You Booze, You Lose

New South Wales Winger Blake Ferguson’s suspension from all forms of Australian rugby league, after he was alleged to have indecently assaulted a female, heads the ill-discipline that mounts around the Blues camp and thus the odds of wrestling back the State of Origin crown from Queensland for the first time in eight years lengthen with every passing day as the state lurches from one problem to another.

Despite a united front at the team’s base on Sydney’s east coast, where TSH was lucky enough to gain access to a public appearance at a junior rugby event at the nearby Coogee Oval, the Blues are rapidly self-destructing.

Ferguson and stand-in full-back Josh Dugan, an infamous drinking partner, were caught on CCTV of a Cronulla nightclub on the eve of a training camp, although the latter has no charge to answer.

After an impressive 14-6 series opening win at ANZ Stadium, the Blues head to Brisbane on Wednesday week with the chance to take an unassailable two-nil lead in the series.

However, Ferguson’s omission coincides with prop James Tamou’s absence at Suncorp Stadium next week after he was guilty of unlicensed driving and with over four times the legal limit of alcohol in his bloodstream.

NRL Chief Executive Dave Smith said (in relation to Ferguson) that, “the fans don’t want to see the game tarnished and neither do the players.”

Queensland, meanwhile, have been almost noticeable by their silence since their humbling loss in Sydney a fortnight ago. The Maroons have let the Blues’ roguish ill-discipline and self harm do all the talking.

As they were afforded the adulation of youngsters on the eastern beaches, Captain Paul Gallen and Coach Lawrie Daley hid behind brave faces as they know they have quite a fire-fighting job on their hands in the lead up to Origin II.