Tonight State of Origin travels south to Melbourne. It should be the last time it does so.
Sure, it’ll be a great chance for the several dozen Melbourne Storm fans to get together, along with several thousand ambivalent corporates who will be chatting over Crownies about whether Terry Wallace jumped or was pushed as Richmond coach.
As a spectacle though it’s an insult to real league fans in Sydney and Brisbane - which offers nothing to Melburnians who simply don’t get the game, and will no doubt be shouting “high!” and “ball!” at inappropriate junctures tonight.
Having grown up on a different but equally tribal diet of origin – watching the mighty SA take on the evil Victorians in Aussie Rules in the 70s and 80s – the idea of any of those once-brilliant fixtures being played in Sydney or Brisbane is absurd.
Just as absurd as tonight’s event, which makes about as much sense as Alice Springs bidding to hold the World Curling Finals - see the above video which features some elegant broom work from a quite foxy Canadian chick, who kicks China’s arse.
As for tonight’s fixture, let’s just say disengenuously that we’re hoping for a good, clean contest.
One final point for Victorians who are new to the game - those things at the end of the players’ arms are called “fists”. And there is no melee rule.
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