What I like about being a blues supporter is not only do our rare victories upset those north of the border but also all those from the other states who all seem to jump on the toad wagon at this time of year. NSW doesn't need ring ins to help us share in our glory we are quite capable of doing it  ourselves.....after all no one wanted to share in the years of humiliation and defeat that we suffered at the hands of those Queenslanders   Seriously I just hope that the officials let this game flow as they did with the first one, I'm sure that the players on both sides will be out there giving it everything they have.  No doubt keeping the series alive would be a good thing for the TV ratings but then I would be really worried about the blues needing to win the last game up there in toadland - it's better if we can just put them out of their misery tonight.  Go the blues

DMaxer wrote:

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I read an interesting statistic the other day, BB. Since its inception, more than 27% of the players selected by Queensland were not born in Queensland. The last time a player not born in NSW was selected by the Blues was in 1995.

On a previous post I named Myles as being a Kiwi international playing for Queensland. It was in fact Brad Thorn. There is just so many ring ins that I get mixed up.

Anyway, go the Blues.

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 Of course you are aware that Brad Thorn was 8 years old when he migrated from NZ to Qld., where he later played for the Broncos.

Do you want me to research the birth country of NSW past players? 

As an example, I refer once again to Hazam Al Masri who migrated to NSW from Lebanon at age 12 & later played for NSW.

Both were selected according to the rules of the time.

Yes .. selective memory perhaps.  LOL    

Oh BTW .. Hazim played for NSW in 2007 according to my source.  Sort of blows your claim of 'The last time a player not born in NSW was selected by the blues was 1995" out of the water.  Perhaps the 27% is crap too.  More 'Fake News'.   Not that it really matters though.

It could be argued that Qld has long been a growth State with a strong record of both Interstate & International migration. The population would therefore of course have a higher % of non Qld born citizens.  It follows that we would probably have a higher percentage of non Qld born players.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

To have NSW complaining (in the media this week) about holding down in tackles is a bit rich.  Just have a look at the video of past games to see who were the offenders.  I suppose that NSW will also have to get a replacement for Grub Gallen throwing up his arms at every tackle. That worked in giving the usual imbalance in penalties.  Of course I agree that it would be great to have the speed of the game that the tackle 'rules' of the great but short lived Super League provided.   What we really need is another great Ref like The Grasshopper.  A fair & unbiased official.

 

QUEENSLANDER!!!!!

-- Edited by Cupie on Wednesday 21st of June 2017 10:52:24 AM

I don't think Lebanon has provided many players, maybe Benny Elias. I think you should do the research, it would be interesting. I quoted what I read in the SMH. I stand by the 27%, however.

Thaiday, Civoniceva, Folau, Inglis, all born outside. That song "Yes that's in Queensland" is an hilarious parody of the Qld selection process, but without a doubt, Billy Moore's tearful bellowing of the word "Queenslander" whilst walking out on to the field when the poor fool was born in Tenterfield and played for North Sydney just cracks me up.

Anyway, be interested in who you can come up with post 1995. It is only a game and "Go the Blues"

Laurie won by the length of his nose last time...but he'll be singing:' Uh Uh Kevvy, 'why did you step on my blue suede shoes',... this time round......

Maroons by 8 points in a" real "wrestling affair......Hoo Roo

Cupie wrote:

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It could be argued that Qld has long been a growth State with a strong record of both Interstate & International migration. The population would therefore of course have a higher % of non Qld born citizens.  It follows that we would probably have a higher percentage of non Qld born players.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

Sorry Cupie that argument doesn't work the population of Qld since 1950 has grown by 3.2M  the population of NSW has grown by 4M over the same period and as 60% of Australia's population growth is through migration that just doesn't hold water. I don't really care where you get your players from anyway if they choose to wear a maroon jumper tonight then our boys will have no choice but to crush them along with their Qld born team mates - sorry it's nothing personal . By the way Hazim El Misery was in fact a dinky di born and bred Blue the fact that his birth occurred somewhere in Lebanon just meant that he didn't know it at the time. Billy Moore on the other hand wasn't real smart and those underhanded Qld talent scouts convinced him Tenterfield was somewhere in outback Qld just to get him to sign up.  No idea why he chose to wear a maroon jumper - sky blue would have looked so much nicer on him .

