Is there any evidence chose QLD over NSW. My reading in the media is that he genuinely thought he was supposed to play for them and QLD officials did nothing to correct his view. Of course he is loving now, who wouldn't after belting the opposition for four years straight. Action should have been taken to correct this mistake when it came to light IMO - its State of Origin, not State of Mild Infatuation. I've got no problems with Thorn or Hunt. Te'o is dodgy and GI is outright discraceful.
Inglis grew up supporting Queensland. He believed he was a Queenslander, as did the QRL. The NSWRL had every opportunity to provide the evidence that he had played X games here or there and was technically meant to be a Blue... but did not.
Quite the reverse- they twirled their moustaches and mocked the QRL for selecting a young and untried player.
Of course, he then carved up in Origin, so hey presto, evidence surfaces that he was actually a Blue and the bitching began.
It's ridiculous. As far as anyone- including the man himself- knew, he was a Queenslander. It was what he wanted to be.
The problem is that the current rules are still borked. The "first senior football" rule is open to abuse. What if one State or the other spots a promising young player who lives across the border and calls them up for a trial match at "senior" football level, based on the theory of "hey, screw those guys."
Said player sits on the bench, does nothing, and yet the records now say in black and white that they can never represent their home State.
How much garbage is that? And yet, that is exactly what the rules allow to take place. Too bad if said player is a staunch NSWman or QLDer and is told they have to play for the other side. How well do you think they will go in Origin then? And how is that different to what NSW was doing year in, year out by deploying teams packed with Queenslanders?
The only sensible solution is to have players declare their national (and State, if applicable) affiliation at some age, say sixteen. It is then locked and to represent another nation they must have citizenship and residence for at least three years, whilst their State is locked forever. Those who do not declare for Australia and NSW or QLD at that stage are never eligible for State duty, even if they later transfer their allegience to Australia.
Sorry mate, I was just taking the piss with the Queenslanders desperation to be underdogs when they have 80% of the Australian team in their side.
That's what we should have had :s Predictably, however, for the ANZAC test the selectors ignored the incumbents and fielded a team that had too many Blues who had no right to be there.
I do, the man was a glory seaking whore of the lowest kind.
I'm Australian when I play league, but I'm a New Zealander when I play Union? What is that about?
Blame Union's eligibility rules. More pragmatically, Thorn is a dead-set freak who could break into the two strongest teams (for the respective codes) on the planet.
Karmichael Hunt (NZ)
Brad Thorn (NZ)
Moved here young, became Aussies, decided they wanted to play for Queensland.
Is an Aussie, only played for NZ because of relaxed IRL World Cup selection policies. Or should Jarryd Hane and the like now give up their Blues jerseys as well?
Petero Civonieciva (Fiji)
Is Australian, came of age in Queensland.
The guy is from an island off Queensland and grew up wanting to be a Maroon.
It this point, the stupid was just burning me too badly. This is the perfect example of what I'm talking about- someone who only dreams of playing for one State, has the misfortune of playing a match here or there on the wrong side of the border, and then runs the risk of being stuck in the wrong jersey forever after.
I also notice there's not a lot of time spent on players like McManus nor the way so many were wanting Sonny-Bill Williams to turn up in Blue (largely because they felt like it would be advantageous to have him, rather than because he deserved to play for NSW).
Essentially, when the shoe is on the other foot...
Largely beause such complaints fall on deaf ears or are drowned out in the chorus of "BUUUT GREG IIIIIIINNNNNNNGLISSSSSSS...."
