STATE OF BIND FOR ’MAROON’
Why Keary should play for Queensland
THIS is the photo of NSW hopeful Luke Keary – in Queensland colours – that exposes State of Origin’s eligibility rules as a farce.
The Queensland Rugby League has called for an urgent overhaul of Origin’s controversial eligibility rules after revelations they helped write a letter to the NRL for Keary to be declared a Maroon.
Keary is as Ipswich as Allan Langer and Kevin Walters, but Origin’s eligibility laws are so poorly constructed the Queensland-born playmaker is poised to make his debut for NSW in the series opener at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old Keary is set to run out in the NSW No.6 jumper – six years after he begged former NRL head of football Todd Greenberg to be ruled a Queenslander.
Adding to the eligibility debacle, Keary was named in Queensland’s Junior Emerging Origin squad in 2012.
The Bulletin has obtained this image of Keary training in Maroons colours in the Queensland Academy of Sport program set up by coach Wayne Bennett.
The QRL has confirmed it helped Keary in his quest to be a Maroon, only to be rejected by the NRL, in State of Origin’s biggest selection saga since Kempsey-born Greg Inglis defected from NSW to play for Queensland in 2006.
“Luke made a formal application to the NRL to be chosen for Queensland,” a QRL spokesman said.
“Luke initially wrote a letter himself and with the help of the QRL and the Rugby League Players Association,
the letter was sent to the NRL for consideration.
“Luke also spoke to Todd Greenberg (then NRL head of football) but unfortunately his request to play for Queensland was denied.”
Under old representative eligibility rules, a player’s Origin status was determined by where their first senior game was played after the age of 16.
But those rules where revised in December 2012, to also take into account where players are born and raised.
Keary’s father relocated the family to NSW when he was 10, so he technically qualifies for the Blues under current rules. But his selection in the Blues squad raises questions about the NRL’s Origin rules – and whether birthright should be a trump card when players of dual eligibility, such as Keary, could potentially qualify for NSW or Queensland.
QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher called for a fresh investigation into Origin’s eligibility rules to prevent a kid from Ipswich playing for NSW.
“The rules have always had a degree of complexity, it’s never been simple,” he said.
“There’s no doubt there needs to be further work in this whole area. The rules aren’t perfect but it’s on our agenda to have that discussed more broadly with NSW.
“I remember when the Keary thing first came up, as an Ipswich boy he wanted to play for Queensland, but NSW dug in on the basis that they lost Greg Inglis who turned out to be a highlight of many Origin series.
“We’ve got to get more clarity around it and lessen the opportunities for shades of grey.”
In 2014, Keary met with Greenberg to plead his case. He then sought help from the Rugby League Players Association to compile a letter, sent to then CEO Dave Smith, asking to play for Queensland.
Keary’s application was rejected.
It will be fascinating to watch Keary conduct media interviews with NSW-based journalists this week. If they ask Keary who he supported as a kid, he will surely recount the words he gave to The CourierMail five years ago when he confirmed attending a Maroons junior camp.
“I went to a Queensland Emerging camp with Anthony Milford a few years ago,” Keary said in August 2015.
“Growing up, my whole family would get into Origin and we all supported the Broncos. I used to like watching Darren Lockyer and ‘Alfie’ Langer because Alf was from Ipswich, like myself.”
One of Queensland’s greatest captains, Cameron Smith, said last year the notion of Keary wearing the sky-blue jumper has left him bemused.
“I’m surprised with Keary,” Smith said. “I believed he was a Queenslander, but NSW won’t let him slip away now.”