Slippery Morris, St George
The truth behind Origin
When we were young aspiring rugby league players, we would select two captains and all other remaining players would stand in a line. The captains would then take turns in selecting who they wanted out of the line. Once the teams were sorted, it was away we go.
Its a great system and one that has been used for years and no doubt will continue to be used. It really sucked being picked last but hey, it meant you had something to prove. Trust me I know how it feels.
Looks like the Origin selection process is the same, only difference is they inserted a rule where is if you picked the player first the other team cant pick him again. I can see it now, the two groups of selectors go in a room and line up all these players and start picking one each. You do get the occasional player saying Oh, I dont want to play this game anymore, its not fair so they call these players New Zealanders or English Internationals.
Apparently this is what happened a few years ago before the QLD dominance started. Qld had first pick and it went like this:-
QLD Selector: "We pick Jonathan Thurston."
Benji Marshall: "What, him? Im better than him, thats it I am not playing anymore, I am staying with New Zealand!"
NSW Selector: "Come back Benji, we can say you played all your junior footy with Balmain, stay please!"
*Door slams*
NSW Selector: "Damn it, OK lets pick a good winger first, we pick Jarryd Hayne."
Manu Vatuvei: "Him? Your kidding arent you, Im out of here. Benji, wait up..."
QLD Selector: "Hey Manu, you wore Maroon undies when you were a kid, we can claim you as a Queenslander."
*Door slams*
QLD Selector: "OK, lets go for a good hooker, Cameron Smith."
Issac Luke: "Wait up bro, Im coming as well..."
NSW Selector: "Souths junior
Ah, forget it."
*Door slams*
NSW Selector: "OK, we need a good quality forward, future leader, we want Gallen."
Sonny Bill Williams: "What? Stuff you NRL, I am going to Union!"
QLD Selector: "We want the best fullback in the game, give us Billy Slater."
Jarryd Hayne: "Wait up Benji and Manu I am coming with you, stuff this, I always hated Origin!"
NSW Selector: "Jarryd, we already picked you mate."
Jarryd Hayne: "Oh, thats right, but Queensland are saying that Billy is a better fullback than me!"
NSW Selector: "Dont worry mate, as long as I am selector, you will be our fullback."
Oh, so that is how certain selectors get sacked. Anyway...
QLD Selector: "We want Heighington. Wait... sorry, change that to Nate Myles."
Chris Heighington: "Thanks guys."
Nate Myles: "Hang on a second, didnt you end up picking me?"
QLD Selector: "Yeah, we want Nate."
QLD Selector: "Next time Chris."
Unfortunately, there was no next time for Chris. NSW got confused with the rule and thought if you pick them and then change your mind it counts as a player being selected. Apparently that's happened to Nathan Blacklock a few years ago as well.
NSW Selector: "We want Scott Prince, Scotty were are you? Damn it! We'll pick someone else... Cooper Cronk? Cooper? Geez, where are these guys? Hey, mate do you know where Cooper is?"
The bloke at the door: "no idea mate."
Poor Scott was taking a dump in the toilet and missed his chance. Coincidence as Cooper Cronk also was in the toilet. Must be food poisoning.
QLD Selector: "Come on guys, for crying out loud, how long do you want? Just pick someone. Scotty played one game for us 10 years ago, so you cant pick him anyway."
NSW Selector: "Alright, alright, we will get Peter Wallace."
Peter Wallace: "Sorry guys I have raptured my testicle again."
NSW Selector: "How about Terry Campese?"
Dave Furner: "I wish I could have him in my squad too but he is out injured again, pick someone else."
NSW Selector: "Geez, if only we could get someone reliable like Junior Pearce, hang on Mitchell can you ask your old man if he can play No.7 for us? If not, you can fill in."
And the rest is history guys.
Definitely not how the teams were selected for Origin but you never know. People are probably still wondering why is it called the State of Origin. Does the League even know? By the looks of things they'll even let a New Zealander play.
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