State of the Union (origin) discussion

[Rebels3]

No way they allow WA, ACT, VIC players into these teams.

Concept is dead on arrival if they do.

100%, it needs to be genuine rivalry and not some watered down product, it should be about people from QLD wanting to beat the snot out of people from NSW and vise versa, not some wallaby trial. I’d much rather a WA v Vic pre-game. I’m also a believer that it should only be a one off each year to start with.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

100%, it needs to be genuine rivalry and not some watered down product, it should be about people from QLD wanting to beat the snot out of people from NSW and vise versa, not some wallaby trial. I’d much rather a WA v Vic pre-game. I’m also a believer that it should only be a one off each year to start with.

I am also not anti in the future a SOO of Rest or something is come up with in future years (next contract deal) but commercially makes absolute sense to only start with NSW vs QLD and let it see if can be successful first and give it breathing space to be successful without overcomplicating it

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I think the State of the Union shouldn't be limited to players currently in Australian clubs. It would be great if a bunch of exiles could be included. I'd love for there to be a means for Will Skelton, Liam Gill, Bernard Foley, etc, to return to Australia for a couple of games.

NFW

 

[rugboy]

Would love to see Harry Wilson in a NSW Jersey....

NSW
1 Scott Sio
2 Folau Fainga'a
3 Allan Ala'alatoa
4 Matt Philip
5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
6 Lachlan Swinton
7 Michael Hooper (pictured above, right)
8 Harry Wilson
9 Nic White
10 Will Harrison
11 Tom Wright
12 Bill Meakes
13 Reece Hodge
14 James Ramm
15 Jack Maddocks



QLD
1 James Slipper
2 Andrew Ready
3 Taniela Tupou
4 Darcy Swain
5 Rob Simmons
6 Isi Naisarani
7 Liam Wright
8 Will Harris
9 Tate McDermott
10 James O’Connor
11 Byron Ralston
12 Matt To’omua
13 Tevita Kuridrani
14 Jordan Petaia
15 Tom Banks

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...l/news-story/d4c43bb36dbacf727aa2f848d45a0de8

 

[stoff]

So what's the alternative, is it what we are doing now? Pretend that QLD and NSW haven't been playing each other for over 100 years to not make people sad who are just setting up club comps?

We need to celebrate the tradition of the game, not erase it.

Are you talking about the 1909 established Dewar Shield.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Are you talking about the 1909 established Dewar Shield.

Yes, that power house competition.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Would love to see Harry Wilson in a NSW Jersey..

NSW
1 Scott Sio
2 Folau Fainga'a
3 Allan Ala'alatoa
4 Matt Philip
5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
6 Lachlan Swinton
7 Michael Hooper (pictured above, right)
8 Harry Wilson
9 Nic White
10 Will Harrison
11 Tom Wright
12 Bill Meakes
13 Reece Hodge
14 James Ramm
15 Jack Maddocks



QLD
1 James Slipper
2 Andrew Ready
3 Taniela Tupou
4 Darcy Swain
5 Rob Simmons
6 Isi Naisarani
7 Liam Wright
8 Will Harris
9 Tate McDermott
10 James O’Connor
11 Byron Ralston
12 Matt To’omua
13 Tevita Kuridrani
14 Jordan Petaia
15 Tom Banks

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...l/news-story/d4c43bb36dbacf727aa2f848d45a0de8

Harry Wilson moved to QLD at 10? Think Will Harris went the other direction same age??

No way Harry is not a QLD lad now.

You guys can keep Will Harris, the chosen one.

 

[rugboy]

Harry Wilson moved to QLD at 10? Think Will Harris went the other direction same age??

No way Harry is not a QLD lad now.

You guys can keep Will Harris, the chosen one.

Interestingly the article suggests that eligibility has already been worked out and lists compiled hence the above teams. That would be a cracking affair if these are the teams.

The eligibility criteria has been worked through and Rugby Australia already has a list of players who qualify for either NSW or Queensland based on their state of birth or club affiliation.

Rugby Central has obtained the list and compiled the two teams if they were picked today.
Wilson, one of the form Australian Super Rugby players of 2020, is a Gunnedah product.
So while he has played all of his professional football in Queensland, Wilson would be one of NSW’s premier picks.

 

[sendit]

jeez i wouldnt be mad if that qld team doubled as our wallaby backline

Think the eligibility is BS tho looking at those teams

 

[VassMan]

Are either of those sides any better than the current Tahs and Reds. I just can't see the point of it. Unless we had a domestic comp with the NSW and QLD teams split up.

 

[sendit]

Are either of those sides any better than the current Tahs and Reds. I just can't see the point of it. Unless we had a domestic comp with the NSW and QLD teams split up.

