- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Is there someone who typifies what it means to be for Queenslander more than Billy Moore?
Of course there isn’t.
Billy’s a Queensland legend: born in NSW, played his first game for North Sydney in 1989 and despite having plenty of opportunities to relocate to a Queensland-based team, he remained loyal to the Bears for 211 games.
And Billy’s loyalty to Queensland is similar to fellow Former Origin Great, Gary Larson.
“The Far Side”, Gary Larson was a tackling machine who enjoyed a storied, 233-game career with perennial super-clubs the Bears and Parramatta Eels. The careers of Billy and Gary shows the deepest Queensland patriotism by never taking a NSWRL/NRL/ARL premiership away the Broncos.
But let’s get back to Billy Moore. Billy has a long-winded, boring narrative on the QRL website about what it means to be a Queenslander. I’m sure every Queensland fan has printed it and has it on display in their pool/banjo room.
Let’s look at some of Billy’s key points:
“So that border, and everything is (sic) entwines, has been part of everything for me growing up”: Growing up in NSW.
So how did you qualify, Billy? “Well I did play an under 18 game for Millmerran versus Warwick at Father Ranger Oval in Warwick.” Well, that seals it.
“I played all my junior football on the border and at Tenterfield, then I went to North Sydney Bears.” That’s in Queensland.
“I’m a Queenslander. I spent my life in Queensland, went to school in Queensland, played a little bit of schoolboy football … I’m a Queenslander”: Ummmmmmm…..
“I was a bit of a blend.” You sure were.
Former QRL boss Ross Livermore said of Billy Moore, “‘Watch this kid, he’s a Queenslander, but not that you’ll know about it”. How could anyone possibly know about it??
Maroons legend Mal Meninga. (Photo by Getty Images)
“In the room was Mal Meninga, Allan Langer, Peter Jackson, Gary Belcher, Mick Hancock, Willie Carne, Wally Lewis was in there.” Now, this is what it means to be a Queenslander. Mal won three comps for Canberra after the Broncos and Gold Coast joined. Badge only won two in the national capital. Jacko left the Broncos after 29 games to play three years with North Sydney. Willie Carne left rugby league to play rugby union. Wally was sacked by Brisbane.
“Long after I’m gone, I think ‘Queenslander’ is still going to be around.” Gone from Queensland? Billy left Queensland straight after that under 18 game for Millmerran versus Warwick.
“I remember saying to my parents, ‘all I ever want to do is represent Queensland’. And he did that. 17 times. He especially loved playing Origin in Sydney cause he could just ride his push bike home after the game.
Let’s leave it to Billy to explain three rules that you must understand to wear the maroon you have to comply with.
“First of all, is ‘help your mate’.
Second is ‘always find a solution’.
And the third one is ‘no excuses’.
That’s magnificent, profound and heartfelt. It could also apply to a group of blokes who run out of beer while on a weekend fishing trip.
It’s not just Billy’s legendary passion for being a Queenslander. It’s the great players and FOGs whose whole life and very existence is about Queensland. These are the kids from league heartlands like Mount Isa, Bundaberg, Yeppoon, Millmerran AND Warwick who jump in the car, head south and enjoy blue-blazoned league/union careers well outside the Sunshine State.
You know who I mean: Fatty (Manly and Easts), Choppy (Manly), Gilly (Roosters), GI (Storm and Rabbitohs), Kevvie (Raiders), Lote (Waratahs, Rabbitohs, Tigers), Cooper (Storm and Roosters), DCE (Manly, Titans, Manly), Nate (Bulldogs, Roosters, Sea Eagles, Storm), Wendell (Waratahs, Dragons) and a whole host of Camerons.
In a few weeks, the Maroons team will be picked. These proud players will pack their stuff, head to Tullamarine and meet up in the Qantas Club Lounge.
It’s a proud tradition that coach and 323-game Storm veteran Billy Slater insists on. Then it’s onto Brisbane where these brave men quickly Google Map to find out where Caxton Street is.
Billy Moore’s profound words on the QRL website encapsulate everything that’s great about Queensland Origin and everything the FOGs stand for. North Sydney. Parramatta Eels. Tenterfield. Tullamarine. Sea Eagles. Roosters. Waratahs. Wests Tigers. And Father Ranger Oval.
And precisely why NSW will just never ever get Origin.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.