Phil Gould's latest article

[QUEENSLANDER]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...ion-that-explains-the-gulf-20100703-zuvk.html

Right now, they are making it look easy. And that's not fair on Queensland because winning is never easy. It's hard to win any Origin match, let alone a series. To win five series in a row - well, any player or coach who has ever been involved in Origin can only stand and applaud this accomplishment. Saying they are doing it easy shows no respect or understanding of the work and commitment it takes to be successful at this level.

Quite simply, Queensland have been brilliant. Remember too, when this golden period began, the Maroons themselves were staring down the barrel of four consecutive seasons without success. I didn't hear them conceding NSW's invincibility. They didn't get flogged. They didn't look to copy our methods as a solution to their situation. They admitted things were tough, but they got tough with it. To avert this embarrassment and then build a dynasty like the one we now witness takes time, energy, passion, hard work and expertise.

Good article. It doesnt get said enough how well QLD has done to win 5 in a row. All we hear is how good our team is, and how bad nsw is, but as gould says, thats not fair on QLD because winning 5 series of origin in a row is never easy. We didnt need to copy their plans to get where we are, we just fixed things our way and look where we are now.

 

[ningnangnong]

That is a bloody class article.

Phil Gould strikes me as just about the only New South Welshman who understands what Origin is about.

 

[jarro65]

Nicely worded article.

It must hurt like hell for Gus to say those things

 

[Coxy]

Ya still don't get it. It doesn't matter how good Queensland's team is, it's about how hard they work to prepare and focus on winning. NSW fail not because of their lack of talent - their team is capable of winning - it's their fear of losing, their fear of the QLD team, their lack of application and commitment to preparation - their lack of passion and desire.

There's lots of examples where the "better" team has lost the series. 1995 is the most glaringly obvious.

NSW just don't get it.

 

[OXY-351]

I agree with everything bar this comment

It's the knowledge that we are doing this and NSW players are probably on the bus

NSW players are probably in cabs rather than in buses though

 

[Professor47]

The sad thing about all this in the past 5 yrs is that NSW have worked on absolutely nothing...

IMHO I would have based a team around Mason, Hindy, O'Donnel and some of those players from 06... I understand its hard for NSW because if a player is out of form they wont get picked and all that... but still... It would have made sense to form some sort of nucleus and build a side around that...
QLD have been awesome and deserve full credit but without a doubt the NSW have helped that cause.

 

[schmix]

You keep saying you get it and then going on a big rant which just serves to prove otherwise.

It's not about who they pick, it's about the attitude. A team should NEVER be thinking that their opposition is "just too good".

Queensland's attitude is "never say die". NSW's attitude is "don't say die until it gets a bit hard and then go out for tea and cake" (frighteningly similar to my own personal motto, but then I'm not a professional sportsperson).

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

I'm Not saying that the players themselves should think that, I'm just saying that regardless of our attitude and who we picked this year, we would not have won. QLD have got a solid foundation which they've worked on for years and they have some of the best players in the world.

It's not JUST about attitude. If NSW had a great attitude this year towards origin, do you think they would have won? No, they wouldn't have because the QLD side is unbreakable in every department. They have the talent, they have the stability, they have the confidence, they have the attitude they have EVERYTHING that a succesfull rugby league team needs.

Out of those 4 things I mention, NSW only have 1 of them and that's the talent.

NSW need more than 3 weeks to work on all of this and thats the difference between the 2 sides. QLD have had 5 years to work on this, NSW change teams every game and give themselves 3 weeks. Attitude and confidence of individuals can and HAS been dictated by the coach and selectors over the past 5 years.

QLD is hardly unbreakable. Look at last year, all the games were close until a try in the dying stages. But if ppl from now continue to think that, they will continue to lose.

 

[Je$ter]

I'm Not saying that the players themselves should think that, I'm just saying that regardless of our attitude and who we picked this year, we would not have won. QLD have got a solid foundation which they've worked on for years and they have some of the best players in the world.

It's not JUST about attitude. If NSW had a great attitude this year towards origin, do you think they would have won? No, they wouldn't have because the QLD side is unbreakable in every department. They have the talent, they have the stability, they have the confidence, they have the attitude they have EVERYTHING that a succesfull rugby league team needs.

Out of those 4 things I mention, NSW only have 1 of them and that's the talent.

