State of Origin 2
MCG, Wednesday 26/6/24
ALMANAC ON TOUR
My trip to Melbourne had much to do with South Sydney’s poor 2024 season.
I was going to travel to Sydney for Indigenous Round. Thought better of it, even though Souths did win v the Moses-less Parramatta that weekend.
Prop in the Canefield had Origin tickets. “No pressure,” was John Harms’ message! A cheap Jetstar flight to Melbourne sealed the deal.
My wife and daughters had their MCG experience in February. Taylor Swift. A singalong of 90,000 people was Mrs Hansen’s description of the ‘Swifty’ MCG experience.
I needed little convincing that a side trip from Adelaide to Melbourne was a great way to conclude a semester of relief teaching. I loosely referred to the two days as ‘professional development’.
Prop in the Canefield and his good friend Peter were delayed from the Gold Coast, so JTH and I boosted the Victorian economy at the magnificent Cricketers Bar at the Windsor Hotel opposite Parliament House.
We met a friendly local, Geoff, who had finished his regular Wednesday Pinot and duck lunch. Geoff thought JTH was familiar from the high rating series ‘Border Security’.
Prop in the Canefield and Peter landed in the sporting capital of Australia and joined us for an outstanding Greek feast at ‘Stalactites’.
The result last Wednesday night was certainly a surprise. 34-0 at half time was quite a surprise. From a Queensland point of view, the less said about the game, the better! The Maroons were outplayed.
I felt the need to message a Tamworth-born, former colleague at half-time to congratulate him on the win, to point out the inclusion of Cameron Murray and Latrell had clearly made the difference from Game 1, and to be ‘prepared for Game 3’ in Brisbane!
The less said about the game itself, the better. We arrived as the pre-match entertainment (Temper Trap) was finishing up.
A glut of possession in the first half, thanks to the ever dubious ‘six again’ calls, in addition to a couple of key Queensland errors, added up to a record half-time score to the 2014 Souths premiership coach Michael Maguire’s NSW Blues.
Queensland did add some respectability in the scoreboard in the second half. Queensland, with more possession in the second half, did score three second half tries.
I commented on the Warren Ryan theory of referees supposedly NOT checking the penalty count at half-time. ‘The Wok’ used to say on ABC radio that reports of not checking the numbers by the referees were … inaccurate!
The consensus seemed to be: 1) referee Ashley ‘Calvin’ Klein did not have his finest hour on the MCG, and 2) the ground announcer need not have tried to lead the crowd chanting throughout the match.
The damage had been done in the first 40 minutes, well played NSW.
There was not a lot to dissect post-match, however a cleansing ale or two was still necessary before stumps.
I had joked with many folks that I was going to Melbourne for two days of professional development and school visits, however what turned out to be a wonderful couple of hours in the Melbourne Cricket Club library could have been classed as exactly that: PD!
To say JTH is a little excited about his impending MCC membership would be an understatement, and a visit to the comprehensive MCC library was an absolute highlight.
Long-serving MCC library staff David Studham and Trevor Ruddell were fantastic hosts. Among the vast collection of cricket, football, Olympics and other sports books, we saw bound copies of Almanac publications.
Trevor was very happy to send us on our way with our 150th anniversary MCC book bags, including copies of ‘The Yorker’ journal as well as lapel pin.
A hearty lunch in the busy Paddock café rounded off a fantastic morning.
A great two days in Melbourne for Game 2, with the Almanac well represented.
Great to meet Prop in the Canefield, and his travelling companion Peter, and for JTH to lead us around the members’ area of the MCG.
Onwards and upwards to Game 3 in Brisbane!
QLD team: Walsh, Coates, Holmes, Tabuai-Fidow, Taulagi, Dearden, Cherry-Evans (capt.) Cotter, Hunt, Collins, Su’A, Nanai, Carrigan. bench: Grant, Fotuaika, Kaufusi, Capewell.
NSW team: Edwards, To’o, Mitchell, S Crichton, Lomax, Luai, Moses, Tjbojevic (capt.), Robson, Haas, Martin, A Crichton, Murray. bench: Watson, Yeo, Olakau’atu, Leniu.
