Origin
Queensland Origin 16 l. New South Wales Origin 28

2009 State of Origin Index [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Australia > National > Senior Representative Competition: State of Origin

DISCORD #14 Reloaded: Throwback to Origin's Glory Days
Thu July 16, 2009
ONE of my favourite rugby league headlines of all time was "BRUISING, BRAWLING, BRAVO!", in Rugby League Week for a 1984 anglo-Australian Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

We should have seen that headline again this morning.

The gripping final three minutes of Origin III was a throwback to Origin's glory days, when the idea of keeping a lid on emotions was as foreign as the blood bin and a second referee.

You may not have noticed it on the television coverage but the first time Trent Barrett kicked the ball, he was well-and-truly "finished off'' by Dallas Johnson who had clearly not forgotten the NSW five-eighth's hit on his clubmate Greg Inglis in game two.

From then on, you knew this was going to be a game apart.

Justin Hodges seems to be oblivious to the presence of cameras and microphones on the field these days. Remember the game against the Storm a few years ago, when he said "I want that c--- smacked'' very audibly. Last night it was throad-slitting for Brett Kimmorley and "watch your back'' for Brett White.

When asked by reporters after the match who he was calling a "c---'', he replied: "All of them!''

If Johathan Thurston really did kick David Williams in the head, he deserved more than an early-plea let-off.

And what about Brett White? He is the one who knocked out Steve Price and yet he escapes all censure. Some say it's the way things should be....

As for Michael Crocker chasing Michael Ennis around the field in the final 180 seconds, well you can't put a price on that. I'd love to see the eagle cam.

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WAYNE Bennett doesn't want the same fate to befall Jamie Soward at Origin level as Peter Wallace has suffered.

Those were Bennett's comments in a radio interview on Sunday which went largely unreported, and which we thought we'd repeat here.

Bennett told ABC's Richard Svenson when asked about Soward: "There's a lot of conjecture about whether he should be in the Origin team. I know they've made the right decision there.

"Going forward, I've got no doubt he'll play for NSW if he maintains what he's doing. Be he could have been lost in a big game like that. He's just developing confidence and things he needs to do on a regular basis.

"State of Origin is not the place to play halfback of five-eighth when you don't have that type of experience and confidence in yourself to get the team around the park.

"Peter Wallace is a wonderful player - I've coached him at the Broncos - and he's suffered with that as much as anything. He's a fine player and so is Jamie. I don't want to see that happen with Jamie because it hurts me to see it happen to Pete.

"It's two years in a row he's played two games and they get to the third one and he's gone again. I hope when the time comes for Jamie and he's got his game together, if they loose a game they won't put the blame back on Jamie Soward.''

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AFTER falling out of a car during a motorcade before the World Cup final, Graeme Langlands was careful to sit snugly in the back seat of a convertible that ferried him around WIN Stadium on Sunday. The Steelers Heritage Day honoured fullbacks from the Illawarra who went on to play for Australia. Garry Jack was more daring, sitting up on the back of the sportscar alongside Langlands.

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AT least the dramatic ending last night ensured no-one dwelt unduly on Johnathan Thurston telling Kurt Gidley: "Go away, you spastic'' when they were both trying to get the ear of the referee.

OK, that is not a good word in our society. It used to be commonplace but is extremely un-PC now. But how about the prevalence of "retard'' in American popular culture?

It seems to be OK because it has a broader meaning but there is no doubt it's usage comes from exactly the same place. Just a thought.

I DIDN'T get around to responding to some of last week's comments so I'll do so here.

"New Ideas For NRL' blamed the media for all the bad publicity and negativity. This a popular topic in Discord. The fact is that gossip journalism is a global phenonmenon. We apparently are no longer interested in presidents, prime ministers and other heads of state. We are far more obsessed with pop stars, actors and athletes.

Sport is just cheap reality television in it comes down to it - someone else puts it on, pays all the participants and the station just has to pay for the rights, show up and shoot it. Players, to the media, are just reality television stars.

Exactly how the media in one town in one country is supposed to hold out against a global trend (especially since Sydney exports tabloid reporters and editors to the world), I am not sure!

As for ideas one-to-ten: 1) some clubs would be allowed to spend beyond their means; 2) the league needs more teams, not fewer, to getr more money for it's next TV rights deal; 3) None of these sides have yet proven they have the money to sustain a club, though Central Coast are close; 4) Monday Night Football rates better than just about every other timeslot. Why get rid of it 5) Free-to-air television will not broadcast under 20s and womens' origin games because no-one would watch; 7) Worth discussions, there are good arguments for and against but what about the Warriors beating the Storm in week one? 8) This has been tried in the late seventies and failed. Again, no-one wants to watch a comp involving losers; 9) I agree wholeheartedly; 10) Close to what we have now.

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REFEREE Gavin Badger, after Wendell Sailor scored his second try on Sunday: "He'll be mayor of Wollongong soon.''

And to last week's poster Anthony, I think you'll agree the Broncos have released some pretty fair players in recent years and have fielded more "unknown" players than at any other time in their history.


Kimmorley stands tall as one of the great halfbacks
Thu July 16, 2009
Brett Kimmorley has been the most maligned and scrutinised player of his era, but last night he cemented his name as one of the finest halfbacks in the game.

Kimmorley should have been NSW halfback and captain from day one this year and the selectors finally got it right when experience in the halves counts above anything else.

In recent seasons the selectors have tried to experiment with Jarrod Mullen, Peter Wallace and Mitchell Pearce in the halfback position and toyed with Terry Campese and Greg Bird in the five-eighth position.

