Looking beyond the Origin fever

ORIGIN fever PNG is toxic.
It is maddening and it is madness.
It is said that two self-made millionaires at Port Moresby’s Koki suburb bet their new Toyota land cruisers in one Origin test. Not satisfied, they bet their wives in the next test.
It is uncertain that any wife, in this case two wives, would not have a say in their being proffered as items for the gambling pleasure of their men but what is important is the moral of the story which is that this Australian game drives ordinary men in PNG to extra-ordinary feats of madness.
Only recently did we learn that the whole Origin madness hits PNG because it has its seeds in Papua New Guinea.
Since all available ships were ferrying their American compatriots in the war off to their homeland across the Pacific, Australian soldiers languishing on Bougainville decided to get together and play a game of rugby, forming their team out of where they were conscripted from – New South Wales or Queensland. Later, the idea was abandoned in favor of their states of origin.
A direct relative of the first Bougainvillean ball boy in that series in Bougainville MP and Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr was to have carried a trophy made out of a Japanese artillery shell bearing the names of the original players onto the field at MCG for the second test last night.
Be that as it may, the lengths to which followers of this game go through in PNG is insane, to say the least.
Almost every year, there are major injuries and destruction reported with many deaths in between.
In 2009, three people were killed in widespread violence by supporters in Port Moresby during the series.
In 2019, NCD police asked that life broadcasts of State of Origin games be banned in light of the violence it incites. This followed a killing in Enga and another in Port Moresby.
But perhaps the gem comes to us from the Provincial Police Commander of Eastern Highlands, Supt Michael Welly, who pleaded with his people not to go out and get killed last night.
Supt Welly said: “These (Origin) players do not know about your existence. If you fight and die, neither the Maroons nor the Blues players nor their coaches will contribute towards you funeral nor will they attend your funeral. They don’t even know your problems.
“It is really funny. Let’s stop and use our common sense and get our acts right.
“Papua New Guineans should support their local Digicel ExxonMobil Cup teams.”
Whether or not his appeal was heeded last night, we shall find out today.
But Welly has a point.
It also extends beyond the law and order issue. It extends to our national character and ethos as a sporting nation.
Why is it, for instance, that despite playing rugby league for far longer than any other country in the Pacific, excepting Australia and New Zealand, PNG still lags far behind?
Why hasn’t the national rugby league organisation come of age and delivered a team that can consistently take the war to rugby league nations like Australia and New Zealand on a competitive basis?
It might have to do with the mindset we have.
If your heroes are Australians or New Zealanders, it is highly improbable that you are going to go into a contest with them and come out victor.
You take the field already knowing that the better player, your hero, is in the opposing team. You are so full of admiration; your own game is affected by your mindset.
Papua New Guineans flock to Australia to watch State of Origin games and it is highly probable that planeloads watched the game at Melbourne Cricket Grounds last night.
Back home, we can hardly fill our small stadiums with sufficient crowds to watch local matches.
This is a mindset that can extend beyond sports into all other fields.
Once you see the outside party as your superior and better, you can never perform at optimum efficiency.
The issue might be bigger than just a good bout of State of Origin game fever.