If you are of a certain age, you might remember “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”. There is a scene where the Knights must cross the “Bridge of Death”. To do so, they must successfully answer three questions. One wrong answer and you are jettisoned into the “Gorge of Eternal peril”. Sir Lancelot cruises through “What is your name? What is your quest? What is your favourite colour?”. Sir Robin of Camelot did not know the capital of Assyria and was launched into the Gorge. Sir Galahad met the same fate after stumbling on the “What is your favourite colour?” question. Arthur, King of the Britons, was asked, “What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?” He asks for clarification of whether it is an African or European swallow. When asked, “How do know so much about swallows?’, he replies, “You have to know these things when you are a King”.
At present, Billy Slater is the king and has all the answers. Laurie knows his name, his quest and that his favourite colour is blue, but not much else, or so it seems to everyone. The series is one all, there is still hope, but he must answer these three questions, and none of them are easy. Mind you, win, lose or draw, Laurie is destined for the “Gorge of Eternal Peril”. He may even throw himself in there, even if he wins.
Firstly, what is your team, all nineteen of them?
Secondly, what is the plan for your interchange bench?
Finally, what is your game plan?
The world-greatest Rugby League brain, according to those south of the border, is former coach, Phil “Gus” Gould. If not Gus, then the Johns brothers. Gould has urged Daley to make up his own mind and not listen to the pundit’s giving advice. Gus would exclude himself from that piece of advice. I watched about 2% of 100% Footy last night and that was 2% too much of Gus and Gal. Here is the puzzle that he must solve for Question 1.
Fullback: Teddy or Edwards, with a late push coming for “Turbo”.
Wingers: To’o, Koula, Marky Mark, McLean.
Centres: “Turbo,” Staggs (yes please), Critter, Bradman, Koula again, McLean, Burton. Latrell has been removed from the equation.
Five Eighth: Moses or Strange, Luai has said he is keen.
Lock: Yeo, Murray, Radley.
Second row: Young, Lucas, Murray, Haumole, Martin.
Hooker: Robson, Brailey, Api.
Front row: Haas, Addin, Barnett, Saifiti.
Throw in the fact that some players are not match fit, who plays on the left or the right, who has already established combinations with, and it is an unenviable task. The only gauge of success is the final scoreline in Origin 3. A loss and he will be deemed to have got it wrong.
As for the bench, yes, things happen with injury, HIAs and sin bins, but you must have a coherent plan A. They do not seem to have had that in the first two games. Anyway, that is not our problem.
Last year, I decided I would retire from attending Origin games at Suncorp. The walk from Roma St seems to be getting longer, the hills are getting steeper, the beer is getting dearer and flatter, the lines are getting longer, and my woeful bladder is at a point where I fear it may betray me at any moment. The crowd has less genuine footy fans these days, and a lot more people that are just there for the occasion, and you can forget about getting a beer after the game, especially at the “Caxton”. There will be a lengthy line waiting to get in. That said, I will be as keen as ever to watch the match, even if it is from my lounge room.
I attended my first interstate game in 1973, as a ten-year-old. The NSW team had names like Langlands, Fulton and Beetson, all future Immortals, and a young 18-year-old on debut, Steve Rogers. NSW won the game ten nil. The game was played in appalling conditions, it rained “cats and dogs” but for a QLD fan, a 10-nil defeat felt like a win in those days. From the southern outer, you could not see the people sitting in the Frank Burke stand. All you could see was the red glow of cigarettes as people puffed away. At least they were under cover over there.
I went again in 1974. The weather was equally as bad as the year before. This time QLD drew four all with the Blues. No tries, two penalty goals to “Bunny” Pearce for QLD and two to Mick Cronin for NSW. QLD was entering a period of competitiveness in the mid-seventies as Barry Muir stirred up the ill feeling and the term “Cockroaches” was born. QLD drew two and lost one that season and remained competitive for most of the decade before Origin began in 1980.
I have not been watching too much of the world cup soccer, but from what I have seen, it has been entertaining. I do not think FIFA would have been in touch with PVL, but they have taken measures to speed up the game and eliminate some of the histrionics that ruin the game for the neutral watcher. Well done to them for having a crack at cleaning up the game. It will be interesting to see if it continues when the crunch games arrive and the usual suspects are looking for an edge. Nice to see a young Aussie lad named Patrick Beach playing a starring role in the win last week. It is about as Australian as you could get, that name, I reckon.
Over to you Laurie, you have homework to do. The Gorge is waiting for you and your merry men. Talk to you all next week.
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