Blues Team

[HappilyManly]

Wombat, who was part of the inaugural SOO was just on 10 News. None of the Blues Players have been invited to the 100th SOO 😡

He is not impressed, I am absolutely amazed that the NSW SOO will not be honoured . Greenturd should be onto this ASAP. Our history matters!
The NRL never officially commemorated Gasnier last week either :dodgy:

 

[RiverEagle]

Yeah there's a real air of arrogance and ''exclusivity'' developing around Daley.

It's all well and good to want to develop or rejuvenate the Blues ''culture'', but to ignore the history and legends that forged that is risky to say the least!

There's a sense of crisis-mode about NSW; a relaxed and positive vibe around QLD yet again.
I hope I'm wrong, but more misery for NSW seems most likely.

The lack of formal acknowledgement from Smith, Greenberg and the NRL for an immortal and widely loved and respected Immortal - in Reg Gasnier - was simply disgraceful.

*Just look to the AFL in their recent honouring of Tommy Hafey to see how it should be done *

 

[manlyfan76]

Wombat, who was part of the inaugural SOO was just on 10 News. None of the Blues Players have been invited to the 100th SOO 😡

He is not impressed, I am absolutely amazed that the NSW SOO will not be honoured . Greenturd should be onto this ASAP. Our history matters!
The NRL never officially commemorated Gasnier last week either :dodgy:

NSW should do a celebration of the real 100th SOO game in game two in Sydney honoring only NSW greats and say that the 4th game back in the 80's played in the US was an exhibition and didn't really count as a game even though NSW won. to quote wikipedia:

1987: American controversy

After Queensland had won the 1987 series 2–1, a fourth game was played at Long Beach, California to showcase rugby league to the American public.[18]

In Origin: Rugby League's Greatest Contest 1980–2002 (2003) Queensland writer Jack Gallaway tells a story:

There was one additional Origin contest played in 1987. The Queenslanders had climbed the mountain and at no point did they take the project seriously in any competitive sense. The State of Origin trophy was safely stowed in the Queensland Rugby League board room at Lang Park, and for the Maroons the visit to the United States was their end-of-season outing, the game an exhibition... Such was the Blues' disappointment at the loss of the State of Origin series that they would go to any length to restore some vestige of their lost pride. The New South Wales Rugby League hierarchy told their men to prepare for the contest as though it was a deciding test match.[19] The match was played at the Veterans Memorial Stadium in Long Beach, California in front of 12,349 fans. The Blues won the game 30–18.

In 1987 the Australian Rugby League (ARL), New South Wales Rugby League and Queensland Rugby League agreed that the match would count towards the players' individual statistics. On 15 July 2003 the Australian Rugby League (whose primary members are originally from the New South Wales Rugby League) announced that the fourth 1987 game was to be classified as an official match, and that a win in the state of origin match on 16 July 2003 would take New South Wales into the overall lead.

ARL and NSWRL chief executive Geoff Carr said: "There had been some debate over whether the Origin fixture . . . in 1987 was counted as an official match but a search of ARL records has confirmed the status conferred on that clash by the game's governing body at the time. In announcing the match in Big League in April 1987, Ken Arthurson, the ARL's chief executive in 1987, was quoted as saying 'It's an exciting experiment but the match isn't and won't be billed as an exhibition match'."

😉

 

[HappilyManly]

Josh Jackson from the Dogs and Hopa added to Blues camp today

 

[RiverEagle]

Josh Jackson from the Dogs and Hopa added to Blues camp today

Just last night, on Fox I think, they were spruiking about how well NSW were training, with all players on the field and no-one on the physio or masseur's table...

This would clearly suggest guys are in doubt.

 

[RiverEagle]

Josh Jackson from the Dogs and Hopa added to Blues camp today

Just last night, on Fox I think, they were spruiking about how well NSW were training, with all players on the field and no-one on the physio or masseur's table...

This would clearly suggest guys are in doubt.

 

[tookey]

I see Gallen is suggesting Queeeeenslanders have two heads. Excellent. Get up them.

My respect for Gallen has dropped to a new low. I find it abhorrent that he chooses to mock people with multiple heads in his twisted attempt at humour. 😡

ASADA will wipe the smile from Gallens face once the SOO series is over

 

[HappilyManly]

Josh Jackson from the Dogs and Hopa added to Blues camp today

Just last night, on Fox I think, they were spruiking about how well NSW were training, with all players on the field and no-one on the physio or masseur's table...

