage for the rugby league World Cup presentations in November — that job goes to the boss of the International rugby league Nigel Wood.

ARLC John Grant and the Origin shield.

HIGHLIGHT

A length of the field try in the final minute to give NSW Under 16s victory over the Maroons in the curtain raiser. And you’ve got to love the name of the tryscorer ... Bradman Best. (WATCH IT IN THE PLAYER ABOVE).

LOWLIGHT

There was a touch of sadness inside the press box for the very popular and respected journo Margie McDonald, who covered her last Origin for The Australian.

BUZZ ANALYSIS: Mad cabbies and a killer attitude

MATCH REPORT: Blue tears again as Maroons rule

SHOOSH

It probably wasn’t a good look that two NSW Blues players spent last Saturday afternoon on the booze and the punt at the Lennox Hotel, 80km south of the team’s training base at Kingscliff. Sure the players were on a day off but locals were surprised they were even on the drink.

Billy Moore was spotted jogging through the streets of Brisbane.

SPOTTED

# Nine’s veteran broadcaster Ray “Rabs” Warren and wife Cher at the Sheraton Mirage on the Gold Coast with Nine stablemate Peter Overton and his wife Jessica Rowe enjoying the school holidays.

# Darryl “Big Marn” Brohman and Beau Ryan having dinner at Joel Caine’s home in the Sutherland Shire on the night before the game.

# Former Panthers forward and wealthy businessman Lou Zivanovic is a ‘Blues Brother’, a corporate partner of the NSW team. Holidaying in Europe, he found a bar in Rome to watch the game at 9am local time.

# Former Maroons and North Sydney Bears forward Billy “Queenslander” Moore jogging through Brisbane streets in peak-hour traffic on Wednesday morning.

# Parramatta five-eighth Corey Norman enjoying the bye week with a few days back home on the Gold Coast.

TOUR DE BOLTS

Ray Hadley called his 75th Origin game on 2GB. Surprisingly he says his favourite moment was the Queensland victory in 1994 with Mark Coyne’s unforgettable last-minute try. We spotted the great man bike riding on Main Beach on the Gold Coast on Wednesday morning.

Matthew Johns will interview Greg Inglis.

MUST VIEWING

Matty Johns has scored the interview of the year for Fox Sports on this weekend’s Sunday Ticket. He will sit down for an exclusive one-on-one with Maroons superstar Greg Inglis, who will talk openly about his recent mental health issues.

HOMEBOY

Boxing champ Jeff Horn is so loyal to his Queensland fans that he will have his next fight at Suncorp Stadium even if the NSW and Victorian governments offer him more cash.

LOYAL BLUE

We reported recently about fanatical Blues fan and Sydney car dealer Kean Booker. For this game Booker was offering $500 discounts on any blue cars sold on Wednesday while refusing to sell anything maroon or red.