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'Two alpha males': Dane Gagai opens up on why he threw fists at Burton

(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Dane Gagai and Matt Burton have stoked a State of Origin fire that now burns with rare parity after Queensland’s victory spoiled any hopes of a NSW dynasty with a backs-to-the-wall series win.

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Centre Gagai went toe-to-toe with Burton in a crazy Origin III in Brisbane on Wednesday, the pair sin-binned before the Maroons went from 12-10 down to win 22-12.

It was their ninth win from the last 10 Origin deciders and meant the series has been split 3-3 in the last six years and 2-2 since new coach Billy Slater last played in 2018.

“It’s Origin – just stepping up for your mates,” Gagai told AAP of his thought process behind the fight that landed both fines, but no NRL suspensions.

“Two alpha males just not wanting to back down, and it was on.

“My old man always taught me what happens on the field stays on the field and I’ve met him outside of footy a few times.

“He seems like a good man, so no hard feelings; he was just standing up for himself, I was standing up for my mate.”

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After Queensland won 11 of 12 series, the Blues hopes of creating their own dynasty were bright after new Maroons coach Slater and his assistants Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston joined Cooper Cronk and Greg Inglis in retirement.

But Queensland have played to the classic underdog Origin script, concocting unlikely series wins in 2020 and again this year despite the game three loss of star man Cameron Munster.

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It sets up a juicy next chapter for both sides, given the fresh talent introduced in 2022 and the old heads like Gagai who still hope to play their part.

“For the next couple of years we’re going to be in for some good Origins,” Gagai said.

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“I took it personally after we lost all of our key players like Billy, Greg Inglis, Thurston, all those big names, people thinking it was almost like NSW’s turn to dominate.

“So to get the win was so special.”

Ben Hunt, who scored a 70-metre intercept try to seal the contest, said there was respect between the sides despite the animosity on Wednesday.

“I wouldn’t call it anger,” he said.

“It’s passion and wanting to win. There’s a lot of aggressive boys going hard at each other.

“Origin is alive and well; the last five years (the winner has been) chopping and changing. It’s amazing, good for our game.

“I wouldn’t say (NSW) ‘don’t get it’ (Origin) … we were just going to give it everything.

“They’re (NSW) in a great spot and we’ve got a great side so they will be some good footy in years to come.”

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J
JW 32 minutes ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

I didn't really get the should tone from it, but maybe because I was just reading it as my own thoughts.


What I read it as was examples of how they played well enough in every game to be able to win it.


Yeah I dunno if Ben wouldn't see it that way (someone else would for sure need to point it out to him though), I'm more in the Ben not appreciating that those close losses werent one off scenarios camp. Sure you can look at dubious decisions causing them to have to play with 14 or 13 men at the death as viable reasons but even in the games they won without such difficulties they made a real struggle of it (compared to how good some of their first half play was). This kind of article where you trying to point out the 3 losses really would most likely have been wins only really makes sense/works when your other performances make those 3 games (or endings) stand out.


There might have been a sentence here and there to ensure some good comment numbers but when he's signing off the article by saying things like ..

Whilst these All Blacks aren’t blowing teams off the park like during the 2010s, they are nuggety and resourceful and don’t wilt. They are prepared to win the hard way, accumulating points by any means necessary.

and..

The other top sides in the world struggled to put them away. France and South Africa both could have well been defeated on home soil.

I don't really see it. Always making sure people are upto date with the SH standing/perspective! NZ went through some tough times with so many different perspectives and reasons why, but then it was.. amusing how.. behind everyone was once they turned a corner. More of these 'unfortunate' results returned against SA and France at the start of the RWC which made it extra tasty to catch other teams out when they did bring it. So that created some 'conscious' perspective that I just kept going and sharing re thoughts on similar predicaments of other teams, I had been really confident that Wallabies displays vs NZ were real, that the Argentines can backup their thing against Aus and SA (and so obviously the rest), and current one is that England are actually consistent and improving with their attack (which everyone should get onboard with), and I'm expecting a more dominant display against Japan (even though they should have more of their experienced internationals for this one) that highlights further growth from July. 👍

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