State of Origin - 2008 Origin Series Result 02/07
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9995 NSW 3-0 $7.50
9996 NSW 2-1 $2.90
9997 Qld 2-1 $2.40
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State of Origin - 2008 Origin Series Winner
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9993 NEW SOUTH WALES $2.20
9994 QUEENSLAND $1.65

Blues name Centenary team
May 19, 2008

IMMORTALS Reg Gasnier and Graeme Langlands have been named the 'starting' centre combination in the New South Wales Rugby League Team of the Century.

NSW Rugby League Chairman, Mr Colin Love AM, announced the team with all living members of the side to provide a special moment for the current NSW Wizard Blues team when they present them with their match jerseys.

Gasnier, the Australian Team of the Century centre, and Langlands who was chosen on the Australian bench, were selected to wear the No. 3 and No. 4 jerseys.

The legendary Bobby Fulton has been named at five-eighth with the game’s first superstar, Dally Messenger, recognised on the wing.

The NSW Team of the Century was based on voting for the Australian Team of the Century and includes 11 players from that side.

Importantly, it also finds room for some legendary Blues who deserve to be honoured in the game’s Centenary year.

Eastern Suburbs points-scoring wizard of the 1930s, Dave Brown - ‘The Bradman of Rugby League’ - and Cronulla’s greatest ever player, Steve Rogers, are fellow centres who take up two of the four reserves positions.

Those added to the Australian Team of the Century representatives are Rogers and Brown plus six times grand final-winning prop Glenn Lazarus, the first ever Kangaroo hooker Sid “Sandy’ Pearce, the first man to make three Kangaroo tours in Newcastle lock Wally Prigg and legendary Manly front-rower Roy Bull.

The NSW Team of the Century will be announced to the crowd before Game 1 of the State of Origin Series at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night.
The identity of the side was to be kept until then but NSW coach Craig Bellamy especially asked for the living members of the side to hand his players their jerseys in a special presentation.

“We are celebrating 100 years of interstate Rugby League as part of the game’s Centenary and it is fitting that both states will anoint their own teams of the century at a time when State of Origin takes centre stage,” said NSW Rugby League General Manager, Mr Geoff Carr.

“It is a magnificent line-up which shows the extraordinary depth of talent NSW has been blessed to have.

“It is fitting, too, that the careers of the 17 players covers the period from when the first NSW team played against the All Golds in 1907, in which Dally Messenger and Sandy Pearce played, to Andrew Johns who played until 2007.

“It will be a great honour to present the players or the descendants of those who have passed away to the crowd on Wednesday night and I am sure they will get an appropriate reception.

“It is wonderful recognition to their contributions to Rugby League.”

The team was calculated from the votes of the 28-man panel that last December chose the Australian Team of the Century. Those who received the most votes, using the same selection criteria, were formed into the NSW side.

To be eligible, players must have played junior Rugby League in NSW as well as having played for the state.

The Queensland Team of the Century will be announced at a special function in Brisbane on June 10.

Go the Blues! Kill the Cane Turds.

NSW should win

Battling Blues draw first blood
May 21, 2008

New South Wales unveiled their own batch of dynasty busters at ANZ Stadium with the sky-blue rookie brigade making a mockery of Origin nerves to lead the Blues to an 18-10 victory over Queensland in the series opener.

New boys Peter Wallace, Anthony Laffranchi and two-try hero Anthony Quinn were all brilliant as they consigned the Maroons to their 11th loss in 13 appearances at the Olympic venue and put them on the back foot in their search for a hat-trick of series wins.

Only given a start after Kurt Gidley was ruled out with injury, young Brisbane halfback Wallace starred, his poise and control early in the game breaking the back of the Maroons.

Having spent the week working with former NSW maestro Andrew Johns, Wallace terrorised fullback Billy Slater with a precise kicking game which had the Maroons raking the ball out of their own half for much of the match.

He also showed a deft touch to find winger Anthony Quinn with a chip kick to give the Melbourne flyer two tries inside his first 18 minutes of Origin football.

