HOW good was the first State of Origin game last night?
Yeah, nah, dunno, to be honest.
As a born-and-bred proud Sandgroper, the only state of origin that ever gets watched are replays when they belt the hell out of each other but now that is gone, what is the point?
As the creators of the concept, the first “state of origin” game was an Australian football game between Western Australia and Victoria, at Subiaco Oval in Perth in 1977, this period of the year always intrigues me.
We started it, it was great between WA, Victoria and the Croweaters for a few decades, then dropped away as Queensland and New South Wales copied it and the interest grew in their version.
What baffles me most about the NRL concept is the crazy interest.
How do just 14,218 people go watch Parramatta play South Sydney last weekend or the 12,509 who watched the Gold Coast and Manly and they would sell out Origin games three times over if they had the space?
I suppose it is the same as the tennis diehards in January who would not watch another serve and volley for the rest of the year or the Lycra-clad cycling fanatics for the month of the Tour de France.
While it looks like the concept will never come back for Aussie rules, I always pick a potential West Australian state of origin side at this point of the year to see how we would go.
Shaun Rehn looks to tackle Jeff Farmer in the SA vs WA State of Origin interstate match at Football Park 11 Jul 1998.Source:News Limited
The Big V would start as clear favourites in any game played these days but the Sandgropers and Croweaters would certainly give them a run for their money.
Our key forwards are arguably the best three in the game, Buddy Franklin at centre half forward, Josh Kennedy in the goal square and Jesse Hogan in a pocket.
Western Bulldogs pair Jason Johannisen and Marcus Adams would be must-haves down back while West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui would lead the ruck division with Greater Western Sydney’s Stephen Coniglio at his feet.
Adelaide star Eddie Betts would rove inside 50 while Hawthorn on-baller Tom Mitchell would pick up possessions for fun in the black and gold guernsey.
The list does not stop there with Adelaide’s Charlie Cameron, Gold Coast’s Brandon Matera, GWS’s Nathan Wilson all flexible while Paddy Ryder and Rory Lobb would give Naitanui a chop out in the ruck.
Daniel Wells, Daniel Rich and teenager Sam Powell-Pepper would be the nucleus of a pretty handy bench also.
Originally published as Sandgropers could bury Big V fancies
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