First Origin match to-night: Queensland to win: Jack Gallaway's history: it's a case of "I am woman hear me roar"

State of Origin (SOO) begins to-night. At Origin time, especially, I think of my Uncle Jack who lives in Brisbane.  He and his brother, Roly (dcd), were A-Grade footballers long, long ago in Brisbane.  Jack is my late mother's younger brother and the only one of his generation still alive.  So, Networkers, on my maternal side I have a bit of Rugby League heritage - the love of which was sufficient to fire my uncle into writing not only the history of the Broncos but of Origin as well.

For all of those Mexicans who have moved north of the border into Queensland, Origin is a must read.  Only by reading Jack's account will you get to understand the basis for the hatred of NSW Rugby League and the religiosity which undergirds Queensland's attitude to State of Origin.  Although he might not tell you - but your Miss Eagle will - that Queensland women are the best and loudest and most ferocious barrackers at Origin time.  Go, Queensland women!!!  Only when you get to know all this will you come close to understanding Billy Moore's chant of Queenslander! Queenslander! 

I now live in Ballarat, Victoria.  Victoria has only one NRL Rugby League team, The Storm. And in The Storm there is a substantial amount of Queensland DNA and its playing Origin.

There is a lot of hype and argie-bargie at Origin.  From the Queensland side, there is this about Johnathan Thurston (he of the golden boot!) from the Cowboys who is our champeen goal-kicker.  The story could be something or nothing.  It could be there to instill false hope into the NSW team.  It could be there to make Queensland look as if it is overcoming some great odds to win.  It could be just to give we, the fans, something to talk about to-day.  I don't think we can afford to be without Johnathan Thurston. I know we have The Storm's wonderful Cam Smith (my cap'n, my cap'n) to kick but....

Anyway, Queensland to win to-night and it's "I am woman, hear me roar" as I barrack for them.

A media-polling-betting fast on Ash Wednesday? It could ease the tension in all our lives

''We all know why it was on at that time,'' wrote the London Telegraph's rugby correspondent, Mick Cleary. ''TV, the ogre of the age, the monster that must be obeyed at every turn. As long as there are bums on TV seats, anything is possible or permissible.''

From  Here's to Mug Punters by Greg Baum

How could one disagree with Mick Cleary. He is spot on.  Miss Eagle is a dedicated Rugby League gal and Storm supporter.  Ask Storm supporters what they think of News Limited involvement in their club.  Ask Rugby League supporters how they rank involvement of News Limited in League.  I reckon they'd just say "Rank".  Fortunately, the establishment of the new Australian Rugby League Commission (don't they have a website coz I can't find it?!) appears to have seen off News Limited but the Murdoch corporation is still embedded at Storm. Media and everything connected to it now controls sport whether it be cricket or football.   And, as Greg Baum says - the monster must be obeyed at every turn.

It's not only sport, though, is it Networkers?  Seems to me that the The Media have now taken over politics but does it include as well the political influence that the corporations buy, bribe, co-opt?  It seems to me that The Media are now the true political dictators on the Australia scene.  Hence...

Picture from here

Does Shaun Carney want to give us date and time for the play-off?

Certainly the betting agencies are making up their own minds...

And aiding abetting The Media and The Bettors are The Pollsters.

It seems that we no longer seek the best person for national leadership.

We turn the process into a headcount of limited numbers.

It seems poll after poll is being done and The Media publishes the results.

Then there are the polls we don't hear of.

These are the ones done for the corporate players to advise 

who will be whom in the forthcoming playoffs which

in turn influences their conversations and donations.

And where is The Australian Voter in all this?

Nowhere.

