The best sporting contests are ones that hook casual fans with little to no understanding of the game being played. In those terms, the NRL’s State of Origin III was legendary. The stakes, passion and sheer chaos were mesmerizing. They didn’t require an explanation. You could watch a minute or two and immediately comprehend what was happening, even if the rules were foreign.
This is no different than hockey. Even those who don’t follow the sport will tune into the Stanley Cup Playoffs because it’s entertaining. You do not need to know what is going on or what happened during the regular season to be hooked. You can watch and “get it”.
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And holy hell, did the third clash between New South Wales and Queensland deliver in that regard. You didn’t need to know the backstory of the rivalry here. Watching made that evident. This is probably a good thing since most Americans wouldn’t be able to process what the State of Origin series is all about. I follow the NRL and player eligibility is a concept which evades my comprehension.
Anyway, State of Origin III was a legendary sporting contest. From Ben Hunt’s epic kick block and score to dudes throwing haymakers, it had it all and then some. You never knew what was going to happen at any given moment. Even the players seem shocked as to what was unfolding.
It is that level of chaos that takes good games to remarkable contests. And State of Origin III was a legendary battle right up there with the Clemson versus Ohio State College Football Playoff Semifinal in 2019 or the Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada trilogy in New Japan Pro Wrestling. It was the best of the best going toe-to-toe until someone won. And there was no way of predicting just how you’d get to that point.
Do yourself a favor, check out State of Origin III. Even if you don’t care about the NRL or don’t know the rules of rugby league. It won’t matter. This is an all-time great game everyone can watch and understand.
