Who would win a Super League State of Origin in 2024: Yorkshire or Lancashire?
Of all the age-old debates in rugby league, the presence – or lack – of a Super League-style State of Origin has long been questioned ever since it disappeared from the calendar 20 years ago.
As Australia gears up for its mammoth three-game showpiece which begins on Wednesday, we thought we’d once again ask the question you’re all (probably) asking: who would win an English version: Yorkshire or Lancashire?
Fortunately, if a series did ever re-appear in this part of the world, there’s a real plethora of talent to choose from. While some of Super League’s best English talent is excluded – take the likes of Cumbrian-born Morgan Knowles and Mike McMeeken who hails from the south, for example – some of the competition’s biggest names would be eligible.
So we’ve picked a 13 for each side – as well as a head coach, to try and work out which county has the best talent in 2024: the white rose, or the red rose. You tell us…
Yorkshire
1. Jake Connor (Huddersfield)
2. Tom Johnstone (Catalans)
3. Jake Wardle (Wigan)
4. Toby King (Warrington)
5. Ash Handley (Leeds)
6. Jordan Abdull (Catalans)
7. Mikey Lewis (Hull KR)
8. Alex Walmsley (St Helens)
9. Jez Litten (Hull KR)
10. Cameron Smith (Leeds)
11. Matty Nicholson (Warrington)
12. James Batchelor (Hull KR)
13. Elliot Minchella (Hull KR)
Head coach: Sam Burgess (Warrington)
Lancashire
1. Jack Welsby (St Helens)
2. Tommy Makinson (St Helens)
3. Mark Percival (St Helens)
4. Kallum Watkins (Salford)
5. Liam Marshall (Wigan)
6. George Williams (Warrington)
7. Marc Sneyd (Salford)
8. Luke Thompson (Wigan)
9. Danny Walker (Warrington)
10. Oli Partington (Salford)
11. Sam Walters (Wigan)
12. Liam Farrell (Wigan)
13. Ben Currie (Warrington)
Head coach: Matt Peet (Wigan)
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Of course, State of Origin in England is not new. It was first played in 1895, the year of rugby league’s formation and continued all the way through to the 1991-92 season.
It was revived in the Super League era for four years: between 2000 and 2003. That means that incredibly, it’s been over 20 years since we last saw it at senior level in this part of the world – though there are still semi-frequent academy-level Roses matches.
One of the best things about the Roses matches was seeing players synonymous with clubs from a certain county pulling on the jersey of another county. Legendary Bradford scrum-half Paul Deacon representing his Lancashire roots, Oldham-born Barrie McDermott doing the same despite being a Leeds Rhinos icon, and so many more.
Could it come back in the future? In a congested calendar, it’s hard to know. But one look at the two potential teams we’ve put together underlines how the talent is definitely there. As always in this game, it’s just the vision that’s lacking to make it happen..
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