NSW: Tries (7) – Martin 10’, To’o 17’, Lomax 23’, Mitchell 32’, Lomax 38’ Edwards 61’. Goals: Lomax 5/7
QLD: Tries (3) – Nanai 53’, Tabuai-Fidow 58’, Taulagi 67’. Goals: Holmes 3/3.
Sin bin: Martin, Carrigan 50’. Half time: NSW 34-0. Referee: A Klein
Crowd: 90, 084.
Highlights
2024 State of Origin Highlights: NSW v QLD – Game II | NRL on Nine (youtube.com)
QLD press conference
State of Origin 2024 | QLD Maroons Press Conference | Game 2 (youtube.com)
NSW press conference
State of Origin 2024 | NSW Blues Press Conference | Game 2 (youtube.com)
Game 3: Lang Park (that’s in Queensland!) Wednesday, 17 July.
Denis Carnahan – Rugby League, the musical:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8wVdqHgvoM
BAROSSA RED WINE OF THE WEEK:
Krondorf 2022 Barossa Shiraz Cabernet
SUPPLEMENTARY WINE MENTION:
Enjoyed at Stalactites restaurant, pre-game: Seppelt 2022 ‘The Drives’ Heathcote Shiraz
Russel Hansen, South Sydney football club diamond member 6199, lives in Nuriootpa, Barossa Valley, South Australia. His golden retriever, Murray, is named after the South Sydney captain. Twitter/X: @Rabbit in the Vineyard @Russel_Hansen
About Russel Hansen
Russel Hansen Has worked in schools for over thirty years – as a teacher, coach, coach educator, sports coordinator and in pastoral care roles. Whilst at Brisbane Boys’ College as Director of Athletics, he led teams to six GPS premierships in track and field, and cross country. He has coached (athletics) at all levels from school to international. His squad at the University of Queensland (to January 2023) included Lachlan Kennedy OLY, Paris 4x100m relay runner, Australian record holder. He is married to Heidi, a Primary school principal, and is father to two adult daughters. Twitter: @Russel_Hansen
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As a former teacher, all I can say is ‘they didn’t used to do PD like that in my day!’ You lucky buggers! It sounds like the Almanac on Tour (rugby league) could become a calendar event. Just like the Rabbit in the Vineyard Barossa Red Dozen of the Season. (I assume you’re still working on that.)
Ian: the Barossa red dozen of the season will be a TOUGH selection (tougher than Ben Hornby playing Latrell in his Origin position for Souths) – however I am up for the challenge!
I have said to JTH – the red wine of the week may have to expand to one of Phil Gould’s 5-year plans – as there are just so many wineries-cellar doors-other to work through here in God’s (Martin Luther’s) country …
Top night barring the result but that’s footy! Also good to be with the famous Melbourne via Oakey and now Tanundra B grade celebrity JTH! Btw QSSRL 15 s beat Catholics today and play NSWCHS in final tomorrow- 1 back I hope
Thanks Rabbit. We’re living in a new world. The Latrell World. He’s back. Best evidence, apart from SOO2, is the burst to get his foot to a loose ball in the zone and the one-on-one tackle last night. But other evidence includes his taking the ball to the line. He’s a great talent as we all know. Elite. Hope you took the $500 for the Rabbitohs to win the flag.
As for Origin. Great touring with Prop, Uncle Gilbo and your good self. The sizzle was excellent, but we didn’t even get offered the sausage.
I like how Prop summed it up by not writing about the game in any detail..
And I think the IJH suggestion of travelling for further ‘neautral’ Origins is a good one.
Preferrably via Injune or, if it’s more workable, a Friday afternoon Gatton meeting. Or Kilcoy. It is, after all, the Moonee Valley of the north.
Thanks RITV
I was there on the night, looking after the very polite but hard drinking folk in Q57.
It was my first experience of the code, let alone SOO. I wasn’t won over, but each to their own as there were 90000+ punters that were.
Heartily endorse the comments about the ground announcer – I wasn’t sure if this was a regular feature at SOO but the feeble attempts to generate faux passion from the fans of both sides was inane and not worthy of the event. John Deeks (if it was you), hang your head in shame.