I agree with your second point but surely you cant keep a straight face and say that those teams on paper aren't both better than the current reds and tahs. There's at max 2-3 people out of 30 there that aren't serious contenders for a wallabies spot

 

[VassMan]

I agree with your second point but surely you cant keep a straight face and say that those teams on paper aren't both better than the current reds and tahs. There's at max 2-3 people out of 30 there that aren't serious contenders for a wallabies spot

Yeah OK I was exaggerating a bit, but there's definitely a few without a shot at Wallabies just yet. I love watching the Reds vs Tahs cause of the rivalry and the festival of hate comments, even while it's not "SoU". Just feels like a lot of pointless shuffling around. In league it makes sense cause you're picking the top two teams of players out of 16 teams so it's a huge step up in quality.

 

[stoff]

Yes, that power house competition.

As a minority sport in a town that has 9 AFL teams and limited support from the national body until recently we punch pretty high. Hospitals Cup is as far as I can tell the direct competitor to Queensland cup league, been competing against two major football franchises for the last 20 plus years and yet still is the second ranked comp at the fourth tier of rugby in this country.

Don't be a patronising dick.

 

[rugboy]

jeez i wouldnt be mad if that qld team doubled as our wallaby backline

Think the eligibility is BS tho looking at those teams

Id take the NSW forwards for the Wallabies also maybe just the swap of Isi for Swinton.

 

[rugboy]

Yeah OK I was exaggerating a bit, but there's definitely a few without a shot at Wallabies just yet. I love watching the Reds vs Tahs cause of the rivalry and the festival of hate comments, even while it's not "SoU". Just feels like a lot of pointless shuffling around. In league it makes sense cause you're picking the top two teams of players out of 16 teams so it's a huge step up in quality.

As I noted earlier the casual sports fan has no interest in watching two franchises who have been relatively irrelevant over the past few years in Super Rugby play. These teams are clearly a step up from the two current squads, the plan is it would be on free to air, the strength of those squads would generally guarantee a good contest and draw viewers through its quality as well as jumping on the hatred generated by League's SOO for players and fans. More eyeballs, more money is a win which ever way you look at it. It might not resonate as much with the rusted on rugby fans but I get the feeling that isn't necessarily the intended market.

 

[stoff]

As I noted earlier the casual sports fan has no interest in watching two franchises who have been relatively irrelevant over the past few years in Super Rugby play. These teams are clearly a step up from the two current squads, the plan is it would be on free to air, the strength of those squads would generally guarantee a good contest and draw viewers through its quality as well as jumping on the hatred generated by League's SOO for players and fans. More eyeballs, more money is a win which ever way you look at it. It might not resonate as much with the rusted on rugby fans but I get the feeling that isn't necessarily the intended market.

When I was a kid, and before I fell in love with rugby in high school I remember seeing state of the union or whatever it was called back then on tv. Early 90s, ABC from memory. I was just flat out confused. Looked like origin, but they were doing weird jumpy things when they needed to restart from the sidelines. If I saw that in this day, I could then Google it and get even more confused between NSW SOU and Waratahs, and likewise for QLD.

The rusted ons are the only ones who won't be confused by SOU. Tahs and Reds would need to rebrand and change colours to avoid that. You will alienate or confuse more than you attract.

 

[VassMan]

As I noted earlier the casual sports fan has no interest in watching two franchises who have been relatively irrelevant over the past few years in Super Rugby play. These teams are clearly a step up from the two current squads, the plan is it would be on free to air, the strength of those squads would generally guarantee a good contest and draw viewers through its quality as well as jumping on the hatred generated by League's SOO for players and fans. More eyeballs, more money is a win which ever way you look at it. It might not resonate as much with the rusted on rugby fans but I get the feeling that isn't necessarily the intended market.

Yeah really good point, I didn't think of it like that. If it's in free to air and brings in more eyes that might continue on watching and getting more involved in the game then it'll be a success.

 

[The Honey Badger]

I think WA needs a team, either their own or an allegiance.

But the whole purpose of SOU would be defeated if we started recruiting people to QLD or NSW.

What happens if a superstar comes from SA? This will happen soon enough, where does he go?

they do,its called The Force

they just don't play in this competition. Bit like NSW didnt play in GRR

 

[Bobby Sands]

Are either of those sides any better than the current Tahs and Reds. I just can't see the point of it. Unless we had a domestic comp with the NSW and QLD teams split up.

They are significantly stronger than both and you are also not factoring in the “mana” of the occasion.

Kids in QLD are taught the “hate” of beating NSW as birthright, not dissimilar to North Ireland (but limited to sport and not anti-social political anarchy).

 

[Bobby Sands]

they do,its called The Force

they just don't play in this competition. Bit like NSW didnt play in GRR

Um.

Ok.

But Force aside, wouldn’t you be proud to see an all WA bred side play? A few club players stepping up to fill in the gaps.

Basically the same story as early QLD SOO sides, that is some guns but not the depth of the opposition.

But it never mattered.