Will the politics ever stop!?

Will the politics ever stop!?
By Ben Milne

Why are grown men still feeling the need to let the politics in sport make their decisions for them? Instead of stepping up and selecting players based on their deserved merits, certain selection panels still seem to have very distorted, biased opinions on who makes the cut and who doesn’t.

Of course, I’m basing this on yesterdays Queensland State of Origin team which was named to play New South Wales in a fortnights time on May 21. For a lot of players the politics become clear back in little league when they realise someone is only on the team because their uncle coaches the side. Or, another player gets to travel away due to the family friend being the regional selector.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying every player has inside assistance allowing them to make the squad, I’m still a believer of fair play “to some extent”. But, how Scott Prince, the most in-form half of the NRL, can miss out on a spot in the Origin squad and be subjected to watching the game from home is beyond me.

Karmichael’s a fair player on any given day, and has represented both Australia and Queensland previously. But, as a half, he’s not even in the same ball park as Prince, who’s a class above him. Prince has been directing his ladder leading Titans around all season, and watching his highlights reel in comparison to Hunt’s this year clearly speaks for it self.