The highlight of the League season
The annual Rugby League State of Origin series between the New South Wales (NSW) Blues and the Queensland (QLD) Maroons got underway this week. The series is the highlight of the Rugby League calendar, with the 3 game series played with an intensity and competitiveness that is not matched in any other games that are played - international test matches included. Often teammates end up playing against each other with everything being left on the field at the end of the match. Some of the great hits in League occur during the State of Origin series - here is a collection of them…
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I grew up on Rugby League, and it’s one of my favourite sports. I believe that the game is much more exciting to watch than Rugby Union, as it is faster and there seems to be more going on. Wednesday night’s match only confirmed my belief of this. It was a very exciting and fast-paced match, but I noticed a few things that really got on my nerves. Sean Hampstead was absolutely useless as the referee of this match - if he is the best the NRL has to offer at the moment, then the league is in bad shape. Additionally, what is the point of having scrums in rugby league anymore? I think it’s absolutely disgraceful that they even pretend to do them. Half the players aren’t engaged in the scrum like they are supposed to be, and the football gets nowhere near the hooker’s feet. I suggest that either they make the teams do scrums properly or they should just get rid of them all together.
On to the match itself. NSW got off to a great start, scoring 3 tries in the first 21 minutes - with Willy Mason’s try being the pick of the lot - running over 3 or 4 defenders and scoring next to the uprights. NSW took a 14-0 lead into halftime and looked in control of the game. However, Queensland did what has become habit for them in recent years and found a way to come back in the late stages to make a game of it, scoring three times to level the scores with 5 minutes left. With time running out and NSW in position, NSW halfback Brett Finch, who had been called up to the team 24 hours earlier and had scored the first try of the match, took the ball and attempted a 40 metre field goal to break the 16-16 deadlock and watched the ball sail perfectly through the uprights. It was a fantastic finish to the game and kept up the tradition of great Origin games.
Gorden Tallis still scares me.
He and Michael Hancock are the two players that I loved to hate - I can’t descrive how much I hated watching those two play.
Mate, I’ll back you on most anything related to sports, but you are talking out of your arse here. There is no way that there is more going on in League than in Union. The breakdowns in Union are case in point. And your comment about the scrums is more evidence of more going on in this case in Union than in League. Most League games have become like clockwork - run the return from the kick, 4 up the middle, 1 out wide, kick deep. Repeat until someone misses a tackle and a try is scored.
Don’t get me wrong - I still watch League and enjoy the game, but particularly since Union went professional the games are so different. League is a game focused on the individual - in particular the hard hitups and wide runners, where union is more focused on the teams abilities in the ruck/maul and movement through the backline.
I’m being very kind - wait till Angelo sees this post!
Should I have seperated Super 14 and Rugby Test matches then? I’ll admit that Super 14 is fast paced (I still don’t agree that Union is faster than League), but Union test matches can be extremely slooooooow. You know yourself that England play a particularly boring style of game and have relied heavily on accurate goal kicking, drop goals etc to get them points, instead of trying to score tries and make the game exciting. I can’t remember the last time a rugby league match has been described as a goalkickers duel.
I have reconsidered what I said about ‘more going on’ and I believe it was a poor choice of words on my behalf. Obviously there is more going on in Union because of the rucks and mauls, lineups, more set plays etc. However, what you said about the indiviual vs the team isn’t accurate - just look at who won the NRL Grand Final last year. They won the comp by displaying exceptional teamwork and beat a few teams who relied more on individuals along the way (Brisbane for one). I’m not knocking Union in any way - you know I’m a fan of pretty much every sport there is (know anyone else who has watched lawn bowls on ABC because there was nothing else on?)
Yeah I can’t wait for Angelo’s ‘League isn’t a sport’ comments.
oh, you’re finished… well allow me to retort…
First of all, lets not forget the roots of the game- league was started by a group of deadbeats who couldn’t understand the rules of union.
tackle, get up, play the ball… tackle, get up, play the ball… tackle, get up, play the ball… tackle, get up, play the ball… tackle, get up, play the ball… kick. Yeep, my mistake- that’s pretty riveting stuff. The only fast thing about league is how quickly canterbury players can call a lawyer.
