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

[AmericanTitan]

Origin experience

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

wow stunning numbers there.


You're right, could spell out a lot of things about Origin.

[DIEHARD]

Just saw President Barack Obama on TV meeting the Queen and receiving a 41 gun salute.

He was wearing a MAROON tie, so the big man goes for QUEENSLAND!

[DIEHARD]

Titans set for Origin blow-up

GREG Bird is a hard-hitting rugby league bad boy with a reputation as one of the game's most intimidating enforcers.

Ashley Harrison is a workaholic cleanskin with a reputation born not out of fear but of respect.

Two Titans, both built for State of Origin, but polar opposites in every other sense.

Gold Coast brothers-in-arms Bird and Harrison will transform from Titans teammates to interstate enemies tonight at Suncorp Stadium, just one of the enthralling sub-plots that will unfold in front of nearly 50,000 diehard Queensland fans.

Harrison bleeds maroon. Born in 1981, the year after the first Origin, the now 30-year-old grew up in the suburbs of Brisbane's northside. He kicked the footy on the back oval of Wavell State High School, impersonating heroes like Wally Lewis and Bob Lindner.

Bird is carved from the toughest country stock in the Hunter Valley.

The 27-year-old Maitland boy played for the Pumpkin Pickers as a junior. The odd name for the club meant he often had to know how to fight. A town just outside of the much bigger city of Newcastle, Maitland battles the little-brother syndrome every day. Being an underdog is in Bird's nature.

Tonight, the two Titans line up in opposing camps and with vastly different expectations.

Harrison is part of a triumphant Queensland team chasing their sixth series title in a row. Bird is in a squad desperate to restore respect to the fading Blue jersey.

Students of Origin history will know how formative those young years can be in shaping the psyche of the modern player. A teenaged Harrison cheered the Maroons in the mid-90s when they lost more often than they won. It still burns. There will be no complacency.

There is nothing in Australian sport that compares with the theatre of State of Origin.

Ever since big Artie Beetson whacked Parramatta teammate Mick Cronin during the inaugural match back in 1980 to give birth to the notion "mate against mate, state against state", the concept has flourished.

It doesn't take too much imagination to see Bird hunting down Harrison and continuing the tradition tonight.

This week Bird declared his hate for Queensland and for 80 minutes at least, that includes Harrison.

"I think every Origin's personal," he said.

"They're going out to take what we think is rightfully ours.

"The way I've thought about it is over the years when NSW were so dominant, Queenslanders sort of developed this hatred for NSW because they were always on the losing side.

"I think a lot of New South Welshman have started to develop that over the last couple of years because we've been consistently in the losing side."

A hard-working no-nonsense back rower, Harrison is the kind of player every coach loves to have in his starting 13.

He knows Bird will come out all guns blazing but isn't fazed one bit.

"He is playing at State of Origin level and he has played for his country, so he obviously hasn't got too many weaknesses," he said.

"It is all about what you do on the night.

"Birdy is a real competitive type guy and I am sure he will be out there doing his best."

Just as Beetson and Cronin first showed state passion came before friendship, Harrison and Bird must put club loyalty aside.

But few know that after the inaugural Origin clash, Beetson and Cronin sat next to each other on the return plane trip to Sydney and didn't even mention the now infamous stoush.

And therein lies the beauty of Origin.

For whatever happens, Harrison and Bird will be back at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night, once again packing down in the back row for the Gold Coast when they take on the Bulldogs.

Differences will be forgotten but the hate will still be burning deep inside, ready to ignite when Origin 2 hits Sydney on June 15.

http://www.goldcoast.com.au

[AmericanTitan]

awesome write up. Loved the last few lines:

"And therein lies the beauty of Origin.

For whatever happens, Harrison and Bird will be back at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night, once again packing down in the back row for the Gold Coast when they take on the Bulldogs."

[DIEHARD]

Hahaha http://www.facebook.com/QueenslandPolice have changed their colours to Maroon! Well done!

[DIEHARD]

Coaster says he has just authorised OperationWhipAss on NSW.

[Blazertaser]

2 mates sat down while watching State of origin, one a QLDer and one NSWer. The QLDer said, i love it when QLD wins my dog jumps around and does all sorts of tricks its amazing, what does your dog do he asks, i dont know, says the NSWer, my dogs only 5 years old

[Coaster]

2 mates sat down while watching State of origin, one a QLDer and one NSWer. The QLDer said, i love it when QLD wins my dog jumps around and does all sorts of tricks its amazing, what does your dog do he asks, i dont know, says the NSWer, my dogs only 5 years old

good one Blaze ahaha

Ok Mal decides the NSW is rubbish, so he says "Right tonight i am off to the pub with the boys, and only Locky and Smith will play against them".

At half time Qld are in front 30-0 so locky says "Bugger this Smithy, im going to the pub with Mal and the boys".

After the game Smith walks into the bar, and Mal asks him the final score, Smith replies "We won 30-28".

Mal looks shocked, "WTF he says, how did you nearly lose a 30 point lead in one half?"

Smith replied "I dunno mate, i got sent off"

[AmericanTitan]

like I told Coaster on twitter, I admire the fact that you guys can flip that Origin switch and up your intensity for these matches.

Its an awesome sight to see from the outside. You guys are awesome.
It reminds me a lot of how I feel about my Nebraska Cornhuskers.

[DIEHARD]

I love that joke Coaster hahaha, sent off. Fantastic. I love the build up to Origin. But it'll be funnier when the Blose lose Game 1 and turn on each other.

Up the mighty Cornhuskers!

[Coaster]

Apparently Andrew Johns has been impersonating Thurston at training!! The current score is Johns 50- NSW 0

[DIEHARD]

Apparently Andrew Johns has been impersonating Thurston at training!! The current score is Johns 50- NSW 0

Haha you seriously kill me Coaster, keep them coming!

Johns and Fitler were the only Blues players I really feared in recent history.

[Coaster]

I tweeted this to Blaze "I hate if my wife wears a NSW Jersey, its her way of saying "there will be no scoring tonight"

haha

[DIEHARD]

I tweeted this to Blaze "I hate if my wife wears a NSW Jersey, its her way of saying "there will be no scoring tonight"

haha

I would be so pissed off to be a Blues fan and read that. I'd be so fired up.

I have tickets to Origin 3, thanks to a brother who is far too good for me.

[AmericanTitan]

I tweeted this to Blaze "I hate if my wife wears a NSW Jersey, its her way of saying "there will be no scoring tonight"

haha

lmao