"Unbelievable, it was just a dream come true," Wallace said.

"Hopefully it gets me another game, it's the best I've ever felt.

"It was a pretty big week, there was a fair bit of hype about it, I just tried to block it all out.

"I learnt so much in just a week, it's stuff I'll take away for the rest of my career, it was awesome."

While all the pre-match focus centred on how the Blues could contain the star-studded Queensland backline, it was the home side's speed men who were asking all the early questions.

Quinn gave the Blues a 4-0 lead after as many minutes as the ball went through the hands, Brett Stewart showing tremendous finger-tip control to reel in a Ryan Hoffman offload before finding his unmarked winger.

Queensland, who were burdened with the rarely carried favouritism tag, seemed more intent on dishing out defensive punishment than doing damage on the scoreboard, particularly through Broncos duo Karmichael Hunt and Justin Hodges.

But Hunt proved he was no Darren Lockyer as he struggled to get the Maroons backs firing and it appears they will be left with little choice but to bring in in-form Gold Coast playmaker Scott Prince for game two should Lockyer's knee not come good.

Laffranchi wasted little time in making an impact off the bench with his offload sparking Stewart's 35th minute try and it seemed the Blues would take a comfortable 14-0 lead to the break.

But Wallace's one error let the Maroons back into the game when his kick sailed out on the full just his side of halfway.

From there Queensland earned a repeat set before Brent Tate touched down on a Johnathan Thurston grubber as the halftime siren sounded.

It was nearly a repeat of the first half with the Blues making a bright start to the second half, Mark Gasnier cut short metres from the line by a Dallas Johnson try-saver.

It was certainly a much better effort than what Johnson came up with late in the contest, not for the first time the Storm lock taken from the field in a groggy state after getting his head in the wrong position.

The Blues made sure of the win with Laffranchi backing up a Gasnier bust 12 minutes from time, the Queensland side showing the never-say-die spirit they're renowned for as debutant Israel Folau crossed in the dying stages to make the final margin just eight points.

Cronulla utility Greg Bird was named man of the match and enjoyed his partnership with Wallace.

"I really enjoyed playing outside him (wallace) and he's a cool-headed character and he took everything in his stride throughout the week and that paid in the game, he had a blinder," he said.

"I enjoy the big stages. It was good fun out there."

Legendary Queensland playmaker Darren Lockyer will captain a new-look Maroons team into their do-or-die Origin battle against the NSW Blues at Suncorp Stadium next week.

Lockyer's hurried inclusion heads four changes made by Maroon selectors heading into Origin II, none of which involve in-form Gold Coast playmaker Scott Prince.

Warriors prop Steve Price has been named after making a safe return from a hamstring injury in Round 11, while Titans utility Ashley Harrison and Broncos rookie Darius Boyd have also earned berths.

Centre Justin Hodges has pleaded guilty to a grade three dangerous throw charge and will miss both remaining Origin matches, while North Queensland enforcers Carl Webb and Jacob Lillyman - along with Brisbane hooker PJ Marsh - have been axed.

Brent Tate will slot into the centres to cover for Hodges, while Karmichael Hunt will revert to the bench to make way for Lockyer.

Boyd, 21, will play his first Origin game on the wing.

Queensland Team

1. Billy Slater
2. Darius Boyd
3. Greg Inglis
4. Brent Tate
5. Israel Folau
6. Darren Lockyer (capt)
7. Johnathan Thurston
8. Steve Price
9. Cameron Smith
10. Petero Civoniceva
11. Michael Crocker
12. Sam Thaiday
13. Dallas Johnson

14. Karmichael Hunt
15. Ben Hannant
16. Nate Myles
17. Ashley Harrison.


Newcastle Knights Steve Simpson and Kurt Gidley have come into the NSW squad for State of Origin II, replacing injured prop Ben Cross and Dragons utility Ben Hornby.

Both Simpson and Gidley come onto the bench, with Craig Fitzgibbon shifting from the interchange into the front row in place of Newcastle’s Cross.