Damn right ‘more going on’ was a poor choice of words. Because since hopoate left the NRL NOTHING goes on. Unless of course, you’re referring to ‘more going on’ off the field- in which case league players’ extensive use of Rohypnol in niteclubs certainly counts.
Unfortunately, you just dont know the definition of ‘teamwork’- see, in union teamwork means supporting your teamates to secure the ball (through the ruck & maul process, and by actually pushing in the scrum). Teamwork in league? Well, i guess its similar to the ruck and maul, but it doesnt happen on the field- you need an alley and a very drunk girl.
Im glad to hear you’re not knocking union mate, but if you don’t mind, allow me to tell the truth about league… it’s major sponsor is Boredom Inc. and its corporate backer is Predictability Ltd. Its beer of choice is NoMeansYes Draught, and its only reason for existing is to make the great sport of Rugby Union look good.
Must have been a different Angelo who I drove up to Sydney with TWICE for the State of Origin. Surely the Angelo I know wouldn’t be as pathetic as to scream ‘QUEENSLANDER’ one minute and then knock the game the next minute. I don’t want to hear any crap about how that was ‘before the Super 12′ etc etc - that’s crap and you know it.
You may also want to check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_rugby_league for the history or Rugby League - pay special attention to ‘the early years.’
Thanks for reading!
Every man is entitled to make mistakes in his young and stupid days- a philosophy which applies equally to all aspects of life. Some people make mistakes with their studies… Some people make sexual mistakes… Others make social mistakes… Unfortunately, i have to live with the fact that what i’ve done is far worse than any of those things- i watched rugby league. And yes, i even bought a Queensland jersey.
So, who is best placed to knock something… a person who has never experienced it before? Or someone who has lived it and breathed it, and knows its every flaw?!
The fact is that i did like league, because i was far too young and stupid at the time to understand the sport of rugby union. Yet the more i was exposed to the great game they play in heaven, the more i realised that league is to union what Tasmania is to Australia- a very poor cousin.
I’ll tell you something about life champ… every man has skeletons in his closet. My skeleton’s name is ‘League’. What’s yours?
I would say having you as one of my best friends SHOULD be coonsidered my skeleton. That was absolutely pathetic.
Interesting debate, and one that is never likely to find all parties in agreeance.
I don’t feel as though I need to rehash anything said before however I will attempt to add a few new points.
I don’t think anyone can deny the fact that Rugby Union is a far more technical game, and as such I think it would be a fair suggestion that the average “Provincial Standard” Rugby player will be more technically proficiant that his league conterpart. A Union player (particularly the forwards) needs a range of skills. Scrummaging, rucking, mauling, lineouts along with tackling and hitting it up. A league forward needs to be able to catch, run and then put the ball between his legs and have a little rest. Even in the backs it is not similar. The likes of Tuquiri, Rogers and Jason Robinson have been quite succesful in union but there have been a host of players who haven’t been (Henry Paul, Iyestin Harris etc). I would suggest that it probably has more to do with the fact that the above mentioned players have played most of their rugby in the positions outside the normal attacking running lines, therefore any suspect defence can be overshadowed. To give you an example, Matt Rogers has been playing 5/8th most of this season. As soon as the NZ teams saw that their eyes lit up! The ran all their attacking lines straight through him and he got carved. I bet you he wished he was at fullback for most of those games! Let’s not start talking about Wendell at this point.
Union defence (like all Union skills) is a team effort. You can’t just barrel someone and run back 10 metres and wait to it all over again!!
League thrived in this country for years as being the champion of the working class. A professional sport where the average bloke could make a decent living playing a well supported game. It was only through the sheer short sightedness of Union administrators that allowed this to continue for as long as it did. A fact alluded to in the wikipedia article you suggested we read.
I must admit that I used to be a fan of league, when there was fair contest for the ball. Contested scrums, set piece play, play the ball (mini ruck). It seems that since Union went professional League administrators have made every effort to make the game as indistinguishable from Union as possible. The have done this to a point now where the game has evolved to being nothing more than Catch Pass Run Tackle, Catch Pass Run Tackle, Kick. No contest for the ball. 12 guys who run at various intensity, catching the ball and running straight. Then 1 guy who can yell loud and kick the ball.
