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![[FKN-SIK]](/data/avatars/m/13/13251.jpg?1239671989){kind=avatar}
actually, he's a really promising young prop that has been playing good footy for the past 12 months... at least. Origin isn't beyond him in the future, although he'd have to be absolutely explosive from now until Origin to get a gig this year, one would think.
THEY form one of Queensland's greatest all-time teams. Stunning backs, tough forwards, a brutal interchange bench. In all, they played 183 Origin matches for their beloved Maroons.There is just one problem though - none of them is a Queenslander. They are all ring-ins.This composite team categorically shows Queensland's obsession with pinching players from outside the Sunshine State.
And the trend continued this week with Queensland trying to pinch Lismore-born Sydney Roosters prop Martin Kennedy, an emerging Origin star.
Kennedy has spent 14 of 22 years in NSW but says he wants to represent the Maroons.
The Daily Telegraph today lifts the lid on the Maroons' darkest secret - their best players hail from around the rugby league world, places like Auckland, Korolevu, Rabaul, Bowraville, Caringbah, Kempsey, Suva, Tenterfield, Minto, Camperdown, Auburn and Christchurch.
Anywhere but Brisbane, Rockhampton or Townsville.
"They are thieves in the night," stormed NSW legend Benny Elias. "And they blatantly do it in front of our faces. The Queenslanders would cheat, lie and steal to win an Origin series. They just don't care. They sell their scruples to win a series over NSW. Unbelievable.
"Origin means more to them than a state election, it means more to them than anything. They talk about their Queensland passion and they have had some great players over the years. But a lot of them were born outside Queensland."
Former NSW prop Steve Roach was also astounded when shown Queensland's "anti-Origin" team.
"If you go into their air space you are a Queenslander," Roach said.
"You only have to fly over Brisbane and they want you to play for them.
"Some of the players in that team come from New Zealand and Papua New Guinea."
Two of the most controversial selections are star backs Israel Folau and Greg Inglis.
Folau was born in Minto, in southwestern Sydney, while Inglis hails from Bowraville on the NSW North Coast.
Brad Thorn, Tonie Carroll and Karmichael Hunt were all Queensland legends - yet they were all born in New Zealand.
Neville Costigan and Adrian Lam, two highly successful Maroons over the past 15 years, were actually born in Rabaul in Papua New Guinea.
"They keep taking our players," said one-well placed NSW source.
"I can't believe the Martin Kennedy situation. Good luck to Martin if he wants to play for Queensland, but he was still born and raised in NSW."
Folau, Mat Rogers, Julian O'Neill, Sam Thaiday, Scott Sattler and Michael Crocker were all born in Sydney.
However, one high-profile NSW player had this to say when about the Queensland "anti-Origin" squad.
"Please don't give Queensland too much ammunition by bagging them."
1. Karmichael Hunt - AUCKLAND, NZ. 2. Lote Tuqiri - KOROLEVU, FIJI. 3. Greg Inglis - BOWRAVILLE, NSW. 4 Mat Rogers - CARINGBAH, NSW. 5. Israel Folau - SYDNEY, NSW. 6. Julian O'Neill - SYDNEY, NSW. 7. Adrian Lam - RABAUL, PNG. 8. Petero Civoniceva - SUVA, FIJI. 9. Wayne Bartrim - KEMPSEY, NSW. 10. Craig Smith - KAITAIA, NZ. 11. Neville Costigan - RABAUL, PNG. 12. Sam Thaiday - SYDNEY, NSW. 13. Billy Moore - TENTERFIELD, NSW. INTERCHANGE: 14. Scott Sattler - CAMPERDOWN, NSW. 15. Michael Crocker - AUBURN, NSW. 16. Brad Thorn - MOSGIEL, NZ. 17. Tonie Carroll - CHRISTCHURCH, NZ.
SIX weeks out from this year's first State of Origin match, and the whingeing and excuse-making from New South Wales has already begun. It's a bit like going into a supermarket and seeing hot cross buns in February, or Christmas decorations on the shelves in October - you know it is going to happen eventually.
But it still comes as a bit of a shock to see it happen so early.
Today, in Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper and on our sister website www.dailytelegraph.com.au, the pathetic Blues and their equally sad, albeit dwindling, supporter base have been ridiculing Queensland's current record-breaking dynasty by suggesting the Maroons have created their empire with players poached from NSW.
Need a laugh? Read the article here.
The genesis for the Blues throwing rocks at the house Mal Meninga built is Roosters prop Martin Kennedy, who NSW have earmarked as a potential front-rower for Ricky Stuart's team.