Buried in a mire of manipulation.

~~~

Lent is almost upon us.

This is the period of 40 days & 40 nights leading up 

to the greatest feast day in the Christian calendar - Easter.

It is a time of fasting not feasting -

of reflection and going without.

How wonderful it might be if we could shut up

The Media

The Bettors

The Pollsters

for forty days and forty nights

so that we might reflect on what is good for this nation.

Forty days and forty nights is almost certainly asking too much.

However, would it be too much too ask that

on Ash Wednesday, next Wednesday 22 February 2012

The Media

The Bettors

The Pollsters 

keep their traps shut

and that

The Voters

Their Elected Representatives and Senators

actually reflect on what will be most important

for the welfare of Australia and its people.

A political fast!

Aaaaaahh!

Feel the tension ease....

GREG INGLIS CEMENTS THE DNA LINK BETWEEN THE MELBOURNE STORM AND THE BRISBANE BRONCOS

Jonathon Thurston (left); Greg Inglis (centre); Darren Lockyer (right)

It is official the brilliant Greg Inglis is leaving the Melbourne Storm and going to the Brisbane Broncos. This is sadness for The Storm but no one can say that Inglis has not served Storm well with his football brilliance.  If he can't be with The Storm, it is good to know that he is going to the Broncs.

The Miss Eagle household and extended family are all Broncs supporters.  However, there is a significant amount of Broncs DNA in The Storm so it has been easy to become a strong Storm supporter since coming to Melbourne six years ago.  It is good to see the strong relationship between the two great teams continues with Greg going to Brisbane.

Go with God, Greg.

  All the best.  

And keep going over that line.

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• Inglis to join Broncos next season (news.theage.com.au)

Australian Religious Rituals #1

Some time to-day, Miss Eagle will head for the bottle shop. 

 It's that time again.

Johnathon Thurston, Greg Inglis, Darren Lockyer

Now, Miss Eagle would never make billions for a brewery - not even for a vineyard - but there are a few times a year when she gets out the Bundy:: Christmases, Birthdays, Grand Finals (but only if The Storm, Broncos or Cowboys are involved) and the religious event for all Queenslanders, State of Origin;

Now both Queensland and New South Wales take Origin seriously - but for Queenslanders it takes on religious fervour; hatred of the Cockroaches (NSW); revenge; and great love for our talented boys and boots.  My Uncle Jack Gallaway explains it all here:

Origin

And if you need to know why Queenslanders hate New South Wales (I include this especially for all those Mexicans who have moved north of the border and don't understand), please see Uncle Jack's book below.  He takes 50 pages or more to explain it all.

Brisbane Broncos: The Team to Beat

To-night, just in case you didn't know, dear Networker, 

there is much at stake.  

Origin is a best of three series.  To-night is Game 2.  Queensland has Game 1 under its belt.  This was played in Sydney - which is always difficult for Queensland but this time Maroon supporters were there in their droves - and their wigs.

To-night is home turf and Queensland is planning to win.  

It is said that the main reason is to honour Dazz.  He is playing coy and cute but this could be Darren Lockyer's last Origin series and, if that is the case, this will be his last Origin in Brisbane. Queensland will want to send Darren out on the biggest high of his representative career.   Winning to-night will mean that the last game in Sydney is merely an exhibition match with nothing at stake.

Over at The Oz, they are pointing at higher glory. Darren Lockyer and Johnathan Thurston to equal Wally Lewis and Alfie Langer.   When this occurs, we will doff our wigs and bow low.  Mmmm....will we?  Currently, we only do that for Wal.

Which brings me to the interesting facts of the Water Boys in Game 1 - for the Blues there was Andrew Johns and for the Maroons, Alfie.

Ton-night, Andrew Johns will be absent - markedly and significantly absent and rightly so.  Joey had his moments sometime ago and eventually, after a period of time, in the way of things forgiveness unspokenly appeared and Joey was back and we welcomed him.  Now, Joey has blotted his copy book in a way which will permanently stain his career and his person.  Due to the fact that he was 'called' by Timana Tahu, Joey's racism was outed good and proper.

Congratulations Timana.  May Australians at large take up your example and say and demonstrate -

UP WITH THIS WE SHALL NOT PUT. 

Michael Long set the example in AFL years ago and the AFL, while still not as pure as the driven snow on race issues, has moved forward in leaps and bounds.  Meanwhile, back over at the NRL, dinosaur material and the boys club reigns supreme.  

The most lucid outline I have seen or heard on this nasty NRL episode is from Rebeccas Wilson on Offsiders last Sunday.  See and hear right here.  Disgusting cover ups!  Joey became the victim!  It goes on an on.  We already have the salary cap debacle which pierces the hearts of Storm supporters.

Seems to Miss Eagle there is rotteness embedded in the NRL - 

and it needs a thorough clean up 

and it might be a good idea

 if News Limited bows out of the process 

both at NRL level and at Storm level. 

And guess where Joey's racist remarks were centred:  on The Storm's beloved Greg Inglis and how the Blues could contain him in to-night's origin match.

Well, fellas, there's only one thing to do with the Blues and that is - show 'em.

And, to the NRL, remember that you would be nowhere without us who watch: the kids, the teens, the mums, dads, grandparents.  We are part of a wide Australian community that is moving on from racism and just accepting wonderful talent and try-hard-and-succeed people for what they are, without bigotry or prejudice.  Why don't you try to do likewise instead of doing our best to pollute that which we value.

And, Networkers,

if you want to really know about Origin

if you want to take it seriously

you must, as Darren leads the Maroons on to-night,

join the ritual and chant

QUEENSLANDER, 

QUEENSLANDER, 

QUEENSLANDER.

(Attribution to Billy Mohr)


And for those who don't know and always get it wrong:
The short term for Rugby League is League - never Rugby.
The short term for Rugby Union is either Rugby or Union.
Never refer to 
Rugby League as Rugby 
- because it isn't!


Related reading:

Rugby League (Know the Game)

What's the difference between

Rugby League and Rugby Union?

.