Slicing and dicing not just for down south

THE state that claimed they invented pick and stick has instead sliced and diced.

There is blood on the floor at the offices of the QRL for the first time.

For years King Wally, Fatty and Alf have been bagging NSW for our apparent lack of loyalty.

It didn’t matter that we won just one series in 11 years and that coaches/selectors/advisers had no choice but to look at alternative options.

No, we didn’t know the meaning of the word loyalty.

Now Queensland has done exactly what they’ve been bagging NSW for. We found these quotes from Mal Meninga in his final years as coach of the Maroons.

“Origin for Queenslanders remains a real family-oriented approach,” he said, “We embrace each other, work for each other and support each other no matter what.

“Part of that is sticking by the players that have done the job for us in the past.”

Wow. Too bad that didn’t apply to Sammy Thaiday or Corey Oates.

Thaiday has been in the Maroons side since 2006. He’s played Origin 29 times.

And Oates … he was one of Queensland’s best players in the opening game at Suncorp two weeks ago. What this shows is the loyalty line they’ve been trotting out for more than a decade is in fact rubbish.

The same with Billy Slater in game one. The greatest fullback we’ve ever seen.

Absolute Queensland legend but counted for nothing in the selection rooms three weeks ago.

It’s easy to be loyal when you keep winning. Although the Maroons like to think they invented it, the true meaning of the word loyalty in rugby league is winning.

The mass sackings for Origin II at ANZ Stadium is proof that Queensland, despite all the talk over the years, are exactly the same as us. You a pick and stick with winners but slice and dice the losers.