State of Origin: Every club’s representation over the past five years reveals worrying trends
The Bulldogs’ and Tigers’ troubles run deep and are magnified with their lack of Origin stars. Read the stunning detail of every club’s contribution to Origin over the past five years.
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The playing roster deficiencies of NRL strugglers the Wests Tigers and Canterbury Bulldogs have been laid bare on the back of another State of Origin snubbing.
While the resurgent Broncos’ form coincides with their return as the lifeblood of Origin, the Tigers and Bulldogs joined the New Zealand Warriors as the only clubs not to provide a single player to either NSW or Queensland for the opening game of this year’s interstate series.
It follows a dark period for both Sydney sides, neither of whom have played finals football during their barren Origin run.
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Including the likely 17-man sides for game one at Accor Stadium next Wednesday, The Daily Telegraph can reveal that 93 players will have run out for the Origin showcase event since 2018, and in that time:
*Brisbane have had the most players selected with 14, on the back of debuts handed to Blues centre Kotoni Staggs and Maroons pair Selwyn Cobbo and Pat Carrigan;
*Melbourne and Penrith have provided 12 and 11 players respectively;
*The New Zealand Warriors have had none;
*Canterbury have just two, and none since Dylan Napa in 2020; and
*The Tigers have had three, but no NSW players in the past five years (In 2017, James Tedesco and Aaron Woods picked for NSW).
THE SAD TIGERS’ TALE
Even before Matt Betsey had started his role as the Wests Tigers head of pathways he had heard the whispers.
That the club’s best prospects did not want to stay at Concord because a State of Origin berth was out of reach. Maybe the kids were onto something.
The Tigers have not had a single player picked for the Blues since 2018, when their only representatives — Moses Mbye, Harry Grant and Joe Ofahengaue — all only played a single game for Queensland.
“Prior to me coming on board, I heard stories of players leaving because they didn’t see that pathway and didn’t feel like they were getting what they needed. That has been a massive focus for us,” Betsey said.
“From a football skill point of view, the kids now have access to Tim Sheens and Brett Kimmorley, who are there to help them transition into the elite level.
“Now, when they get to that elite stage, they can look back at their time with Tigers and think why would I want to go anywhere else.”
MAGPIES REVIVAL
While Betsey accepts immediate success on the footy field is the quickest remedy to the lack of Origin representation, the Tigers are playing the long game.
Like Penrith did back in 2013, taking a laser focus to developing junior pathways that nurtured players all the way through to NRL level and on to Origin.
Not only has it delivered Penrith premiership success, on Sunday, Blues coach Brad Fittler named six Panthers in his 17-man side for game one on June 8.
“If you get success on the field you get good representation, like the Penrith side,” Betsey said. “What we are building at the moment are players coming through our junior rep system that are developing the skills required at NRL level and representative honours will come with that.
“That’s going to take time, we’d love to have more representation at Origin level. We’ve had a couple in the last few years but the young kids coming through will change that.”
A true test of the strides made at the Tigers will be the club’s ability to retain the talent from this year’s grand final-winning under 17s Wests Magpies Harold Matthews team.
“They’re the perfect example. We have clubs chasing some of those players so we need to make sure we are looking after them,” Betsey said.
“Over 90 per cent of that team was local juniors and have been playing with each other for a few years. We want that to continue into SG Ball and into the NRL program. The future is pretty bright for some of those players.”
Already prop Jordan Miller, hooker Tallyn Da Silva and backrower Lachlan Galvin are being chased by NRL rivals.
“They are the types of players we want to develop and help navigate their journey,” Betsey said. “If we do our job correctly we will create players other clubs are interested in but our job is to keep them and one day turn them into Origin players.”
ADDO-CARR CRASH
Josh Addo-Carr’s Origin snubbing comes after he swapped Melbourne for Canterbury, meaning Dylan Napa remains the last Bulldog to play Origin, back in 2020. While David Klemmer is the last Bulldogs junior to don the sky blue.
Bulldogs CEO Aaron Warburton said the antidote to the lack of Origin representation was success on the football field, like Canterbury had between 2012 and 2016 – when the club played in two grand finals and didn’t miss the top eight.
In 2015, the Bulldogs had five Blues players Josh Jackson, David Klemmer, Trent Hodkinson, Josh Morris, Brett Morris.