This would clearly suggest guys are in doubt.

There was an item in one of the papers today that reported NSW thought that Bird would be free to be the 18th man, after the Titans game tonight.
But the NRL Rule states that a Player must have completed his suspension prior to any rep selection period 😎

Ironic how strict they are, yet allow Fergie to be employed in the NRL prior to the completion of his sentence :-/

 

[EagleBoi13]

State of Origin: Phil Rothfield reveals his 50 reasons why the Blues will win

WHO says the NSW Blues can’t win the State of Origin opener on Wednesday night?

Here's his reasons why the experts might be wrong...

1. Queensland has picked their best fullback in the centres.
2. The Hayne Plane is back to his spectacular 2009 Dally M form.
3. Mitchell Pearce didn’t get picked at halfback.
4. Paul Gallen has got the biggest ticker since Phar Lap.
5. The Blues have been off the drink for a week.
6. The Maroons are getting old.
7. Queenslanders are so complacent the game hasn’t even sold out.
8. Mal Meninga really thinks he is the Maroons’ coach.
9. Laurie Daley won five series as a player and knows what it takes.
10. Queensland has picked their best halfback on the bench.
11. Josh Papalii is playing more like a park footballer than an Origin star.
12. Darius Boyd has been playing even worse in the Knights’ backline.
13. In six games Justin Hodges hasn’t scored a try this year.
14. Hodges also hasn’t made a linebreak all season.
15. Josh Reynolds’ niggling tactics will put Johnathan Thurston off his game.
16. Daniel Tupou is the game’s best high-flyer since Israel Folau.
17. Coffs Harbour doesn’t have a King Cross.
18. Billy Slater has been shaky under the high ball all season.
19. No Blake Ferguson-type distractions this year in the build-up to the game.
20. While we’ve been preparing for a footy game, the Maroons have been practising dance moves.
21. The NSW starting back-rowers have nine line-break assists to Queensland’s two this season.
22. The Blues wingers have scored 11 tries to their opponents’ six this year.
23. Blues selectors chose the team on form, not reputations.
24. The referees are finally awake to Cameron Smith’s attempts to influence them.
25. Queensland didn’t pick Dave Taylor (he was sensational on Saturday night against the Warriors).
26. The bounce of the ball and close refereeing calls are long overdue to go our way.
27. The Hayne Plane didn’t play in games two and three last year.
28. Darius Boyd is more worried about his next pay cheque.
29. Ryan Hoffman has leaked all the Storm big three’s sneaky tricks to Laurie Daley.
30. Paul Gallen and Trent Merrin have averaged more metres than any other Origin forwards this year.
31. Daniel Tupou was just 14 when we last won a series (law of averages suggest it’s our turn).
32. We’ll do it for Birdy.
33. Corey Parker, with his grey hair, looks more like one of the Maroons FOGS.
34. Time is running out for Lewis, Gallen and Watmough to win a series.
35. Laurie Daley hasn’t phoned Phillip Ronald Gould for advice.
36. Josh Reynolds and Trent Hodkinson know how to win tight games. The Dogs have won three by one point.
37. Nate Myles is still terrified of Paul Gallen’s fists.
38. Trent Merrin doesn’t have to carry his Dragons team mates.
39. The Maroons will desperately miss Sammy Thaiday’s power and experience.
40. The Hayne Plane leads Billy Slater in tries, tackle busts and try assists this year.
41. Gorden Tallis and The Mole are tipping Queensland.
42. Beau Scott tackles like a machine and is the toughest man on the field.
43. Paul Gallen missed the decider last year.
44. The Blues three-quarter line has scored 19 tries compared to Queensland’s 11 this year.
45. Chris McQueen has been struggling to make the Souths starting team.
46. Trent Hodkinson is a better goal-kicker than Thurston, Smith and Parker put together.
47. Josh Morris shutdown Greg Inglis last year.
48. Aaron Woods is twice the player he was when he debuted last season.
49. Tony ‘T-Rex’ Williams is back to his barnstorming best.
50. There are no Cronulla Sharks in the Queensland team.