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The only problem is young Martin - like so, so many players before him - doesn't want to play for NSW. He considers himself a Queenslander and, as such, wants to play for the Maroons.
This, as you can understand, has caused much hand-wringing and public sobbing south of the border.
Origin shield
REMEMBER THIS, BLUES FANS?: The victorious Queensland State of Origin team with the Origin shield in 2006.
Source: The Courier-Mail
They cannot fathom that someone who may have suffered the indiginity of being born south of the border has nonetheless overcome that hurdle and evolved into a fully-functional human being and in turn wants to represent the state that helped him achieve that - Queensland.
This has in turn led the Cockroaches to run through the birth certificates of every Queensland State of Origin player, to find those who may have been elsewhere, and then label them traitors.
Here is the first part of why NSW just don't get why Origin means so much to Queenslanders.
Being a Queenslander is not about what is written on a piece of paper, it is about who you are and what is in your heart.
They cannot understand this, because it is terribly difficult to squeeze anything into something the size of a split-pea.
Origin shield
WHAT ABOUT THIS ONE?: Queensland goes back-to-back with an Origin series win in 2007
Source: The Courier-Mail
To add gravitas to their argument, the Blues called in the calm and balanced commentary of former Blues players Steve Roach and Lebanon-born Ben Elias.
"They are thieves in the night," Elias fumed. "And they blatantly do it in front of our faces.
"If you go into their air space you are a Queenslander," Roach continued. "You only have to fly over Brisbane and they want you to play for them.''
Regardless of the fact that anything said by a former Blues player criticising Queensland carries about as much weight as a saddle for a sparrow, Elias and Roach have about as much relevance to the modern game as a Yorkshire coal mine - they were once important, but now forgotten.
Origin shield
THIS MUST HAVE HURT: Queensland celebrates its third straight Origin series win over NSW
Source: The Courier-Mail
In past years, the Blues have at least had the decency to wait until they've been beaten before they start sooking about why life isn't fair and nobody likes them.
And, much like every Origin since 2006, it is an argument they cannot win.
How about this potential Blues ``All Star'' line-up made up of players the Blues poached for their own cause from outside of their own state?
1. Ken Nagas (Bundaberg), 2. James McManus (Scotland), 3. John Hopoate (Tonga), 4. Timana Tahu (Melbourne), 5. Hazem El Masri (Lebanon), 6. Peter Wallace (Melbourne), 7. Peter Sterling (Toowoomba), 8. Dean Pay (Melbourne), 9. Ben Elias (Lebanon), 10. Justin Poore (Bunbury, WA), 11. Ian Roberts (London), 12. Willie Mason (Auckland), 13. Mario Fenech (Malta). Bench: Brad Clyde (Canberra), Joel Monaghan (Canberra), Ryan Hoffman, (Canberra), Craig Polla-Mounter (Ipswich Grammar, via Melbourne)
Or what about the fact that every year from 1908 to 1980, the Blues would trot out a state team made up with the finest talent from Queensland that they had poached to help sink a knife into Maroon hearts?
NSW's selfish poaching of Queensland talent is why State of Origin was born, and now that we're better at it, they are bleating like frightened sheep.
Origin shield
BLUES FANS MUST BE SICK OF SEEING THIS: Queensland, Origin champions - again - in 2009.
Source: The Courier-Mail
This year, the Blues are trying everything to get back up to speed.
They've appointed a full-time coach, just like Queensland did.
They've created an emerging Origin squad, just like Queensland did.
They've created a network of former Blues players, just like Queensland did with the Former Origin Greats (FOGS).
They even tried to steal the FOGS' name, and squealed like stuck pigs when told to come up with their own.
And now, desperately, they are trying to start a bushfire with mind games six weeks before a team is picked.
Someone should get Mal Meninga a needle and thread, because there may be a good chance this morning he laughed so hard his sides split.
Origin shield
NO WONDER THEY'RE WHINGEING: Queensland's Maroon celebrate the high five - winning their fifth successive Origin crown in 2010.
Source: The Courier-Mail
But surely the last word deserves to go to Elias who, in trying to criticise Queensland, inadvertently explained why Origin means so much to the Maroons - no matter where they were born - and why the Blues will never understand.
''Origin means more to them than a state election, it means more to them than anything,'' Elias dribbled, miserably.
``They talk about their Queensland passion and they have had some great players over the years. But a lot of them were born outside Queensland.
``The Queenslanders would cheat, lie and steal to win an Origin series. They just don't care. They sell their scruples to win a series over NSW. Unbelievable.''
Could not have said it better ourselves.
