Which is the Greater Achievement?

[Miller was a legend]

Most players I've heard say getting a kangaroo jersey is the greatest honour they can get.

Bastards are too cheap to run down to Amart All Sports and spend $150 bucks, noooooo someone give one to me, I'm spethial!

Anyway, Cronulla players would say winning anything is a dream

 

[madunit]

This has most probably been done before but since it's SOO time, I'll ask the question.

What would the top NRL players consider being their career highlight?

Winning an NRL premiership or winning a State of Origin series?

I'd say winning a premiership handsdown.

Why? Well after 26 games of the regular season, then a handful of finals games to get to the Grand Final, it's a tougher road to get there rather than winning a best of three series in the middle of the year.

The Grand Final has been a part of NSW Rugby League (then the NRL) since 1926 (or 1954 - depends which way you look at it) and is the epitome of tradition of the game. Winning the Grand Final is the ultimate prize for your efforts.

Comments?

Interstate games have been around since 1908. Grand Finals haven't been a regular occurrence since 1926 either.

The first grand final could be argued to have occurred prior to 1926 anyway.

Why did you state 1926?

Just curious.

 

[madunit]

It depends on the individual. For me it's not even close, grand final is more important every day of the week. But for others might think differently. I've heard Gallen say he'll be shattered if he never wins an Origin while a club premiership is not as important.

Blatant lie.

Moron.

 

[POPEYE]

The question is how many players that win a premiership get a G&G jersey. How many that play Origin get a G&G

G&G is probably the most exclusive club, problem is without the majority of players who never have a membership to any there wouldn't be anything to be a member of

 

[Wizard Sleeve]

Gus Gould would say playing at leichhardt oval on a Sunday afternoon .

 

[timka4]

For the players, premiership purely because it's harder to get than an origin series win, aside from the past 8 years for various blues players lol.

From a fan point of view, I'd rather an origin series win than a premiership at this moment.
Although with the knights situation it might be a long time before we get close to premiership talk again.

 

[Valheru]

Easily a premiership, it's not even a contest

 

[firechild]

Gus Gould would say playing at leichhardt oval on a Sunday afternoon .

A lot of Broncos players probably play more origins in their career than Sunday arvo games.

 

[morley101]

It's a premiership victory hands down, winning an origin series is important of course. But you prepare yourself every day of each season to win the premiership for your club. You play with your mates and get to know each other like a family and will forever go down in immortality.

Also for many players if they are an incumbent selection for Origin so get the chance to play virtually every year. Paul Gallen has been in first grade for 13 years and has yet to play in a grand final.

Origin has only become important because Queensland has dominated for a decade. So NSW winning an origin series will become a very important moment when it finally does happen.

Even then it only lasts a year at most and we are back again next year. State of Origin is a constant in the game if you are an elite level player you will always have the chance to win one.

Premiership's are very difficult to win

To put it into context

South Sydney - 20 premierships in 106 years
Manly - 8 premierships in 67 years
Melbourne - 4 premierships in 15 years
Brisbane - 6 premierships in 26 years

State of Origin

Queensland - 20 out of 32 series
NSW - 12 out of 32 series

Premierships are much rarer to win and are easily more special. Again only NSW incompetence has led to it being more important if NSW had won 3 of the previous 8 series then it wouldn't even be contemplated as being more important.

It is a media driven thing that lasts one month of the year. Also news flash State of Origin was never the pinnacle of the game until after Super League at least for players. Playing for Australia was always considered the pinnacle of someone's representative career. Even the awesome early 90's state of origin games were eclipsed by Lions and Kangaroo tours.

I think you will find that Melbourne have won only 2.

 

[God-King Dean]

To play international football is the highest level you can play. So therefore winning the World Cup/4 Nations is the great accomplishment.

But I bet the majority of players would gladly trade a World Cup win for a premiership.

 

[anjado]

?? Super League had nothing to do with Origin's importance, good or bad. You must be young to think the early 90s was the early glorious days of Origin.

Only NSW losing has made Origin important is crack smoking.

