Official Magazine of Queensland’s Former Origin Greats QUEENSLANDER MaGazine editiOn 23 autuMn 2014 TON OF HISTORY State of Origin celebrates 100 games Pictures courtesy: News Queensland Pictures courtesy: MANY THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS FOUNDING CHAIRMAN RSA Turner EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN Gene Miles DEPUTY CHAIRMEN Rod Morris John Ribot-De-Bresac DIRECTORS Wally Lewis, Gavin Allen, Chris Close, Mike McLean, Trevor Gillmeister, Mal Meninga, Greg Oliphant, Don Jackson, Shane Webcke, Andrew Gee CONTACT US FOGS LTD Locked Bag 3, Milton, Qld 4064 Ph: 07 3331 5062 Fax: (07) 3331 5051 Email: [email protected] Twitter: www.twitter.com/QLD_FOGS Facebook: Queenslander Magazine, the official www.facebook.com/FOGSQueensland magazine of the Former Origin Website: www.fogs.com.au Greats, is proudly printed by: SPONSORSHIP AND ADVERTISING: John Crane 0411 249 325 [email protected] T 07 3356 0788 E [email protected] A Unit 7 / 36 Windorah Street, Stafford, QLD, 4053 www.crystalmedia.com.au MANY THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS Picture: News Queensland Picture: COMING INTO State of Origin time those 100 games for the next generations It is a journey everyone in rugby league again, with the Maroons gunning for their to build upon. longs to see. ninth straight series wins, it is sometimes Certainly, there have been other These words are not meant to be a easy for us Queenslanders to feel like we instances already this year that should downer, or cast a pall over what will again are 10-foot tall and bulletproof. reinforce the idea of appreciating what be one of the highlights of the sporting It almost seems incredible that this you have, while you have it. year. amazing wave of success that Mal Inside this edition of Queenslander Just a reminder that when you’re Meninga’s Maroons have been riding Magazine, you will read about how one are busy climbing towards a goal, it is since 2006 is approaching a decade in of our own, Gary Larson, faced up to his sometimes important to stop, look around, duration. own mortality after he was diagnosed with and see how far you’ve come. In any sporting sphere, what they have prostate cancer. Here at the FOGS, our organisation done is an incredible achievement. Thankfully his story is a happy one, with continues to climb, with the success of When you put it into the context of tests now fully clearing him of cancer. our ARTIE Academy and Indigenous Origin being the best of the best in one of But it is also a cautionary tale for all of Employment and Careers Expos, as well the most demanding and brutal contact us about the true value of something most as the planning and construction of our sports in the world, where the previous of us take for granted every day – our new headquarters in Castlemaine St, winning streak stretched only as far as health. across from Suncorp Stadium. three, it truly is remarkable. Gary was lucky, but this year’s other This was a major plank in Tosser That is why now is as good a chance as rugby league sermon about appreciating Turner’s vision for the FOGS, having a any, before the series begins for another what we have did not come with much home of our own, and is a major step year, to take a step back and really savour luck at all. forward for the organisation’s future. what has been accomplished. Alex McKinnon has only just turned For all of us this year, on and off the This is by no means an early concession 22, and was a star on the rise. field, there is plenty to achieve and to that maybe this magical run is at an end. Now, due to a highly publicized but no aspire to. Far from it. less tragic accident, he has been diagnosed But there is also the chance to be But, as we approach State of Origin’s as a quadriplegic. thankful for what we have, and proud of 100th game in this year’s series, it is fitting Impressively though, Alex to has vowed how far we’ve come. that we take a minute to appreciate the to dig deep and fight on, setting himself great team that we have representing us, the challenge of walking his new fiancée GENE MILES and carrying the traditions built up over down the aisle. Executive Chairman www.fogs.com.au 3 BALANCE OF POWER Honouring the past, concentrating on the present, preparing for the future. CELEBRATION, RECOGNITION and valuable lesson for the young guys to learn. preparation – that is the delicate balance Hopefully the guys that aren’t in the that the Queensland team must master team yet, the future players, will pay ahead of State of Origin’s 100th match to attention to what it all means, listen and launch this year’s series. learn so that they will be up to speed It is a great occasion, and there will be when the time comes for them to be called a huge celebration involved, particularly into camp. early in the week. I know that our players will really relish I believe they are getting the 1980s guys being around that sense of occasion, and together for a reunion, and that will be a that sense of history. wonderful thing. But they also know that the best way The significance of the occasion will to acknowledge what those guys achieved is help remind us of the reasons that Origin to be successful with their own efforts started, and that is an important thing – this year. not just for the current team, but for As has been the case with us for a future players. number of seasons now, one of the bigger To understand what Queensland players challenges we will face is keeping the went through before Origin started is an players mentally stimulated after eight important part of what we are about, and a series wins in a row. Original 1980 Queensland State of Origin team. Pictures: Courtesy News Queensland 4 www.fogs.com.au We need to make sure the week is an It has been a critical ingredient enjoyable one, and refresh them mentally to our preparations – how we and physically as much as we can. conduct ourselves and the I want them to enjoy the week, and standards we hold ourselves to. make sure they are fully relaxed and To relax those standards, make focused on game day. exceptions to rules or to turn That has been the secret of our success, a blind eye to behaviour or that balance in our preparation. attitudes that are in opposition There is no question that it is getting to what is expected is when harder every year for us to come up with cracks start to appear. challenges and motivation to ensure we Where there are cracks, are mentally switched on for the job at erosion and the failure of hand. the integrity of the unit We haven’t started all that well in the cannot be far behind. past few years, and all of the players are We need strong aware of that as well. leadership from everyone Particularly in Game I of a series, it is involved for us to be at our really important part of our preparation best, and that is where we we need to get right. need to be to win. It comes down to the attitude that we Origin demands it. carry into the start of the game. We have If you can’t hold yourself to those to make sure that we don’t take our foot standards, then there is no room for you. off the pedal at any stage. Even the smallest percentage of We can’t sit on our heels for a bit until change in the standards we demand we find ourselves in the situation where we means we reduce our chances of need to do something and then switch on, winning. like we have done on occasions in the past. That is unacceptable. We have to be on the front foot, and This team cares too much about take the advantage away early in the the legacy it will leave, and the respect game. shown to those who have gone before, Part of keeping that mental edge to be damaged by attitudes that do sharp is maintaining our standards and not meet or conform with the team disciplines within the team and our standards. environment. I think the Queensland players from There is no relaxation on standards. that first Origin game back in 1980 Ever. would back that stance to the hilt. www.fogs.com.au 5 NATURAL SELECTION Darren Lockyer is back for the Maroons, but it’s a whole new ball game. NEVER SATISFIED. It was the “I’m really excited by the “It wasn’t a difficult decision mantra that former Test cricket mentoring role with the under-20s,” including Darren with the three other captain Steve Waugh adopted said Lockyer, Queensland’s most competent selectors we have already in his relentless desire to install capped player with a record 36 Origin got,” Moore said. Australia as the kingpins of world appearances. “There’s no doubting the current cricket. And now the Queensland “Having been a part of the ups and selectors’ knowledge of the game and rugby league hierarchy is taking on downs at Origin level for a long time, their enthusiasm for Queensland. a similar mentality as they look to I think I can bring those experiences “What Darren brings is currency continue their Origin dominance to the table.