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By SONNY COHEN, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR <\/p>\n
Published:<\/span> 12:19 BST, 9 July 2026 <\/time> <\/span> | Updated:<\/span> 12:19 BST, 9 July 2026 <\/time> <\/span> <\/p>\n
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A footy expert has blasted the State of Origin series after the Blues wrapped up the series win on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Mike Wood was less than thrilled by what he saw from the Blues and the Maroons in their Origin III decider clash.<\/p>\n
The game was a grind with a couple of moments of real quality intertwined, namely Bradman Best going the length of the pitch to seal the win.<\/p>\n
But even that was borne out of an error by Queensland, as two Maroon teammates jumped to claim a Reece Walsh crossfield kick and ultimately knocked it into Best’s path.<\/p>\n
There were also some questions raised as to whether there was a knock on during the incident, but that debate will have to wait for another time.<\/p>\n
And Mike Wood has said Origin has been ‘left behind’ by rugby league in general.<\/p>\n
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Questions over the quality of coaching have been raised by footy expert Mike Wood on X<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Wood also questioned whether Origin was the pinnacle of rugby league anymore<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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He also went on to say that Test footy is the peak off-field and the NRL grand final is the best on field product<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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‘Origin is the pinnacle of rugby league,’ he wrote on X.<\/p>\n
‘Ask a player, that’s what they’d say – and for the last 20 years, they have been right.<\/p>\n
‘But now? On field, it’s miles off. Off it, it’s been left behind.<\/p>\n
‘Good? sure. Marketable? Defo (sic).<\/p>\n
‘But the peak? Nah.’<\/p>\n
And the replies to his social media post are split with some agreeing with it, while others have questioned what is the peak of ugby league now.<\/p>\n
And Wood had an answer to the peak of footy, he wrote ‘for emotion it’s Test footy (again), and for on field it’s NRL finals.’<\/p>\n
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One X user under the account name, looney tune, agreed with Wood’s stance that it was no longer the pinncale, ‘Excellent summary,’ they posted.<\/p>\n
‘Two change points for me, the emergence of the Pacific Islands have reignited a dying international game.<\/p>\n
‘While the things that made Origin special, simply aren’t allowed in the game anymore.<\/p>\n
‘The brutal hits and all in brawls, now in the past unfortunately.’<\/p>\n
Another user described the State of Origin as ‘great midweek entertainment,’ adding, ‘The pinnacle for supporters is and will always be, the NRL Premiership. SOO is just great midweek entertainment, but the care factor lasts a couple of days.’<\/p>\n
Not everyone thought his take on the State of Origin was great though with a user under the account International Rugby League Sumo entering into a debate with Wood.<\/p>\n
‘On the field it is still the peak, there is no level of rugby close to it,’ he wrote.<\/p>\n
‘Off the field, every player would rather win a grand final.<\/p>\n
‘Playing for your country should be the pinnacle of the sport at all levels but we had ignored it throughout our existence.’<\/p>\n
That drew a response from Wood who defended his position, posting, ‘I really don’t think it’s the peak on the field anymore.<\/p>\n
‘It’s two teams playing, one of whom has basic coaching and the other zero coaching.<\/p>\n
‘Getting all the good players worked in the past but now.’<\/p>\n
There could be questions raised over the quality of footy played between the two sides across this year’s Origin series.<\/p>\n
But the atmosphere in and around the stadium would suggest that off the field, Origin is still the pinnacle of rugby league in Australia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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