Forget state hate: James Tedesco playing for pride as Blues chase Origin history

Forget “state hate,” says Blues skipper James Tedesco; when New South Wales marches out onto Cbus Super Stadium hunting a 3-0 end to the 2021 series, they’ll be playing for something even grander ⁠— “pride.”

“The game is more about pride now,” the Roosters star said.

“I guess the person and the hating each other has probably gone away from State of Origin, but I think that’s just how the game has evolved over the years.”

That’s not such a bad thing, ‘Teddy’ added. Where once the Blues and the Maroons were baying for blood each and every Origin outing, now they’re playing for state pride. That’s a prize even better than beating your rivals, he claims.

“It’s important to have that passion and pride for your state,” the fullback said. “It can come and go between that period, and when we finish, but it is always there.”

“Pride” is something Tedesco believes was lacking in the Blues playing camp at the end of last year, and points to that as a major reason why Queensland’s “worst-ever team” were able to end their run as 2020 series winners.

It’s a mistake Freddy Fittler’s men won’t make again, the New South Wales skipper promises.

“Last year we got complacent, yeah,” he said.

“We looked at our team and thought ‘we should win’. But we learned early if you don’t keep coming together as one, then it’s pretty hard to win it individually.”

It was a lesson very well learned, Tedesco continued. Coming into Game 1 this year, Fittler made it “very clear” that the same wouldn’t happen again. The series is all wrapped up 3-0, but that same message still rings true.

”It’s a big thing we took from [2020] into this year is connecting as a team and working for each other,” he added, “and it showed in the first two games.”

That “pride” that Tedesco believes the series now thrives on will play a big role in Wednesday’s game. With the series win locked up after two Queensland-hosted victories, New South Wales could be forgiven for taking the foot of the pedal. If they do though, warns Fittler, the series will be “just another win.”

“Until they do, you just win another series,” the coach said.

“People might think it might not matter but it’s what we do when it doesn’t matter. Since we started four years ago there were eleven new players and I don’t think we’ve had many go backwards.

“I think you nearly go through every one of our team and show Origin has had a positive effect. I feel the players who have moved out are overtaken by players who want to be in. It becomes a stage where they can propel themselves.

“We’re only just starting to get there now [turning the tide] in State of Origin after a long decade. It’s now what we do with it and that all starts Wednesday night.”

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