Gidley was expected to be named at halfback for the series opener before suffering a fractured cheekbone, while Simpson has spent the bulk of the season on the sidelines after picking up a nine-week injury in round 1.

Jarryd Hayne's place on the wing is in doubt with the Eels speedster set to face the judiciary over a dangerous throw charge, while Mark Gasnier still has to overcome a hamstring injury.

Canberra's Joel Monaghan is on standby for Gasnier, and could also find himself in the team if Hayne is suspended.

The full team
1. Brett Stewart (Sea Eagles)
2. Jarryd Hayne (Eels)
3. Mark Gasnier (Dragons)
4. Matt Cooper (Dragons)
5. Anthony Quinn (Storm)
6. Greg Bird (Sharks)
7. Peter Wallace (Broncos)
8. Brett White (Storm)
9. Danny Buderus (Knights)
10. Craig Fitzgibbon (Roosters)
11. Ryan Hoffman (Storm)
12. Willie Mason (Roosters)
13. Paul Gallen (Sharks)

14. Anthony Laffranchi (Titans)
15. Anthony Tupou (Roosters)
16. Steve Simpson (Knights)
17. Kurt Gidley (Knights)

I understand that Bowen, Hunt and Slater are three of the best players ever, but only in a specialised position. QLD selectors obviously did not pay any attention to the past efforts of Hunt at five eight for the Broncos, their season fell apart without Lockyer as player maker and the outside options dried up. You cant not select any of the three, so if one has to play at five eight would it not make too much sense to put Bowen there, at least then he can play outside his Cowboys team mate, with whom at club level have a devastating combination. Good to see Tate back in form and a stunning first origin performance from Wallace. Dont get too ahead of yourself boys QLD love a good old fashion comeback story.

June 04, 2008

SHATTERED New South Wales winger Jarryd Hayne fears his State of Origin series is over after he failed to have a lifting tackle at the NRL judiciary downgraded and was rubbed out for three games.

The Parramatta star will now miss next week's Origin II clash at Suncorp Stadium where NSW are aiming to reclaim the series title for the first time since 2005.

Hayne will not be available to play again until after the teams are selected for the third game, giving him no chance to prove his worth for re-selection.

“It's pretty much the series gone for me,'' said a visibly upset Hayne afterwards.

“I won't get a game before game three. I just wish the boys good luck.''

Melbourne winger Steve Turner has now been called into the NSW squad to replace Hayne.

NSW coach Craig Bellamy has opted for Turner to join his 18-man squad in Sydney but won't decide on his final line-up until centre Mark Gasnier faces a fitness test on his injured hamstring later in the week.

Canberra's Joel Monaghan is another possibility and is currently in the Blues camp as cover for injured centre Mark Gasnier, while Penrith's Luke Lewis who was 18th man in Origin I could also fill the vacant wing spot.

It is a bitter blow to the 20-year-old Hayne who claimed his upending tackle on Brisbane's Tonie Carroll last Friday after the whistle only became dangerous because his teammates pulled out but he hadn't because he did not hear the whistle.

However his argument fell on deaf ears and not even his claims at being a rugby league “clean skin'' with an incident free record over 15 years of playing the game could help convince the panel to lower his grade two charge to one and escape suspension.

Hayne insisted he entered the tackle to lift the legs of Carroll, believing his three teammates grappling with the body would ensure the tackle did not end up dangerous.

However as the three Eels heard the whistle and stopped wrestling with Carroll, an oblivious Hayne continued, resulting in a dangerous lifting motion which slammed the Bronco forward onto his head.

“I did not hear the whistle whatsoever,'' said Hayne.

“I did not realise until the replay the whistle had gone and the boys had let him go.

“My head was down facing the ground so I had no vision of the other players.''

But while prosecutor Peter Kite accepted Hayne did not hear the whistle, he argued the Eels star was wrong to assume his teammates would prevent a dangerous tackle and should take full blame for such an ugly incident.

“Player Hayne is not allowed to adopt a strategy reliant on other people preventing a dangerous tackle, he has to prevent it,'' said Kite.

“Player Carroll was completely unsuspecting and therefore unable to defend himself in anyway.''