“We dominated like Penrith has done now in that period and we had a great representation of players and that happens when you are at the top of the table,” Warburton said.
“If your playmakers are going well … throw in a prop and a backrower and you start plugging in solutions at the Origin level. That was us only six or so years ago.”
Blues selector Greg Alexander said Addo-Carr was left out of the side for tactical reasons and the flyer was not the victim of playing in a struggling team.
“It’s not as if his form has been horrible” Alexander said.
“He’s playing in a side that has struggled to score points and create opportunities for him … I don’t know if there is one particular thing he has to do. It’s not about Fox scoring tries, I think we weigh it up again after what happens in game one.
“Any player that missed out and is playing club footy and is a New South Welshman is a chance to be selected.”
BRONCOS’ RESURGENCE
In a sure sign that a club side’s form can make or break a player’s Origin chances, Brisbane only had two players selected in 2020 — the Blues’ Payne Haas and Maroons’ Xavier Coates — when they went on to claim the club’s first and only wooden spoon.
After two agonising years of missing the finals, the Broncos are back, emerging as the second-most prolific provider of Origin talent, behind only premiers Penrith.
Flying high after helping Brisbane into the top four following six straight victories, Cobbo, Carrigan and off-season recruit Kurt Capewell earned selection in rookie coach Billy Slater’s Maroons, while Staggs has joined Haas in Brad Fittler’s Blues.
Despite their rock-bottom season in 2020, the Broncos have still managed to produce the most Origin players of any NRL club in the past five years with 14, while Queensland rivals the Cowboys (10) and Titans (7) are not far behind.
ORIGIN REPRESENTATION SINCE 2018
Brisbane 14
Andrew McCullough, Josh McGuire, James Roberts, Anthony Milford, Corey Oates, Matt Gillett, Joe Ofahengaue, Payne Haas, David Fifita, Xavier Coates, Thomas Flegler, Selwyn Cobbo, Kurt Capewell, Pat Carrigan
Melbourne 12
Will Chambers, Felise Kaufusi, Cameron Munster, Josh Addo-Carr, Billy Slater, Tim Glasby, Dale Finucane, Christian Welch, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Brenko Lee, Harry Grant, Xavier Coates
Penrith 11
James Maloney, Tyrone Peachey, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Nathan Cleary, Kurt Capewell, Isaah Yeo, Jarome Luai, Liam Martin, Brian To’o, Apisai Koroisau, Stephen Crichton
North Queensland 10
Gavin Cooper, Michael Morgan, Coen Hess, Josh McGuire, Valentine Holmes, Kyle Feldt, Francis Molo, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Reuben Cotter, Jeremiah Nanai
South Sydney 10
Greg Inglis, Dane Gagai, Damien Cook, Angus Crichton, Cody Walker, Ethan Lowe, Cameron Murray, Jaydn Su’A, Corey Allan, Jai Arrow
Sydney Roosters 9
Boyd Cordner, Dylan Napa, James Tedesco, Latrell Mitchell, Angus Crichton, Jake Friend, Daniel Tupou, Luke Keary, Lindsay Collins
Gold Coast 7
Jarrod Wallace, Jai Arrow, Phillip Sami, AJ Brimson, Moeaki Fotuaika, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, David Fifita
Newcastle 7
Kalyn Ponga, David Klemmer, Daniel Saifiti, Tim Glasby, Mitchell Pearce, Edrick Lee, Dane Gagai
Parramatta 7
Blake Ferguson, Junior Paulo, Clinton Gutherson, Nathan Brown, Mitchell Moses, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Ryan Matterson
St George Illawarra 7
Ben Hunt, Paul Vaughan, Tyson Frizell, Jack de Belin, Tariq Sims, Corey Norman, Andrew McCullough
Canberra 4
Josh Papalii, Jack Wighton, Nick Cotric, Dunamis Lui
Cronulla 4
Valentine Holmes, Matt Prior, Josh Morris, Wade Graham
Manly 3
Jake Trbojevic, Tom Trbojevic, Daly Cherry-Evans
Wests Tigers 3
Moses Mbye, Harry Grant, Joe Ofahengaue
Canterbury 2
David Klemmer, Dylan Napa
Warriors 0
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