NSW need more than 3 weeks to work on all of this and thats the difference between the 2 sides. QLD have had 5 years to work on this, NSW change teams every game and give themselves 3 weeks. Attitude and confidence of individuals can and HAS been dictated by the coach and selectors over the past 5 years.

QLD is hardly unbreakable. Look at last year, all the games were close until a try in the dying stages. But if ppl from now continue to think that, they will continue to lose.

Nobody in any sport is unbreakable. That way of thinking is why the Blues can't beat us, they think we are way too good!

 

[Emma]

Exactly - all it takes is a bounce of the ball one way instead of the other and we all know how that can change a game.

 

[lynx000]

It's the attitude that no matter what team we picked it would have been beaten because Qld is too good, is the reason that they are now losing so regularly.

 

[Huge]

I want Qld to win, no two ways about it but I have backed NSW to win this game tonight by 6 8 and 10, also with Qld at half time and NSW at full time. The reasons are the odds and winning 3 nil has not happened for 15 years. It looks, at least on paper, to be a fair bet.

NSW people understand whats happened, it's just most feel powerless to help or even come up with a team they think can consistently win. What will get them home is a policy which rewards players for having a Shane Webcke attitude,no retreat no surrender irrespective of the score. When the selectors start rewarding that then a solid core will be built. Chopping and changing every year with the latest and greatest will never do it.

 

[OXY-351]

I'm just saying that regardless of our attitude and who we picked this year, we would not have won. QLD have got a solid foundation which they've worked on for years and they have some of the best players in the world.

I disagree. While it's hard to deny QLD backline contains some of the best players in the world, you could argue that their forward pack, where games are usually won and lost, is hardly world class, at least based on reputation anyway, and espeically in game 1 of this years series.

I honestly think NSW could have beaten QLD in game 1 of this years series if NSW picked the right team and had the right attitude.

To say they were never going to win regardless is a cop out.

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

The main thing missing from NSW's team, isnt skill, its desire. All you have to do is look at Mitchell Pearce in Game 2 when tonga swooped on the loose ball to score. Pearce was literally 2m away from Hayne when the ball was batted back, and he just stood there watching the ball, standing perfectly still, waiting for the whistle to blow. In origin, every loose ball is a chance, and NSW just dont feel the desperation and desire to put 100% into every aspect of the game, starting with a loose ball on their own try line.

That is the main reason they will lose again tonight imo. Lack of desire, desperation - call it what you will, they lack it.

 

[jarro65]

The main thing missing from NSW's team, isnt skill, its desire. All you have to do is look at Mitchell Pearce in Game 2 when tonga swooped on the loose ball to score. Pearce was literally 2m away from Hayne when the ball was batted back, and he just stood there watching the ball, standing perfectly still, waiting for the whistle to blow. In origin, every loose ball is a chance, and NSW just dont feel the desperation and desire to put 100% into every aspect of the game, starting with a loose ball on their own try line.

That is the main reason they will lose again tonight imo. Lack of desire, desperation - call it what you will, they lack it.

And that to me sums up the difference between the teams.

NSW pick a team of great players (usually) wheras before we've picked guys that weren't as talented, but had more desire (johnson, myles etc)

We pick Origin players.

 

[Bannermania]

Yes. but when we did that in the past everybody thought it was a woeful idea. John Doyle and fatty Buttigeig weren't top-notch stars, but everyone was convinced they were great Origin players.

DANNY NUTLEY FFS.

To say that we pick Origin players is a bit of a cop-out to all the other BAD choices we made who were supposedly 'origin' players as well.

 

[Coxy]

Yes. but when we did that in the past everybody thought it was a woeful idea. John Doyle and fatty Buttigeig weren't top-notch stars, but everyone was convinced they were great Origin players.

DANNY NUTLEY FFS.

To say that we pick Origin players is a bit of a cop-out to all the other BAD choices we made who were supposedly 'origin' players as well.

Mick Crocker too. How he played so many Origins is beyond me.

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

Yes. but when we did that in the past everybody thought it was a woeful idea. John Doyle and fatty Buttigeig weren't top-notch stars, but everyone was convinced they were great Origin players.

DANNY NUTLEY FFS.

To say that we pick Origin players is a bit of a cop-out to all the other BAD choices we made who were supposedly 'origin' players as well.

I may be missing the point here, but are u saying doyle, buttigeig and nutley went bad in origin?