The selectors dropped the ball the moment they named the controversial 40-man squad and also the staging of the farcical City v Country clash. The Country selectors wanted Kimmorley as the halfback, but Country coach and NSW selector Laurie Daley isn't a Kimmorley supporter and naturally didn't want him in the side. Daley got his way and Country got thumped with the NSW selectors forced to select Wallace at halfback despite his only decent game this season being the match that had nothing serious about it.

Right from that moment the Blues selectors couldn't pick the most in-form NSW halfback available and the player that has steered the Bulldogs from wooden spooners to being one of the top sides in the NRL despite losing four legitimate competition points and being hammered by officialdom on and off the field this year.

Kimmorley's record at State of Origin record has been much maligned, but in his nine appearances - all as starting halfback his record is 5 wins and 4 losses. In comparison Peter Sterling won 6 and lost 7 of his 13 matches for the Blues and Steve Mortimer in his eight starting appearances at halfback had 4 wins and 4 losses - ironically the last three games as captain all for wins. Ricky Stuart on the other hand had a fine record with 8 wins and 6 losses from his 14 matches as NSW halfback. Andrew Johns' record as NSW halfback would take more time to compile as he played many matches at hooker and even two off the interchange bench.

Wallace may develop into a fine player, but at this stage of his career he lacks the experience to lead a team around the park and doesn't do that for his club side with Darren Lockyer naturally calling the shots at the Broncos. Mullen has produced several fine performances for the Knights, but has struggled with injuries and leading a representative side around the field is a different kettle of fish. Pearce should be no where near a representative side and has lived his career thus far off his surname.

Kimmorley's experience and competitive drive was so valuable to the Blues last night and he steered the side around the park and kept his team-mates going.

It was no surprise that the Blues were a completely different side on the field with the selectors finally getting the formula mostly correct (David Williams aside) and picking players based on form and experience. One thing they got right from the outset was that having Kimmorley along with Michael Ennis and Anthony Watmough gave the Blues a big edge in the passion and commitment stakes. Kimmorley, Ennis and Watmough filled the crucial 7, 9 and 13 positions and the three of them gave NSW the drive they needed to keep competing in the match.

I'm not a betting man and they don't bet on markets on how the first try would be scored as I backed confidently it would be some stuff up from Williams or Kurt Gidley that resulted in the first try and I wasn't one bit surprised when both combined for the spectacular error. The difference this time round was that Kimmorley's experience and composure was able to settle the Blues and they got right back into the match quicker than you know.

Kimmorley's name into history and folklore was sealed with 11 minutes remaining when Greg Inglis again made a complete fool of Williams and Kimmorley came across in cover to produce one of the all-time great cover tackles that had the trademark of former Bulldogs and NSW halfback written all over it.

Bulldogs coach Kevin Moore at the Annual General Meeting earlier in the season stunned the audience when he compared Kimmorley to Canterbury's 70-year captain and greatest player Terry Lamb, which at the time seemed sacrilegious. Moore said that Kimmorley had all of Lamb's competitive attributes and team orientated values. In such a short space of time Kimmorley has proven Moore's words to be spot on and he's been the driving force on and off the field behind the Bulldogs success this season.

Kimmorley's tackle on Inglis would have made Steve Mortimer extremely proud on his birthday last night. Mortimer was the last of the champion specialised cover tacklers and is rated up there with John Raper and Ron Coote as the masters of the cover tackle. Kimmorley is just the 3rd Bulldogs halfback to play for NSW after Terry Reynolds and Mortimer with Brent Sherwin narrowly missing out as he was as 18th man once for NSW and once for Australia.

Unwanted by Stuart at the Sharks and generally unappreciated by Cronulla supporters until after he was told by Stuart he was no longer required Kimmorley has found a new lease of life since joining the Bulldogs.

Kimmorley attracted interest from both the Dragons and Bulldogs with former mentor Chris Anderson advising him to join the Bulldogs and his career has been on the way forward since the move. Kimmorley is appreciated by the coach and the fans have taken to him as he's been part of the Belmore furniture for years.

He's drawn comparisons with two legends of the Bulldogs for their various attributes and he has delivered.

Any demons and question marks about Kimmorley's inability to step up to the plate can now be firmly put in the trash him as he's cemented his place as one of the finest halfback's in the game.

Baring injury Kimmorley will next year become the first players to play 300 NRL matches in the halfback position and is already the most capped halfback in premiership history passing Jason Taylor and Mortimer this season.

If Kimmorley is fit next season regardless of form he should be the first player picked to again lead the Blues around the park as nothing can buy experience as NSW found out last night and the Bulldogs are finding out this season.

Rleague Stats: Queensland 16 v New South Wales 28
Rleague Forum: State of Origin Discussion & Controversy

Thu July 16, 2009
• Comment: Lunatic Hodges
  
Wed July 15, 2009
• Spirited Blues salvage Origin pride (Incl Audio)
  
Wed July 15, 2009
• Selectors have to make tough decision on Gidley as Patten prepares
  
Tue July 14, 2009
• 2009 State of Origin 3 Betting Preview
  
Thu July 9, 2009
• Patten called into NSW squad as cover for Gidley
  
Wed July 8, 2009
• DISCORD #13: Salary Cap Rorts, Two Referees, NSW Selection Policy, Nate Myles & My Dream Team
  
Wed July 8, 2009
• Harrigan dumped as Video Referee for Origin #3
  
Tue July 7, 2009
• XXXX Maroons Team for SOO3
  
Mon July 6, 2009
• Origin star punished for drunken hotel romp
  
Mon July 6, 2009
• Ennis and Learoyd-Lahrs to make Origin debuts
  
Fri July 3, 2009
• Queensland State of Origin #3 Team Announcement
  
Tue May 19, 2009
• Second release of Origin #3 Brisbane tickets
  
Mon April 13, 2009
• Origin Tickets: Suncorp Stadium
  

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