Finally winning over the AFL states

[Parra]

Including the AFL melee as an official part of origin was a masterstroke in winning over fans in the lesser states of Vic, SA, WA and for what it is worth TAS.

The fact that the melee has the chance to alienate fans in NSW & QLD is a huge risk. The laughter in the pub in QLD where I watched the game is a warning sign. But it wont be heeded.

Looks like tough faces and jumper pulling is here to stay.

Long live the memories of what league used to be.

 

[Perth Red]

How can you not enjoy shirt pulling, name calling and running in to hug the opposition? Mind you given the weak reffing probably just as well or this game would have put mma to shame with some of the grubs out there.

 

[undertaker]

will be interesting to see what the tv ratings for this match will be tomorrow

 

[Parra]

If that's what you like. I don't buy ads or sell them so I couldn't give a f**k.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

...because, kids, the mature way to deal with any problem in your life is to punch people in their face.

wait.

 

[Parra]

Kids?

These are footy players.

 

[Lambretta]

If that's what you like. I don't buy ads or sell them so I couldn't give a f**k.

To give a f**k you need to have a c**k not be one

 

[Brutus]

Yep..not a punch to be seen these days.

Plenty of high shots though that went unchecked.

 

[roostersrule2]

Kids?

These are footy players.

He was reffering to children not the footy players.

 

[Usain Bolt]

I heard millions in Brazil were glued to their tv sets

 

[Brutus]

I heard millions in Brazil were glued to their tv sets

Just like we would be glued to our TV sets for the domestic Brazilian soccer competition or whatever it's called.

 

[Jamberoo]

Nice bit of sarcasm and yes it was disappointing to see no punches thrown, but the fact is that the chance of biff is the main reason people down here tune in to the SOO even though they will not watch any other RL. So please don't blame us Victorians.

 

[Masoe_eats_babies]

Yep..not a punch to be seen these days.

Plenty of high shots though that went unchecked.

But the idea that every origin game has a fight in has been a bit of an ongoing myth anyway. Watching older games I've been scratching my head at the lack of biff from the supposedly tougher era where people act like punch ups were a regular occurence? If anything since about 2006 the number has biffs has gone up considerably (despite Gus and his ilk whinging about push and shove from even back then).

For record there was a punch in game 2 and there will be more in game 3.

Also FTR, here's a great video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWHGEi9TVno ) of Gould the king of back-in-my-day f**kwits complaining in game 2 of Origin 2009 that the game is all push and shove these days and that he didn't see any punches thrown (despite about ten of them). This was the same series that White also got KO'd in. One of the most glorious Origin fights of all time.

"Never saw one punch thrown." - Gus Gould, commentary expert and part time spokesman for Specsavers

Origin 'fights' have always been 98% push and shove, boasting probably an average of one real fight a series.

 

[RWB]

We'll see a punch thrown in Game 3 now that the result of the series is already decided.

A good bit of biff for those who enjoy it, I promise you this.

 

[Parra]

Leave the biff out.

But leave the melee right out altogether. It is a mockery.

The niggle will stay as long as refs like Hayne remain inconsistent. He had another shocker.

I watched the Wallaby vs France test on Saturday - you'd swear last night was a repeat. Interesting given game 1 of both series.

 

[Brutus]

Have a look at the 81 Origin match plenty of punches niggle in that.

f**k Les Boyd was a filthy thug. Rod Morris and Steve Bowden went nuts.

Thankfully Boyd never played Origin again after breaking Brohman's jaw in game 1 of the 83 series.

 

[bobmar28]

Shirt pulling? Origin players don't wear shirts, they wear.....JERSEYS.

The games are getting tougher, without the biff.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

The melees were embarrassing.

What the dopey merkins who run the game don't get is that a big blue early in that game would have sorted out all the niggle and the game could have started for real. Instead the players spent an hour trying to bait a punch out of the opposition and ruined the game.

The Helen Lovejoys that run this sport are doing their absolute best to kill it.

 

[oikee]

I honestly believe we need to introduce a third team.
The exiles.
If we keep dilly dallying around, the AFL will get their Origin started again and have a 3 state team origin comp before we know what hit us we will again be behind the 8-ball and just cannon fodder to more progressive codes.

I cant see why if the series is already won, like it is now, why we cant introduce the exiles to play game 3.

Anyhow, that is way too forward thinking for our code, they took 3 years to rid themselves of the corner post and still only waking up to the fact Anzac day in Brisbane is a huge idea, same as it would be in NZ.
Even AFL beat us to NZ Anzac day game.

Yes folks it is true. beaten to the punch by a code who has no connection to NZ.
We are the lemmings of the world, happily to run off the cliff because we were told to.

We need third world marketing ideas. even then we would be in front of where and how our game thinks.
We are the tortoise of world sport.

 

[firechild]

We are the lemmings of the world, happily to run off the cliff because we were told to.

Can you please lead the charge?