Passion of the Origin

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Is it just me or is SOO just not the same as yesteryear? Maybe it's because I'm getting older, but I remember when I was younger how I would be waiting for it non-stop for about a month beforehand, and sweated on every selection, injury and headline. Now I look forward to it, but not in the same way. Is it because the characters and legends have gone out of the game? You can't say there were too many legends going aroung on Wednesday. I mean, sure the likes of Lockyer, Gasnier, Mason and Beaver are about as big as they come these days, but it's just not the same as a Lewis, Meninga, Shearer or Gilmeister for QLD, or a Daley, Fittler, Sironen, Chief Harrigan for the Blues. The build-up on Wednesday didn't get me going really at all. What happened to interviewing ex-players on the tele in the leadup, absolutely frothing at the mouth about their hatred for QLD, and vice-versa? I thought it was a pretty lame introduction. Maybe in 5-10 years, I will be talking about today's players in the same vein, but I'm not so sure.........
 
The problem with SOO these days is they overhype it and market the crap out of it, instead of letting the game speak for itself. Gould is the king of waxing lyrical about how it is the pinnacle of our sport and everything that happens in Origin is something almost beyond the comprehension of mere mortals like us who spectate on it. I'm sick of listening to the fathead. Fair dinkum the game the other night was poo as far as footy games go, but they were carrying on like it'll go down as one of the greatest contests in Origin history purely on the basis of the scoreline. Looking forward to Matty Johns re-enacting Finchs 40m drop goal next year as part of his pre-match memorable moments segment.

Basically SOO is suffering from the same malaise that RL in general is. It's nothing but a glorified game of touch footy these days with their sh*tty ruck rules, stripping rules and interchange bench. They might as well do away with scrums as well, they are just a group cuddle anyway. Tough uncompromising defence and grinding forward games don't suit their demographic. God forbid that one of the current bright young things should get his product laced hair messed up by a toothless front rower. Imagine the scandal.
 
All it will take is for QLD to win a series or 2 in a row for the passion to be reignited. In the days prior to the Broncos you only got to see the likes of Lewis, Dowling, Miles ect in Origin or test matches so it was something to look forward to. Imo familiarity with the QLD stars has taken away a bit of the novelty value.
 
I touched on this topic earlier and I am so pleased to see that I am not the only one that is of the belief that SOO has lost that undefinable magic that once existed.

A dinosaur I may be, but the pre match entertainmant of bygone days was something special. How could you go past a cockroach being chased by a cane toad with a can of smoking pesticide, or the Mission Impossible ad with Jack Gibson in the phone box.

SOO has lost a lot of its appeal, a lot of which is due to the more clinical way the game is played today. It seems to me that there is not a lot of difference these days between the skill levels that are shown every week in the NRL as to what is displayed in SOO.

As an avid watcher of NRL, ARL, NSWRL matches over the past 30 years or so the current quality of club football is vastly superior to that which was played out in bygone years. The skill level that is shown by the vast majority of players these days vastly superior to that of 10-15 years ago.

With the farical City/Country game that was played a few weeks ago I would begin to think that its future must be under somewhat of cloud. I would hate to think that SOO is heading in its footsteps but I for one will not be dying in anticpation for the rematch and I will be continuing to knock back free entry & drink to next years contest at Telstra.
 
Pete I'm not sure that we can say the standard of the game now is infinetly better than 10 years ago.

Certainly better than 20 and 30 years, but hear out my reasoning.

10 years ago the players were also full time professional, but not that far removed from the days when the game was a hard grind and packed in around work. In other words the players were mentally tougher. A lot of those young players back then had also spent their teen years in recessionary times and were therefore toughened by hardship.

This new generation of players have had everything handed to them on a silver plate generally. They've been in cotton wool with minders and managers looking after them, sometimes sice 14. I suspect they don't have the mental toughness and fortitude of players from 10 years ago.

Look at a player like Menzies who started in 1993. He is still a standout in today's environment, despite the fact that most players of his age would have been considered "washed up" a decade ago (eg Wally Lewis retired at 33).

I suspect part of Menzies longevity is that he played the early part of his career in a tougher environment (certainly in the games between the top 12 teams) and now gets to compete against players that are mentally weaker and not as well prepared as he.

Seriously, do you think the Manly team of 2006 could beat the GF winning team of 1996? I suspect not.

They could have beaten the 1987 team- just......
 
Pete I'm not sure that we can say the standard of the game now is infinetly better than 10 years ago.

Re read what I said, it is the level of skill that has infinitly better than 10+ years ago. I am not sure though that the standard of football though is better though. Every weekend I see something in NRL football that is something that I marvel at, wether it be a goalkicker kicking 3 or 4 goals from the sideline, players regulary kicking balls from 40-50 metres and having them stop in the in goal area or catching balls under immense pessure. These things did happen before but not at the consistency that it occurs now.

Clearly this is related to the level of skill training that is undertaken these days. I even saw 1 team earlier this year being taught to juggle.

Seriously, do you think the Manly team of 2006 could beat the GF winning team of 1996? I suspect not.
No, but it would be an interesting match to watch though
 
To many little players and too much skill. Origin was and I think should be about two teams smashing the **** out of the other until one prevails. It just doesn't happen anymore. Theres way to much skill on offer but im not sure thats a bad thing. Just a change.
 
i would like to add that brett finch is still the most over rated half back in the game, even more so for getting lucky with that field goal, im glad he got it, but all the talk about him is pissing me off, he was the fourth choice half back for a reason.
 
I in no way like the roosters or am a fan of Brett FInch.. but i take my hat off to the job he did wednesday night... he had 1 training session to learn the plays and i think he had a top game... Not Joey Johns good... but on the preparation he had you couldn't ask for anymore from him.

I hope the ox gets a go if Gower is still unavailable but i can't bring myself to put **** on him for that effort. Until he dons the tri colours this weekend of course!
 

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