It’s State against State, Green against Green in the battle for golf course supremacy!
NSW LINE-UP
1 Pacific Dunes
2 The Vintage
3 Terrey Hills
4 Magenta Shores
5 Elanora
6 Concord
7 Newcastle
8 The Australian
9 Bonville
10 New South Wales GC (c)
11 The Lakes
12 Royal Sydney
13 Ellerston
QLD LINE-UP
1 Paradise Palms
2 Lakelands
3 Capricorn
4 Pelican Waters
5 The Glades
6 Pacific Harbour
7 Sanctuary Cove
8 Palmer Coolum
9 Brookwater
10 Hamilton Island
11 Links Hope Island
12 Royal Queensland (c)
13 The Grand
Fullback Match-Up
Far North Queensland’s most revered player versus a popular youngster from the Newcastle region. Both rarely disappoint and offer great variety to their line-ups. Winner: Pacific Dunes. The Palms’ recent form slump continues. (NSW 6-QLD 0)
Wing Match-Up 1
It’s Norman vs Nicklaus in this battle of the blond legends. The Vintage, like the region’s famous produce, just gets better with age, while Lakelands has bounced back from a recent drop-off in form to have the Gold Coast faithful talking up its chances. Winner: Once rated the 29th best player in the country, Lakelands turns in a Vintage Origin performance of its own to upset the Hunter Valley hot shot. (6-6)
Wing Match-Up 2
The Glades hasn’t been able to match its stellar 2002 rookie season, where it was voted the 17th best player in the game. Elanora on the other hand has hit a career purple patch, looking as pretty as its sweeping Sydney Harbour views. Winner: Elanora. A recent boot camp under the eye of James Wilcher has this electric winger absolutely flying. (NSW 12-QLD 6)
Centre Match-Up 1
One of the best-conditioned players in NSW, Terrey Hills [above] is always looking for ways to take its game to another level. Capricorn (Championship) is one of the country’s most consistent performers over the past 20 years and loves it rough and tough. Winner: Terrey Hills’ experience at the top level gets it over the line … just. “A real ding-dong battle,” says Ray Warren. (NSW 16-QLD 6)
Centre Match-Up 2
Arguably the most brutal player in the NSW line-up, Magenta Shores loves punishing unsuspecting opponents and thrives in Origin conditions. Pelican Waters is another rising star to come out of the Norman stables with big raps following recent changes to its game. Winner: Magenta Shores proves too physical for his opponent here. “It’s been a mis-match from the opening minute,” says Phil Gould. (NSW 22-QLD 6)
Five-Eighth Match-Up
New South Wales took a gamble on Concord following a long period of tinkering with its technique. Meanwhile, Bribie Island’s favourite son Pacific Harbour continues to perform above expectations thanks to a new conditioning program. Winner: QLD get the chocolates here thanks to some Harbour heroics. “Wow, where did that come from?” (NSW 22-QLD 12)
Halfback Match-Up
Two key players under pressure to keep their spots. Newcastle polarises the opinion of fans. Some claim it’s overrated and looks tired, others marvel at its consistency. Sanctuary Cove (Pines) has many high-profile fans, including Adam Scott, but its ball-playing beauty has often been overshadowed by its lack of strategy. Winner: With Scott in attendance surging his troops on, Sanctuary Cove stands tall to get the points here. “Here comes that Queensland passion,” says Gould. (NSW 22-QLD 18)
Front Row Match-Up 1
Big games are won by big championship players. Enter two of the sport’s most iconic names. The Australian has been in scintillating form ever since it received a severe lashing by the great Jack Nicklaus. Giant, dark shadows – cast by Clive Palmer himself – still lurk over Coolum [above] – a former crowd favourite that just can’t seem to shake its prehistoric ways. Winner: The Oz. “Too big. Too tough. Too good.” (NSW 28-QLD 18)
Hooker Match-Up
There’s no margin for error when you’re up against Brookwater [below] – brutal, quick and relentless for the entire game. Bonville’s [bottom] legion of fans continues to multiply, many of which compare it to one of the game’s greats in Augusta. But the jury is still out how well it plays after inclement weather. Winner: Phil Gould sums it up best by saying Brookwater “out-Origins” Bonville to keep the game well and truly alive. (NSW 28-QLD 24)
Front Row Match-Up 2
The New South Wales skipper never plays a bad game. Still regarded by most as the No.1 player in the state, New South Wales GC is already an immortal. Hamilton Island’s unique combination of brute and beauty makes it essential Origin viewing. Some say it’s the most watchable player in the country, but aesthetics alone doesn’t get you over the line. Winner: NSW GC, not surprisingly, takes the honours here, although Hamilton Island is starting to be included in the same conversations as the sport’s elite. “Remember the name, Hamilton Island.” (NSW 34-QLD 24)
Second Row Match-Up 1
One of the most maligned players in the game, The Lakes hasn’t won everyone over with its new style of play. The stats still say it’s the No.3 player in NSW and loves dishing it up in rough and tough conditions. Links Hope Island is arguably the best player the Gold Coast has ever produced. Sporting plenty of humps and bumps over the journey, QLD fans haven’t lost “Hope” it will one day get back to being a top-10 player in the country. Winner: The Lakes dives over in the corner to all but seal the match. (NSW 38-QLD 24)
Second Row Match-Up 2
It’s a battle ‘Royal’ between these two heavyweights. Queensland’s trump card and No.1-ranked player versus the Sydney-based stalwart that has enjoyed a roller-coaster career. Royal Queensland is the poster child for career comebacks, now boasting subtle, strategic smarts to make it a big-time player once again. Royal Sydney’s conditioning outside of the big games has caused some concern. Winner: Royal Queensland gives some hope to a miracle finish with a fine performance. (NSW 38-QLD 30)
Lock Forward Match-Up
The most intriguing battle of the game. Ellerston, famous for it’s reclusive lifestyle and inability to connect with fans, is pitted against its Queensland equivalent. Officially ranked No.3 in the land, Ellerston’s all-star reputation and unrivalled match conditioning remains very much a mystery to most. Contrastingly, there were to be no such secrets regarding The Grand following its breakout performance at the 2001 Aussie Open. Both are Norman courses, both are controversial and both are phenomenal for different reasons. Winner: Pop the champagne Blues’ fans. In what could be an omen for Origin III, the mysterious star from Scone seals the win for New South Wales, cementing its superiority as Origin’s best golfing state. (Final: NSW 44-QLD 30)
DO YOU AGREE? Tell us below which state you think holds bragging rights in golf
