Origin Game 1: Queensland vs New South Wales (2011)

[DIEHARD]

Origin Game 1:
Queensland vs New South Wales

[hammer]

Cannot wait to see this year's series win by Queensland...last year we missed all 3 games on television as we were in Broken Hill (South Australian TV) for Game 1, Devils Marbles for Game 2 and then Katherine for Game 3.
QUUUEEEEEEEENSLAAAAANDEEERRRRR!

[AmericanTitan]

this will be fun to watch. I think QLD is obviously the better side, but who knows.


Good luck Ash Harro and Greg Bird! Stay healthy!

[Coaster]

Bird in the press targeting Lockyer, idiot!
3/4 of the GC is in QLD and one of our main players is talking up smashing the QLD captain and legend in his last series.

Searle should be jamming a sock down his friggin throat

[Chaos]

Bird in the press targeting Lockyer, idiot!
3/4 of the GC is in QLD and one of our main players is talking up smashing the QLD captain and legend in his last series.

Searle should be jamming a sock down his friggin throat

Take your Titans hat off during Origin series...Origin is one of the best times of the year and I want to hear some of the boys talking it up...eeewww its so much fun!

[Steelers]

Bird talking up smashing Lockyer is what Origin is all about!

[Coaster]

There is 3 teams in QLD. 2 are supplying majority of players to QLD and the third is supplying the bloke talking bout smashing the QLD captain in his last series.

Way to get the people in the gates to Titans games. Yes it's Origin, but why Bird? I'll answer it's because he is a stinking blue, that has the IQ of a peanut. I hope QLD tear him in half

[Nick]

Go the blues.. Bird will bring out his real mongrel on wednesday, he always steps it up another gear for the blues. God i love origin, im so pumped for the game.

[TITAN PETE]

Origin is about Passion & Birdy has loads of it , get to the history books where u will find Beetson beating the crap out of his Parra teammate in Cronin in Origin 1 ...1980

That's why we love the game

[titanstattman]

Im with bird... i cant stand him playing in the QLD or the donkeys side..... Go get them birdy rip into them i wanna see blood...

[DIEHARD]

Queensland must focus on job at hand before thinking about life after Darren Lockyer, says Cam Smith
Cameron Smith

LIFE without Darren Lockyer is not something Queenslanders want to think about. It's the same inside Camp Maroon.

Lockyer has been Queensland's mainstay for more than a decade and to consider entering a series without his talent and leadership will be a major challenge to confront.

It goes without saying that we would love to win this series to give Darren the send-off he deserves.

But regardless of our success in recent times, winning an Origin series isn't easy.

You can't expect to use that sort of motivation to get you over the line.

There is a lot of hard work to be done before you can secure a victory and we all know that.

Origin is a game where you have to focus on your own preparation and doing your job well.

As much as we all want to win this series, the most important thing is our preparation. If we do that then the results generally look after themselves.

Mogg's advice: Hey rookie, just do your job Origin I: Qld ready for anything, says Hannant Life after Locky: King warns against Thurston switch .End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

Over the years I have learnt plenty of things from Locky, both as a player and a leader.

I think the thing that stands out most is that when his team is struggling or on the back foot, he invariably comes up with a play that says "C'mon boys, follow me".

That might be jumping on a loose ball, or coming up with a big play, or being there to back up when someone makes a break.

He has shown that good leaders always put their hand up to help their team in tough situations.

His temperament is the other thing that has always impressed me. On the field, regardless of the situation, you never see Darren getting flustered too much.

He can get frustrated, but he never lets his emotions control his actions. He is very calm, no matter how tough you are doing it and in Origin that is so important.

Origin games ebb and flow and it is the team that gets through the tough times best that usually finishes in front at the end.

When Locky stays so calm, that mood washes over the rest of the team, particularly with the younger players who might be playing their first game or first series.

They are just trying to hang on and adapt to the pace and intensity and if they see their leader is in control, that is great for them.

With Locky retiring next year, there will be a job up for grabs and I don't mind admitting I'd love to be the next captain. You never assume anything, but who wouldn't love to lead this great team and great state?

It is something I have had a taste of in the past and it was a huge honour. With that in mind I'll be using this series just to watch a little more carefully what Locky does around camp.

While my own preparation and doing my job for the team is always the main focus, I'll be keeping an eye on what Darren does in meetings and things like that. He talks a lot more than he used to and he is driven to ensure we get the best out of everyone.

He is particularly good with the young guys, and if the opportunity arises next year for me, I will hopefully be able to draw on a lot of what I've learned from him.

But enough looking into the future. Our focus is all about Wednesday night.

The first game of the series is always massive with both teams eager to get their noses in front.

I'm often asked how we maintain our hunger after winning five straight series.

We are constantly striving to get the best out of ourselves. We are always trying to be the best team we can be. It is a formula that really has worked for us.

We look out for each other as well. What we have built over the last five years is almost like another club side. We come into camp and we are immediately comfortable.

There is a real consistency not just across the playing group but the staff as well. It is a mateship, a really strong bond. It is why have been able to maintain that drive to be better

http://www.couriermail.com.au/

[DIEHARD]

I am looking forward to seeing Queensland smash the Blues. I even have a brand new Maroons jersey to celebrate the occassion.

[DIEHARD]

I'm looking forward to tonight's game! Got to christen the new Maroons jersey!

If you are on twitter today, remember to help State of Origin trend by using the hashatg #Origin.

I think the Maroons will win strongly, but I never underestimate the Blues. I know that Origin can come down to a few tackles or one play.

I think Soward will go well but will probably end the night being scraped off of the boots of the Queensland forward pack.

Biff? Yea I think we will see a bit of that too.

[DIEHARD]

Origin experience

QLD - 19.3 games a player
NSW - 1.5 games a player

[DIEHARD]

This series will prove and disprove alot of things about Origin football. Not sure which those will be though.