Monday Buzz: Despite the emotion, Origin II was one of the worst games of rugby league I’ve seen
DESPITE the result and the emotion, Origin II was one of the worst games of rugby league I’ve seen. BLOG WITH BUZZ FROM 9AM.
Opinion
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It’s interesting to watch a replay of State of Origin without the emotion when you know the score and there is none of that edge-of-your-seat exhilaration.
It’s probably the best way to judge last Wednesday night’s game purely as a rugby league spectacle.
Your columnist is just back from 10 days in Brazil and has finally caught up with a replay of the Blues’ victory.
The fact NSW won and ended eight years of pain and misery made it one of those extra special occasions.
We will forever be talking about the night that NSW won and the emotional scenes that followed as Jarryd Hayne ran the football into Blatchy’s Blues.
The mental toughness and courage was absolutely incredible.
But, still, we should pause for a moment to examine the game at ANZ Stadium for what it produced in sporting skill and entertainment. We should also stop to think about a different audience in Melbourne next year and how it stacks up against their game, AFL.
Because, quite frankly, I thought Wednesday night’s contest was one of the worst games of rugby league I’ve ever seen.
Just 80 brutal minutes of niggle, rubbish and cheap shots.
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An event in which fans were charged up to $265 a seat to watch the best, toughest and most skilful 34 footballers in the game.
Freakishly skilled men like Thurston, Hayne, Inglis, Slater, Smith, Cherry-Evans, Jennings and Farah. And all we got was a UFC-style bash-up with everything but the punches.
Full marks to NSW coach Laurie Daley, who came up with the tactics to nullify the Maroons’ obvious skill advantage.
If you can’t beat them, bash them.
From exactly one minute and 54 seconds when Paul Gallen kneed Matt Scott in the head without penalty, this game became a war.
Eight minutes later the Blues captain dropped a forearm into Billy Slater’s head. Again no penalty.
Then Thurston slapped Beau Scott in the face. Farah produced a high swinging arm on Cherry-Evans.
James Tamou drops a forearm on Nate Myles, responding to the Queensland forward’s facials and biff in almost every tackle.
As Wally Lewis observed: “It’s not much fun to be a ball carrier tonight.”
We saw no real skill until Justin Hodges finally broke the line 39 minutes into the game.
The great Ray Warren observed at half-time: “This crowd has had little to get excited about.”
The second half was more of the same, highlighted by the Anthony Watmough lifting tackle, the Thurston headbutt.
Hayne’s try-saver on Sam Thaiday was a series-saver and Trent Hodkinson’s show-and-go try was a beauty.
But that was about it. The rest was bash, barge, hit-up, bash, barge, hit-up, bash, barge, hit-up.
So why did what should have been one of the greatest events in Origin history degenerate into this?
It’s easy. The referees were just appalling. They had absolutely no control over the game.
Had the sin bin been used early on, I’m convinced we would have seen some football.
There were at least 10 first-half opportunities to put players in the bin. They would have got the message after the first one.
I complained before this game about the appointments of Shayne Hayne and Ben Cummins. They might be the most experienced referees in the NRL but they are no longer the best.
They should be held responsible as much as the players that because it was such a poor spectacle, a first-time observer would not watch again.
Yes, the television ratings were fantastic and we filled the stadium.
But I’m just back from Brazil, where I’ve seen some of the most amazing skills.
Timmy Cahill’s boom left-foot volley to score against the Dutch. The great Argentinian Lionel Messi and his goal against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
That remarkable Mexican goalkeeper producing those spectacular saves against the might of Brazil.
I’m still a hardened, rusted-on rugby league tragic. Always have been, always will be. It’s just that I didn’t miss a lot while I was away.
LOWS TAKES SWIPE AT GOVERNMENT’S LACK OF SUPPORT
Billionaire Frank Lowy has slammed the federal government for abandoning the Socceroos on the world’s biggest sporting stage here in Brazil.
The Westfield tycoon is upset that not one member of the government has made an appearance to watch Australia at the World Cup.
And this comes after prime minister Tony Abbott embarrassingly referred to Socceroos skipper Mile Jedinak as ‘Mike’ on the eve of the tournament.
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Former sports minister Kate Ellis attended the last World Cup in South Africa on behalf of the Labor government.
I spoke to Lowy during the half-time break in Australia’s gripping 3-2 loss to The Netherlands, who were represented by the King and Queen of their country.
British prime minister David Cameron is in Brazil among other world leaders who are mixing with and lobbying the most powerful figures in FIFA, the Olympic movement and other sporting officials.
“Today we had the King and Queen of Germany, last week I saw the German chancellor and the US vice-president,” Lowy said.
‘WE’VE CAPTIVATED A NATION. LET’S KICK ON’
“We need our guys with us too.
“The prime minister or a senior minister should be here to show they really believe in Australia on a very important exercise.
“They should be here to showcase our great country and support the team.
“They should be here sitting in a bloody seat.
“I don’t want to start World War III between football and the prime minister but they have to get behind us at the biggest sporting event in the world.”
Originally published as Monday Buzz: Despite the emotion, Origin II was one of the worst games of rugby league I’ve seen
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