NSW State of Origin greats agree with coach Ricky Stuart that Queensland are arrogant

QUEENSLAND have been labelled "smug", "arrogant" and "big-heads" - and now they can add "precious" to the list.

QUEENSLAND have been labelled "smug", "arrogant" and "big-heads" - and now they can add "precious" to the list.

NSW coach Ricky Stuart did his best to ignite State of Origin II when he provocatively claimed in yesterday's The Sunday Telegraph the Maroons showed "fake graciousness in victory".

Former Blues greats Ben Elias and Laurie Daley supported Stuart's claims and also took aim at the Maroons.

"I can't believe how big-headed Queensland has become. They are arrogant and smug," Elias said.

"They are really getting up my nose. The only way to shut them up is to beat them on the field and I reckon that will happen," he said.

"What makes me sick is that former Queensland players are now jumping on the bandwagon.

"They are spruiking the six series wins - some haven't played for 20 years."

A fired-up Stuart wrote in his column: "Queensland are the authority on all things Origin. It all starts and ends with them. Right?

"To be honest, I've had a gutful of Queensland's smugness and their fake graciousness in victory."

Daley, who captained the Blues in 13 of his 23 Origin games, added: "There is a certain smugness about Queensland. I guess they have earned that right after winning six straight series.

"It does becoming annoying constantly hearing that Queensland has more passion than NSW. It's just not true.

"Are they gracious in victory? I will let others judge that," he said.

"Let's not forget that a lot of Queensland predicted the death of Origin when NSW was dominant a few years back. Ricky will have NSW ready to go on Wednesday night. I guess the best way to quieten them down is to beat them."Stuart's column, however, did not go down well north of the border, with Maroons prop David Shillington revealing he was offended by the outburst.

Poor diddums.

"I do take it a bit personally," Shillington told ABC Radio. "There's a natural rivalry and hatred between Queensland and NSW. I think it's the same when Australia play against New Zealand.

"I think Ricky says things in his column to fire up NSW fans and instil a bit of confidence in his NSW team as well. But sometimes he goes a bit far."

Former Queensland strong man Dave Brown said Stuart's outburst was predictable.

"To be honest that is all he's got," Brown said. "Stuart has not stopped whingeing since that first game and it looks as if he has got his way with the change of referees."

The old Banana Republic logic then swung into action with Brown saying Maroons coach Mal Meninga had given Stuart "nothing to feed off" so he resorted to having a crack in his column.

Last week, Meninga whinged that he would be overlooked as an Immortal in favour of Andrew Johns because NSW judges "didn't like him". That was a day after a stunning insult to all of NSW, calling Blues fans and players graceless whingers.

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