KEARY CASE SPARKS ORIGIN RULE PUSH
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 following revelations they helped write a letter to the NRL for Keary to be declared a Maroon.
The 28-year-old Keary is set to run out in the NSW No.6 jumper — six years after he begged former NRL headof-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 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 finalised and 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 the NRL’S representative eligibility rules, revised in December 2012, Keary technically qualifies for NSW.
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,” 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.
“The rules have got to be sensible and more clarity and transparency around it.”