NRL State of Origin 2013 (Come learn about Rugby League in AUS yay)

[nick_9_8]

[B]State of Origin (An important event in Australian Rugby League)[/B]
[IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b5/State_of_Origin_Logo.png/150px-State_of_Origin_Logo.png[/IMG]

[QUOTE]State of Origin is the annual best-of-three series of rugby league football matches between the Blues and the Maroons, who represent the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland, respectively. Touted as Australian sport's greatest rivalry, the State of Origin series is one of the country's and the region's premier sporting events, attracting a huge television audience and usually selling out the stadiums in which the games are played. Despite the existence of international tournaments and State of Origin being a domestic competition, it is frequently cited as being the highest-level of rugby league played anywhere in the world.

Players are selected to represent the Australian state in which they played their first senior rugby league, hence the name 'state of origin'. Prior to 1980 players were only selected for interstate matches on the basis of where they were playing their club football at the time. In both 1980 and 1981 there were two interstate matches under the old selection rules and one experimental "State of Origin" match. From 1982 onwards a best-of-three match series has been played around the middle of the rugby league season for the State of Origin shield. Since the inception of the series, total victories for each side were formerly extraordinarily even; however, since 2006, Queensland has dominated the competition, winning all seven of the following series.[/QUOTE]

That's a decent sum up. SOO is one of the biggest sporting events in Australia. If you don't know anything about rugby league, I've attached a good series of articles which should teach you the basic rules. I've also attached last years highlights: Upon watching them, you'll notice plenty of punches and fights: State of Origin contains massive rivalry and every single game is pretty intense - one wrong glance and a fight usually starts).

I personally go for New South Wales (family are from there), but if you want to follow a team I suggest hoping the Queensland bandwagon - they dominate. The first game in the series of 3 is on June the 5th. It will be on Channel 9 for Australians, and some other countries (USA, GB) often host it on paid TV. I'll post the highlights of the 2013 games as they are released. Thanks and have fun.

[URL="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/rules_and_equipment/4216664.stm"]Basics of Rugby League[/URL]
[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Origin_series"]State of Origin Info[/URL]

[U][B]2013 State of Origin Series Results:[/B][/U]
[B]QLD(2) beat NSW(1)[/B]

[B]Game 1 2013 Highlights:
NSW 14 - QLD - 6[/B]
[video=youtube;FCRwUvOO6n8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCRwUvOO6n8[/video]

[B]Game 2 2013 Highlights:
QLD 26 - NSW - 6[/B]
[video=youtube;2CPbqHsJOcs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CPbqHsJOcs[/video]

[B]Game 3 2013 Highlights:
NSW 10 - QLD 12
[I]Highlights not released as of yet[/I][/B]

Personally, that was shit. But Queensland did play extremely well, and overall we witnessed an amazing series. That's all folks, see you next year!

[B]Queensland win their 8th consecutive State of Origin series.[/B]

[DwarfOverlord]

Rugby is stupid. I don't understand why people like to charge at each other with no sense of tactics except 'go through defence by running at them'.
I don't mind gridiron though, cause at least that is based off making runs and non-linear movement.

[johnsten]

love watching big greasy sweaty men wrestle each other for a big ball in a field

[mokkan]

[QUOTE=DwarfOverlord;40837366]Rugby is stupid. I don't understand why people like to charge at each other with no sense of tactics except 'go through defence by running at them'.
I don't mind gridiron though, cause at least that is based off making runs and non-linear movement.[/QUOTE]

if you watch the game they actually make plays to get past the opposing line

[Lonestriper]

I look forward to the blues losing for the 8th time in a row

[editline]30th May 2013[/editline]

oh god why can't they fucking win!?

[DwarfOverlord]

[QUOTE=mokkan;40837398]if you watch the game they actually make plays to get past the opposing line[/QUOTE]

I watched it almost religiously when I was like 11, and then just sort of stopped. A year or so ago I went to watch it again wondering why I liked it at all. Their plays involve little drop kicks over the defence or a pass off to the side. The defence is just a straight line.

[nick_9_8]

[QUOTE=DwarfOverlord;40837366]Rugby is stupid. I don't understand why people like to charge at each other with no sense of tactics except 'go through defence by running at them'.
I don't mind gridiron though, cause at least that is based off making runs and non-linear movement.[/QUOTE]

This is a really stereotypical view. A rule of thumb is that if you can't see any clever tactics while watching, you need to watch more: if you have a glance at any sport, or even start watching it with a bias attitude, you're going to think it's shit, no matter what sport it is.

[ThisIsTheOne]

[QUOTE=Lonestriper;40837440]I look forward to the blues losing for the 8th time in a row

[editline]30th May 2013[/editline]

oh god why can't they fucking win!?[/QUOTE]

Because we're shit.

[editline]30th May 2013[/editline]

[IMG]http://i.minus.com/ii7L0MTlX6Q58.gif[/IMG]

Phil Gould you fat fuck

[kebab52]

[QUOTE=DwarfOverlord;40837366]Rugby is stupid. I don't understand why people like to charge at each other with no sense of tactics except 'go through defence by running at them'.
I don't mind gridiron though, cause at least that is based off making runs and non-linear movement.[/QUOTE]

lol have you ever actually played rugby? There's a lot more to rugby than just running through contact. It's about being able to take the contact and roll off it and the forwards working together with the backs. Gridiron is shit compared to Rugby.

