State of Origin 2016: Why are NSW so big on loyalty, when the same players keep losing?

WHAT are the Blues being loyal to? Success? The players? Culture? Or just to the greatest trick Queensland ever pulled on us, live blog with PAUL KENT.

NSW's Paul Gallen during game one. Picture: Gregg Porteous

• Buzz Rothfield: Laurie Daley’s loyalty should be applauded
• Stuart rejects approach for Joey Leilua to join Blues squad
• Sharks dominate NSW Blues selection for State of Origin game two

LOYALTY, by definition, has no expiry. If NSW do not win in Brisbane next week, though, it might be time to reconsider.

What are the Blues being loyal to?

It won’t be success. The Blues will have lost 10 of the past 11 series.

LIVE BLOG WITH NRL 360’S PAUL KENT BELOW AT 1PM

Is it time for NSW to ignore loyalty - for winning?

It can’t be the players. There is not a NSW player available who has won more series than he has lost.

It is not the style NSW play. For the first 25 years of Origin NSW went out to win the game and, while sometimes they lost, they won as often as they didn’t and every season Blues fans believed they were a chance. Now they play not to lose. The difference is only small, but it is everything.

And it can’t be the Blues’ culture they must remain loyal to. NSW has replicated Queensland’s culture to the point NSW no longer has a separate identity but instead is a version of Queensland-Lite.

Anything you can do, we can do nearly as well.

The twist in all this is that, the paradox, is that it all goes back to loyalty and a complete misunderstanding of what it means.

Queensland was always about loyalty.

NSW's Paul Gallen during game one. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Pick the ones who did it before. Often overlooked, though, is Queensland’s nod to loyalty came through necessity, not choice.

Before the competition truly opened up and when the NSW Rugby League was the best competition in Australia, with an inclusion from Brisbane, Queensland rarely found itself with more than 18 or 19 players of Origin quality.

With injuries, sometimes they did not even have that many.

So they nearly always picked the same guys and told them not to worry about the number on their jersey but to go out and do the job for Queensland.

NSW was spoilt for riches.

Yet for reasons unknown NSW was always a little embarrassed about this and so whenever the Blues lost they went into small panic and Queensland pumped their chest and claimed ownership of all those qualities we look to in sport, such as loyalty and playing for a mate.

Billy Moore’s “Queenslander!” call is part of the Maroons mythology.

The Maroons were great mythmakers. Everybody failed to see that.

They stumbled upon an idea that worked and convinced everybody they planned it all along. They won when they had no right to and they convinced us it was because there was something more in the maroon jersey than there was in the blue one.

Overcome with doubt, NSW went looking for it. They lost a series and in a nod to Queensland’s philosophy stuck solid with those that failed.

Forget that NSW always picked different players after a losing performance because they had more players to choose from.

Or that form was important if you had the luxury of choice.

And while there is some sense that combinations will improve over the lifetime of a series, sticking solid with losing players in succeeding years, because they are being schooled in the ways of Origin, makes little sense.

Yet the throw off is to criticise the media and the fans and ask they simply support the Blues the same way Queensland support their team.

Again, copycatting Queensland.

It has got to the point NSW pokes its head over the fence to see what Queensland is doing before heading back to the garage for some tinkering. It is an arm’s race and NSW is Samoa as Russia rolls on.

Queensland has brainwashed the Origin narrative. They run out one of the hottest teams in rugby league history and still convince us they are the underdogs. More, the narrative goes that such is the advantage of being the underdog the Blues also strive for underdog status.

So we get two teams arguing to be considered the worst.

Queensland teams pick themselves - NSW coach Laurie Daley must take the initiative.

There was a time when NSW was proud to house the game’s best footballers. It spoke to the identity of the State.

Frontrunners. Achievers. What the others aspire to be. And Queensland always did, don’t overlook that.

Now the Blues try to win by going in through the back door.

None of it makes sense. And the greatest trick Queensland pulled was to get NSW to fall for it.

They have convinced NSW to keep picking the same players that can’t do the job hoping it will change, and heaven forbid anyone that questions it.

We quickly find out what those people are. Those people aren’t loyal.

FULL BLUES SQUAD FOR GAME TWO:

1 Matt Moylan (1 Origins), 2 Blake Ferguson (2), 3 Michael Jennings (16), 4 Josh Morris (14), 5 Josh Mansour (1), 6 James Maloney (1), 7 Adam Reynolds (1), 8 Aaron Woods (9), 9 Robbie Farah (14), 10 Paul Gallen (20), 11 Wade Graham (0), 12 Josh Jackson (4), 13 Greg Bird (17). Reserves: 14 Dylan Walker (1), 15 James Tamou (12), 16 David Klemmer (4), 17 Andrew Fifita (5), 18 Jack Bird (0)*, 19 Bryce Cartwright (0)*.

*Development players

Download SuperFan NRL - the ultimate rugby league app for iOS