1988

game 1 - 26,654
game 3 - 16,910

Those were the crowds for both state of origin games in Sydney that year. In fact their wasn't 3 origin sell outs until 1987 and it wasn't a regular occurrence until 1989.

Of course NSW losing meant a lot to Origin, Origin only came to be due to the fact that NSW always won the interstate series. In fact their wasn't an Origin sell out in Sydney until the second game in 1985 when they could break the drought and win the series.

I would say Origin has been the pinnacle of representative football since super league. I would say making the kangaroo tour was bigger before then and being selected for Australia was also bigger.

NSW winning this series would be about the biggest achievement origin can possibly offer given the length of time they have gone without winning.

Winning the premiership though is the ultimate achievement and always has been. It is more rare and if you are a top player you are likely to achieve everything else the game has to offer a premiership though is no certainty.

 

[Canard]

1988

game 1 - 26,654
game 3 - 16,910

Those were the crowds for both state of origin games in Sydney that year. In fact their wasn't 3 origin sell outs until 1987 and it wasn't a regular occurrence until 1989.

Of course NSW losing meant a lot to Origin, Origin only came to be due to the fact that NSW always won the interstate series. In fact their wasn't an Origin sell out in Sydney until the second game in 1985 when they could break the drought and win the series.

I would say Origin has been the pinnacle of representative football since super league. I would say making the kangaroo tour was bigger before then and being selected for Australia was also bigger.

NSW winning this series would be about the biggest achievement origin can possibly offer given the length of time they have gone without winning.

Winning the premiership though is the ultimate achievement and always has been. It is more rare and if you are a top player you are likely to achieve everything else the game has to offer a premiership though is no certainty.

How Sydney centric are you mate?

42k turned up just the year before. The SFS was considered a dud when it first opened in 88 they charged $30+ for a ticket (a fortune then). Game 3 was a dead rubber.

Getting selected for Australia has always been the pinnacle for an Australian player, SL is nothing in changing to that.

Winning a GF is the greatest club achievement you can have also.

Origin is a different achievement for a different group of players.

 

[anjado]

How Sydney centric are you mate?

42k turned up just the year before. The SFS was considered a dud when it first opened in 88 they charged $30+ for a ticket (a fortune then). Game 3 was a dead rubber.

Getting selected for Australia has always been the pinnacle for an Australian player, SL is nothing in changing to that.

Winning a GF is the greatest club achievement you can have also.

Origin is a different achievement for a different group of players.

Yes i know the SFS was a shithole when it opened i remember it well. But still only getting 17,000 to an origin game is still dreadful. They charge a fortune for tickets now would 17,000 people turning up to origin be excused now or even 34,000 ? Sure they sold out in 87 but only in 85 when NSW had a chance to win did they sell out Sydney before then.

No winning a premiership for your club is why you begin pre season training before Christmas. It is the pinnacle and greater achievement because it is more difficult to win.

List of players to never be apart of an origin series victory after they became mandatory in 1982, Minimum (6 matches)

Greg Alexander
Greg Bird
Ben Creagh
Michael Ennis
Robbie Farah
Paul Gallen
Kurt Gidley
Craig Greenhill (Apart of Queensland's retention in 1999)
Jarryd Hayne
Brett Hodgson
Ryan Hoffman
Michael Jennings
Cliff Lyons
Chris McKenna (Played in both drawn series 1999 and 2002)
Trent Merrin
Brett Morris
Josh Morris
Julian O'Neill
Mitchell Pearce
Ray Price
Ben Ross
Brett Stewart
Brett White

Total - 23 players

If NSW win this years series that number is down to 15 at least. If you take out Queensland's dominance since 2006 you are left with only 7 players to play in at least 6 games and never be a part of a winning squad even then McKenna and Greenhill were part of retaining the series which would bring some sense of satisfaction.

I think being selected for the test side whilst i agree it should be considered the greatest honour has lost a little bit of luster since super league we no longer have kangaroo tours or big mid season test series.

Also i believe the question is what is the greatest achievement being selected for Australia is a greater individual achievement but i believe winning a premiership with your club would be of greater satisfaction all round.