New South Wales lost the State of Origin rugby league series because the week they spent in Melbourne robbed them of their edge, according to acting NSW Premier John Watkins.
Queensland clinched the series with a 16-14 victory over the Blues in the decider of the three-match series in Melbourne last night.
“You can’t blame our players,” Mr Watkins said yesterday.
“Those poor souls had to spend the week in bleak city in Melbourne, preparing for this game.”
“And the Queenslanders had a natural advantage — they come from some of the most boring towns in Australia.”
Mr Watkins, filling in for Premier Morris Iemma, who is on leave, later admitted he might have become a bit carried away.
“I was just trying to make the point, I suppose, that our blokes — who are the best league players in the country — have the edge taken off their game by spending a week in Melbourne,” he said.
Or maybe they just got beaten by a better team?
