Queensland legend Johnathan Thurston has heralded the return of state vs state "hatred" after Payne Haas and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui traded fists in Origin II, but has stopped short of welcoming "biff" back into the game.
Haas and Fa'asuamaleaui resurrected the rivalries from Origins past when they threw hands midway through the second half of NSW's 34-10 victory at ANZ stadium.
So much talk ahead of the second leg had centred on the sense of lacking tribalism in 2020's COVID-displaced Origin, which was once a hallmark of the iconic series.
But, through a sea of arms, the two enforcers managed to put those reservations to bed and set up a tantalising Game Three decider at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday.
Thurston welcomed the aggression of the two schoolboy rivals for putting a bit of "feeling" back into the game.
"Big Tino and Payne Haas for bringing back the aggression and little boil over on Wednesday night," Thurston told Wide World of Sports' JT's Roast and Toast.
"Origin has been built on hatred between the two states for 40 years and leading into the game there was a lot of chat about there being not enough feeling in the game.
"But those two boys stood up and certainly answered those critics. This has been built on since high school between these two players from what I understand. So it goes back to 2017 when they were both in the junior systems for their states and they really ripped into each other.
"We saw that again the other night. They're both at 20-years of age so they've both got big futures in front of them in the representative arena so we're going to see a lot more of it."
Since Blues great Paul Gallen punched Nate Myles in the 2013 Origin opener the NRL has had a hard ban on punching, introducing an automatic send-off rule for any player throwing hands.
While Thurston stopped short of calling for the rule to be relaxed, citing the aggression with which players tackle in the modern era, he believed a spot of argy-bargy was welcome from time to time.
"Ever since Arty ran out in 1980 and started punching on with his own teammate from Parramatta," he started, referencing Arthur Beetson's run in with Mick Cronin. "Then there's Jamie Goddard and Joey through the nineties, to then Paul Gallen and Nate Myles as well.
"I don't think we need to see the biff back in the game, there's enough aggression already with the way that the boys throw their bodies into each other. I don't want to see the biff back in the game but I really enjoyed those two going at each other the other night.
"With Game Three under a week away, I expect fireworks here at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday night."
Queensland legend Johnathan Thurston has heralded the return of state vs state "hatred" after Payne Haas and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui traded fists in Origin II, but has stopped short of welcoming "biff" back into the game.
Haas and Fa'asuamaleaui resurrected the rivalries from Origins past when they threw hands midway through the second half of NSW's 34-10 victory at ANZ stadium.
So much talk ahead of the second leg had centred on the sense of lacking tribalism in 2020's COVID-displaced Origin, which was once a hallmark of the iconic series.
But, through a sea of arms, the two enforcers managed to put those reservations to bed and set up a tantalising Game Three decider at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday.
Thurston welcomed the aggression of the two schoolboy rivals for putting a bit of "feeling" back into the game.
"Big Tino and Payne Haas for bringing back the aggression and little boil over on Wednesday night," Thurston told Wide World of Sports' JT's Roast and Toast.
"Origin has been built on hatred between the two states for 40 years and leading into the game there was a lot of chat about there being not enough feeling in the game.
"But those two boys stood up and certainly answered those critics. This has been built on since high school between these two players from what I understand. So it goes back to 2017 when they were both in the junior systems for their states and they really ripped into each other.
"We saw that again the other night. They're both at 20-years of age so they've both got big futures in front of them in the representative arena so we're going to see a lot more of it."
Since Blues great Paul Gallen punched Nate Myles in the 2013 Origin opener the NRL has had a hard ban on punching, introducing an automatic send-off rule for any player throwing hands.
While Thurston stopped short of calling for the rule to be relaxed, citing the aggression with which players tackle in the modern era, he believed a spot of argy-bargy was welcome from time to time.
"Ever since Arty ran out in 1980 and started punching on with his own teammate from Parramatta," he started, referencing Arthur Beetson's run in with Mick Cronin. "Then there's Jamie Goddard and Joey through the nineties, to then Paul Gallen and Nate Myles as well.
"I don't think we need to see the biff back in the game, there's enough aggression already with the way that the boys throw their bodies into each other. I don't want to see the biff back in the game but I really enjoyed those two going at each other the other night.
"With Game Three under a week away, I expect fireworks here at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday night."
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