As many of you know, I’m a massive rugby union fan. However, rugby league was my first love, born from it many of my first, best and formative childhood memories.
Like Benny Elias with mud and blood pouring from his face onto his NSW Blues jersey, while Paul Sironen and Paul Harragon (NSW) belted, and got belted by, Marty Bella and Trevor Gillmeister (QLD). Definitely formative.
Or the 8am Queanbeyan Sunday morning winter kick-offs as an U/8 North Canberra Bear - ground frozen, hands numb and a confusion as to how to best avoid juvenile hypothermia.
Or big Mal Meninga – arm bandaged up, screaming down the middle of Canberra’s Bruce Stadium like a turbo-charged tank, with blokes like Laurie Daley, Gary Belcher, Ken Nagas and other Raiders stars in tow…all the while sucking down hot dogs with Dad on the hill.
With Game 1 of the 2010 State of Origin coming up this Wednesday, I was reminded this morning of how 20 years ago Mum used to only let me watch the first half, as it finished well past my bedtime. With Mum a 9hr flight away, and a time difference now favourable to my Bangkok bedtime, I can’t wait to watch the whole game after work with my mates here in Bangers.
Here’s a little taste of the previous 25 years of State of Origin hits…(Ray ‘Rabs’ Warren’s commentary has to be as good as the hits!).
If only the red shirt protesters and Thai government could take a leaf, or in this case, a chick pea out of Israel and Lebanon's pot - vying against each other in trying to create a gigantic pot of Gaeng Kiew Wan Gai.
This article from the UK's Telegraph Online describes Lebanon's war on hummus, with 300 Leb chefs creating 10-tonnes of the dip to crush an earlier record held by their Israeli counterparts.
Not only is that a lot of chick peas, tahini and olive oil, but by god, that's a lot of flatulence...