‘Doesn’t exist in NSW’: Age old Origin debate erupts

The age old State of Origin debate has once again erupted after Queensland grew another leg when it mattered the most.

Don’t tell me that loss didn’t hurt. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images

It’s almost as inevitable as a Queensland come from behind win in a thriller but the debate about passion in the State of Origin jerseys has reignited after the decider.

Queensland pulled off the unthinkable once again, winning the game three decider 22-12 despite being two men down and without the state’s best player in Cameron Munster.

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After the Maroons won eight straight series and 11 of 12 in an unprecedented run between 2006 and 2017, it shaped as a Blue era on the back of Nathan Cleary, James Tedesco and host of young New South Welshmen coming through to the Origin stage.

But if Origin has taught us anything in its 43-year history — never count out the Maroons.

The Cane Toads have now won two of the last three series, including famously worst Queensland team in history in 2020 and now a weakened Maroons claiming the shield in 2022.

NRL 360’s Paul Kent believes it shows the Maroon jersey just means more to Queenslanders than the light blue of NSW.

“You can sit here and crap on about all that other stuff, but the fact is every time Origin comes up every year and someone like myself or Buzz bring up the fact about Queensland passion,” Kent said.

“You blokes (Braith Anasta and Michael Ennis) as ex-players and I say this respectfully, get your backs up about NSW being as passionate about our jerseys as what they are.

“No way in the world.

“We have got a bloke who gets knocked on his door by Billy Slater who says, mate you are playing five-eighth because Munster is out. He tears up and he says, ‘I won’t let Queensland down’.

“The other No. 6 in the other jersey can’t wait to play for Samoa, so don’t tell me the passion is equal.”

Blues half Jarome Luai and winger Brian To’o have reportedly committed to playing for Samoa in the Rugby League World Cup at the end of the season.

Nathan Cleary looks on at a group of Queenslanders. Pics Adam Head

Blues half Nathan Cleary was also slammed for his post match interview where he said “Yeah it sucks”, just minutes after his chip kick was caught by Ben Hunt for the match sealing try.

His opposite number Daly Cherry-Evans was nearly in tears at the win, with a commenter saying: “DCE was nearly in tears after managing to pull the win out, he would’ve been inconsolable if they had lost.”

But in reply to Kent, Braith Anasta asked if he was as passionate a support as the Maroons fans are.

“No, I am not because if someone flew in from Mars today and said, ‘there is two teams here you have got to support one of them’,” Kent said.

“This team is always the underdog but they win more often than not. This team is always the favourite, but they lose more often than they win. This team over here they always stick loyal and pick each other. This team over here they swap and change. Who would you support?”

Michael Ennis, who played eight Origins for just two wins disagreed.

“It is easy to sit there and say that after Queensland get the result and play the way they did, but you can’t tell us how we feel pulling on a jersey,” Ennis said.

The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield broke it down, saying the Maroons were playing for the jersey, while the NSW players can play for the prestige of being Origin players.

“You can say there is a perception and a look that is the case,” Rothfield said.

“I look at Queensland players like they want to play for the Maroons Queensland jersey.

“And I look at NSW players that they want to play Origin and not necessarily that light Blues jersey.

“It is very easy to sit behind a keyboard and say that, but it is the impression that I get.”

Queenslanders are a different beast in Maroon. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Does the Blue mean as much? Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Anasta moved on but the debate returned later when former stars Ben Elias and Gorden Tallis were also able to weigh in.

Tallis brought the only Maroon point of view in the discussion and said Origin gave the Queenslanders a team to get behind.

The Brisbane Broncos didn’t come into the top flight competition until 1987 as the first side north of the border.

“I can’t speak for a New South Welshman but I just know for me growing up in Queensland … the 1980 team was our first tribe,” Tallis said.

“There are nine rugby league tribes here in Sydney but when State of Origin started we had one, the Queensland jersey. The Broncos came in eight years later, Cowboys in 1995 and Titans came back in in 2007.

“So that was our one team that everybody got behind.

“As a kid, we didn’t have Parramatta or Penrith, my dream wasn’t to play for a … my dream was always to play for Queensland.”

The jersey just does something the Queenslanders. Pics Adam Head

Anasta said he and Elias grew up thinking the same way about the jersey.

Elias added: “You’re making out the Maroon jersey is worth more than the Blue jersey. That’s a load of rubbish.”

Kent: “I think they care for it more.”

Elias: “What a load of rubbish. That is the biggest load of malarkey I’ve ever heard.

“You’ve got to go into camp and see the kids week in, week out. Hour in, hour out in camp and the love of the jersey and what they’re all about and what they represent is phenomenal.”

Kent said Queensland outplayed NSW in every way on Wednesday.

Elias: “I was extremely proud of the boys last night, and you’re making out that this Blue jersey we don’t care about and this Maroon jersey is the Superman jersey that they put on. They had a good side last night and you’d never disrespect any of those players that played.”

Kent replied: “Queensland win games by turning up on every play and they just do that over and over again. That’s because of the belief in the jersey that allows them to do that. It gives them the superpower, whatever it is, to do that — and I don’t believe that exists in NSW. And NSW too often go into games as favourites and get upset.”

Kent clarified he was saying the “No. 1 thing in life” is representing Queensland.

Elias said the Blues stars past and present sleep in their jerseys because they mean so much.

Gorden Tallis just wanted to win. Pic Anthony Weate

Tallis also said he never wanted a decider and every time he pulled on a jersey, he wanted a win.

“I want it 2-0, I want it 3-0. I want to beat you every time, I don’t want a charity case, I don’t want a decider,” Tallis said.

“The decider was over in Perth and we lost the decider. And then we had to go to the next one.”