It took almost 45 minutes for them to decide to result but ultimately dealt Hayne a three-game suspension.

He is not the only Origin star to be rubbed out of the second game as Queensland's Justin Hodges accepted a six-week ban for an uglier lifting tackle on Mark Riddell in the same spiteful clash last Friday.

But while Hayne is out the news looks better for NSW's injured star centre Mark Gasnier who moved a step closer to his comeback from a hamstring injury by joining his Blues teammates for 20 minutes in session at a soaked Sydney Football Stadium.

Centre partner and fellow St George Illawarra star Matt Cooper insists Gasnier will be fit and firing at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday.

“My gut feeling with Gaz is that I reckon he will be alright,'' said Cooper.

“He is a quick healer. I know every time he's gone out injured he's always come back a week early so I'm pretty confident he is going to be right.

“We just have to see how he pulls up in a couple of days.''

June 06, 2008

QUEENSLAND face a critical 24 hours with concerns growing over captain Darren Lockyer's fitness and selectors hauling luckless Gold Coast halfback Scott Prince into Origin camp.

Prince was initially called up as back-up for halfback Johnathan Thurston after he twinged his groin at training on Thursday.

Subsequent scans cleared Thurston of any serious injury.

However as the day of drama unfolded, it emerged Lockyer's reconstructed right knee was of more concern and that Prince was insurance for both halves who'll be medically assessed over the weekend.

While Thurston eased fitness concerns by completing the Maroons' 30 minute opposed session at Sanctuary Cove late today, Lockyer quit after 10 minutes to ice his right knee.

“It's all precautionary,” said Queensland coach Mal Meninga.

“JT (Thurston) had a twinge on Wednesday and we're making sure if anything does go wrong at the back end of the week, Scotty can come in.

“It's the same with Locky and we're making sure if he does pull out we can make the change without too much fuss.

“If everything falls over at the weekend at least we gave Scotty (Prince) a chance to train with the team.”

Earlier in the day Lockyer told a sponsor's lunch both he and Thurston expected to play.

“We both hope to play but we have to have plan B in place,” said Lockyer.

Bookmakers Sportingbet Australia suspended Origin betting and also pulled the market on the Titans-Storm clash on Monday with uncertainty over Prince.

“New South Wales could well run favourite, even up at Suncorp Stadium if that happened,” said Sportingbet's Bill Richmond.

“If Thurston comes out and Lockyer plays, the market doesn't really change as many would argue Scott Prince should be there in front of Thurston anyway.

“But if Lockyer comes out, the money will come for the Blues.”

One punter who put $30,000 on the Titans at $1.15 will be praying both Thurston and Lockyer play Origin.

While Queensland were grappling with the prospect of losing Lockyer, NSW were in high spirits after confirming centre Mark Gasnier, who starred in Origin I, had been cleared of a hamstring injury to play.

NSW coach Craig Bellamy finalised his side for next Wednesday's clash by naming Melbourne's Steve Turner on the wing in place of suspended Jarryd Hayne and releasing Joel Monaghan back to club side Canberra.

But while confidence continues to grow in the NSW camp, the under-siege Queenslanders are using the injury adversity to galvanise a side ahead of the must-win clash.

Thurston didn't speak to the media but his Origin roomie Karmichael Hunt was confident the champion halfback would play on Wednesday night.

“I know he had scans (on Wednesday),” said Hunt, psyched to play a utility role in several positions.

“He's my room mate and I was speaking to him this morning and he said he was fit to go. He'll have to nurse it so he doesn't do any further damage but I think he's right to play.”

Lockyer, who returned to action against Parramatta last week, took his first steps at training since entering Origin camp on Tuesday.

While the plan was always to ease him back into action, officials are concerned his recovery progress has not been as quick as hoped.

The next 48 hours will be crucial to Lockyer with Meninga unlikely to take a risk on a player's fitness for such a huge game - even if his name is Darren Lockyer.

“He is going to be the best judge in regards to whether he wants to play or not,” said Meninga.

“It will be his decision based on the pain.”