[Gravity Ponds]

I fuckin hate Phil Gould
Have for years.. Says the stupidest shit

[Griml3xx]

Queenslander!

[nick_9_8]

[B]Ok, just to see who's going for who:[/B]

[U]Rate [IMG]http://www.facepunch.com/fp/ratings/heart.png[/IMG] if you're supporting [B]Queensland[/B][/U]

[U]Rate [IMG]http://www.facepunch.com/fp/ratings/information.png[/IMG] if you're supporting [B]New South Wales[/B][/U]

[fruxodaily]

Origin fights are the best fights

bring back the beef

[kebab52]

I only really watch union to be honest.

Facepunch needs a Rugby Union thread, I'm just too lazy to make it.

[nick_9_8]

[QUOTE=kebab52;40851159]I only really watch union to be honest.

Facepunch needs a Rugby Union thread, I'm just too lazy to make it.[/QUOTE]

Make it. I play lock ;)

[kebab52]

[QUOTE=nick_9_8;40851713]Make it. I play lock ;)[/QUOTE]

Ma nigga. Lock here too (although I usually call it second row, maybe it's a British thing).

Ehhh, I'm not really very good at making threads.

[Download]

Lol, AFL is better

[RayvenQ]

[QUOTE=DwarfOverlord;40837366]Rugby is stupid. I don't understand why people like to charge at each other with no sense of tactics except 'go through defence by running at them'.
I don't mind gridiron though, cause at least that is based off making runs and non-linear movement.[/QUOTE]

At least they dont need to wear 30lbs of armor just to play.

[killerteacup]

[QUOTE=download;40861424]Lol, AFL is better[/QUOTE]
are you a hick from victoria by any chance

[Download]

[QUOTE=killerteacup;40864736]are you a hick from victoria by any chance[/QUOTE]

Are you a bogan from Queensland or NSW?

An no, I am not

[Gravity Ponds]

From Adelaide hey, same.

I dont follow AFL at all but last time I checked both our states teams were absolute shit lol
Maybe its changed idk

[Download]

[QUOTE=Gravity Ponds;40865519]From Adelaide hey, same.

I dont follow AFL at all but last time I checked both our states teams were absolute shit lol
Maybe its changed idk[/QUOTE]

Well the Crows did lose last night..

But, this season we've had 10 loses and 10 wins. I don't really follow that much but my dad does religiously.

[Gravity Ponds]

Yeah 2 of my brothers go to every home game... I went once.. Spent the first quarter counting the lights at AAMI and left before half time.

Suppose it'd be more interesting if I knew the rules but yeah.
I dont understand a lot of sports that I can watch.

[Cranial Toxicity]

[QUOTE=DwarfOverlord;40837366]Rugby is stupid. I don't understand why people like to charge at each other with no sense of tactics except 'go through defence by running at them'.
I don't mind gridiron though, cause at least that is based off making runs and non-linear movement.[/QUOTE]

Did it occur to you that it may be a stupid Idea to openly insult rugby on a forum with a vastly European population? That's like going into the deep south of the U.S and screaming "Fuck NFL Football!".

[Flyingman356]

it's not really that significant outside of New South Wales and Queensland, Footy is the dominant sport almost everywhere else

[Grimezy]

Maloney in the halves with Pearce is the key to winning this series and taking it back from QLD.

Not sure about Hayne being fullback though, he hasn't really stood out for me in all his years playing for the blues.

[nick_9_8]

With exactly 2 days until Game 1, I thought I may as well post the official teams list.

[QUOTE]
[B]Queensland[/B]

Billy Slater,
Darius Boyd,
Greg Inglis,
Justin Hodges,
Brent Tate,
Johnathan Thurston,
Cooper Cronk,
Matt Scott,
Cameron Smith [B](c)[/B],
David Shillington,
Nate Myles,
Sam Thaiday,
Ashley Harrison,
Corey Parker,
Matt Gillett,
Ben Te’o,
Chris McQueen,
Daly Cherry-Evans,
Josh Papalii[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE]
[B]New South Wales[/B]

Jarryd Hayne,
Brett Morris,
Michael Jennings,
Josh Morris,
Blake Ferguson,
James Maloney,
Mitchell Pearce,
Paul Gallen [B](c)[/B],
Robbie Farah,
James Tamou,
Ryan Hoffman,
Luke Lewis,
Greg Bird,
Anthony Watmough,
Andrew Fifita,
Trent Merrin,
Josh Reynolds.[/QUOTE]

[fruxodaily]

There is a house near me that loves State of Origin so much they decorate the outside of their fucking house with it, I'll see if they do it again this year and take some snaps they really need the attention

[nick_9_8]

[QUOTE=fruxodaily;40886024]There is a house near me that loves State of Origin so much they decorate the outside of their fucking house with it, I'll see if they do it again this year and take some snaps they really need the attention[/QUOTE]

If you see it Wednesday, take a pic for sure.

[fruxodaily]

6 nil what bullshit