-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Wednesday 21st of June 2017 02:17:12 PM

The player state of origin is where they played there first game .

As I said Cupie - Hasam is as Aussie as a meat pie and in my opinion any fair dinkum Aussie would only want to play for the blues - don't worry about Billie that short lack of oxygen may have affected his judgement it's just too bad that it didn't seem to have a negative impact on his game. Good luck you toad supporters I have a feeling that you are going to need it unfortunately I have felt like that every year only to come crashing back to earth when the final score has gone up on the board - not this year .

The Belmont Bear wrote:

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As I said Cupie - Hasam is as Aussie as a meat pie and in my opinion any fair dinkum Aussie would only want to play for the blues - don't worry about Billie that short lack of oxygen may have affected his judgement it's just too bad that it didn't seem to have a negative impact on his game. Good luck you toad supporters I have a feeling that you are going to need it unfortunately I have felt like that every year only to come crashing back to earth when the final score has gone up on the board - not this year .

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 I hate to say it   ... but it might just be the blues time  ..  At last they have stuck to a team  ..   If we scrape thru this year, as I have said before I fear for next year with the loss of JT & Cooper Cronk .

 

ps ... Strange then that so many of them that had the choice so often elected to play for Qld.

 

Hayne was the Maroons greatest asset tonight....Thurston played most of the game with a wounded wing once again...what a man!.....

To be honest I was embarassed how the Refs missed so many behind the play, shoves/hits and most were committed by Qld....we did not deserve many of the frees we received...we will hear more about that over the next few weeks....

The next game will be a BEAUDY!.....bring it on, and its in Queensland...yea!........Hoo Roo

Just goes to show what a superior team the Maroons are !!

It was a great came but my fears eventuated. I thought NSW played well but the last ten minutes found them out. Those toads just don't give up.

DMaxer wrote:

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It was a great came but my fears eventuated. I thought NSW played well but the last ten minutes found them out. Those toads just don't give up.

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 DM  ...  I agree it was a great game.  Even better in that I turned off the sound .. no Gus.  SWMBO even came down to my media room to see if I was OK.  No yelling & swearing!  Only got through half a bottle of maroon oops red.

Once again NSW with arguably the better playing roster got out enthused by Qld.  I thought that Conk had solved that issue.

It seemed to me that NSW clocked off half way thru the second half.

Perhaps a different story in G3 if JT's shoulder is still crook.    

Can't understand why they didn't attack through him once the issue became apparent.  Darius Boyd who was defending on the same side also seemed to be carrying an injured hand/arm.  I think that NSW lack a Cooper Cronk/Billy Slater/Wally Lewis.  Someone who can read the game & direct the team about the park

PS.

If you want statistics then this might help ..

http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org

Good coaching by Kevie to leave J.T. on the park. Hi goal kicking game is no doubt the best in the league.

I would leave him there if he even had a broke foot, and he would still place it over the black dot.

Also ""Bully"" Slater was as usual like a little Jack Russell snapping at the heals of the Blues and rounding them up look a flock of sheep.

The Blues thought that they had it won up till 60 minutes. But .....

have a look at this Queenslander.

He has every chance of survival as long as he hold on and never release the vice like grip he has on his opponent  

Just like the Mighty Maroons did  last night.

 

Jay&Dee

Cupie wrote:

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Good one JD ..

Just rewatched the game over a cuppa with SWMBO.  Left the sound on ... bad move.  Can't stand those NSW commentators pointing out all that is wrong about Qld and the terrible refereeing decisions against the blues.  We were yelling in tandem.

Same result though.

Lawrie aught to give Fifita lessons in how to play the ball.  His foot never goes near the bloody thing. He just steps over it and pushes into the marker. About time that was penalised.  

No holding down by Qld either.

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 totally agree with you.

I watched a S.O.O game from back in 1985. Back then the scrums were what they were meant to be. And on a number of occasions the opposition will win the scrum. Play the ball was as it should be, foot on the ball.

It was a pleasure to watch the real game of Rugby League, compared to the so called game of today.

By the way the blues won that game by a narrow margin.

If there is to be another change in the rules, (the charge down on the kicker) need closer scrutiny  as 80% of them are shoulder charges,which of course is banned in the normal flow of the game.

Jay&Dee

Having said all that.... bring on game 3.