League: War between the States

Roach, Meet Toad: Origin invokes age-old rivalry. Photo / Getty Images.

Queensland V New South Wales is an eagerly anticipated three-match event that has no comparison.

The competition between the two states has been played for as long as the game has been played in Australia but the rivalry, as we know it, commenced in 1980 with State of Origin and has lasted 32 years and does not appear to be waning.

The players may have had a period when 'hatred' was a word not to be discounted towards each other, but with the advent of stiffer penalties and suspensions for foul play, the feeling towards each other has diminished to 'extreme' competitiveness.

The same cannot be said of the fans; they have maintained the feeling towards each other in the same way Arthur Beetson displayed in the very first encounter of State of Origin.

For 10 weeks of the year this jealousy envelops the country in its own special way. The whole of Australia is aware of this competition, even though the NRL is not as national as it would be, because the rivalry has a unique place in the psyche of Australians, recalling the hatred that used to exist between the two states.

Wally Lewis was in total control of the sport during the 1980s.

Every New South Welshman hated him so much that in 1984, when Lewis was captain of Australia and walking the team on to the Sydney Cricket Ground to face Great Britain, the crowd booed him from the moment he walked out of the dressing room until he arrived centre field. Never has a captain received such an ovation and from his own countrymen.

It highlighted the rivalry but emphasised the hatred the two states had developed. This has only added to the folklore and along with other events increased the intrigue of Origin.

Can New Zealand ever expect to encapsulate this feeling with its proposed Origin-type concept? There is certainly enough venom in this country where everyone south of the Bombays and north of Orewa has an extreme dislike for Aucklanders and this will appeal to administrators and their 'hook' to attract attention.

The recent reintroduction of the North-South rugby union fixture tried to invoke a rivalry and the players followed suit with their take on the Origin concept with their version of 'biffo'.

I do not think we have what is needed to emulate the original version and it may only be seen as a revenue-raising event, but we have the playing stock to attract attention. However there is more needed to imitate the Queensland-New South Wales concept if it is to survive beyond the novelty.

The UK Super League introduced the Exiles match to try to improve the fixture list for England so they can compete with Australia and New Zealand. The concept for them will work because the dream for the fixture has its own meaning; it will also create its own intrinsic worth.

When the New Zealand Rugby League finds its own 'hook', it may well create a support base.