Something funny on the Scrum point, I was watching the Sharks vs Tigers game about a month ago. The Tigers actually got penalised for pushing in the scrum!
Everyone suggest that League defence is it’s strong point, why then are there so many line breaks per match? It can’t be from fatigue surely…. League players are the fittest remember! (Never mind the interchange rule)
Since Union became professional average crowds for a Union game are higher that league games (still someway short of the AFL mindyou, i think they would happily belt the shit out of every other code in the country.) League won’t hold a candle in terms of an international spectacle. I find it amusing that League got “the highest international League crowd for 50 years” in the Anzac test, at a Suncorp stadium that was 3/4 full!! Even the so called “Spectacle” or origin football still had 10,000 unsold tickets on game day for the first match. The Bledislow? Sold out in 20 minutes.
As I said at the start, I don’t think an argument like this will ever be settled, some people will prefer league, some will prefer Union, but in Canberra at least some might say that 20,000 people every week can’t be wrong.
21,290 Average Brumbies Crowd
12,064 Average Raiders Crowd
Source - http://www.austadiums.com
Interestingly, 9 of the top 10 crowds at Canberra Stadium are for Union matches.
Including a RWC cup match between Italy and Wales!
mclayee… i think we both know your skeletons run deeper than that mate
Like I’ve said before - as the only person amongst our friends that has played both sports competitively, League was a far more enjoyable game for me to play.
Graeme, What do you think the average crowd for the Brumbies would be if they weren’t one of the top teams in the comp? Remember back in the early 90’s when the Raiders were at the peak of their powers? I’m pretty sure they were getting pretty decent sized crowds back then week in and week out.
Does anyone actually have any comments on the State of Origin match itself or are we going to continue with the Rugby League vs Rugby Union bullshit?
Big M(a)c - I agree with you on the crowds, but that is more about Canberrans being fickle fans than any allegance to a particular sport.
I missed the first half of the SoO (putting son #1 to bed against his will) but the second half was really all QLD, how did they get it so wrong in the first half?
Did anyone else notice that Drew Mitchell was left out the Wallabies squad? WTF?
Paul, when did you play Union? And Mr Fairley played both competatively.
As for the SoO match. I actually watched the whole game from start to finish. NSW dominated the first half (i.e. they made less mistakes that QLD so they had more possesion. Since there is no ‘actual’ contest for the ball.) They scored three times, all reasonably good rugby league tries. After the break it was QLD’s turn. Ironcially, the game was decided by a field goal. I thought that was something that was banned in league for being too “Boring”? General feeling was that it was a great advertisment for Rugby Union. The game followed the standard league format (i.e. Pass, Catch, Run). Finch kicked well, Lockyer didn’t. No real big hits, no real “old school” origin passion on display. Half empty stadium.
With regard to the crowds, I’m pretty sure your right. The raiders would have had some decent sized crowds back in the early 90’s when Rugby League was the premier sport in the ACT. I didn’t say they didn’t get good crowds, I said that the 9 of the top 10 crowds were for Union matches, including a match that didn’t involve an Australian team.
Fairley only played Union as far as I can recall. I played Union when I was younger along with League. Did they increase Telstra Stadium’s capacity to 144,000 did they?
Nope, Dave definately played league. Played for the University of Canberra.
Telstra stadium had 10,000 unsold tickets for the SoO match. Crowd of 72,000. Not quite capacity. Perhaps a slight exaggeration on the “half empty” comment, but surely you would expect the Rugby League showpiece to sell out?
You played Union when you were ‘younger’? So how old are we talking here?
Ahh - it was after I left then - I wasn’t aware of it. I played Indoor Soccer, Soccer, League and Union growing up. Gave Union away after year 7.
Bring back the biff!
LEAGUE IS NOT A SPORT… Thus, i’m surprised they don’t show it on ESPN after the lobster racing!
I’d rather watch a loved one being autopsied than to put up with the endless, predictable drone of a game that is wankby league.