CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
The dream of one day playing Origin football has been resuscitated for hundreds of thousands of ageing millennial men right across the Sunshine State this week.
This comes as Bulldogs hardman, Kurt Mann is set to make his State of Origin from the Queensland interchange bench in the second match of the series in Perth next Wednesday.
After a storied career of 198 NRL matches across four clubs, Kurt will be taking to the field for the first time in a Maroon jersey. Aged 32.
While this is incredible news for the iconic outback NRL star and his family – it is also extremely inspiring for every other Queenslander around his age.
Right across the state, suburban football ovals are currently being swarmed by 30-something blokes who’ve taken an early mark from work.
They are running sprints, train tracks and high knees. Because Kurt Mann has proven to them all that the dream is still alive.
“Just good to know that I’m still young enough” says local accountant, Graham Pear (31) – a former reggies hooker who has not laced up a boot since Kevin Rudd was still Prime Minister.
“It’d be a bit hard to juggle it all with the kids and the mortgage and whatever. But Kurt has proven it’s doable”
Dion Dodds (32) another delusional Queenslander, says he understands the game has changed a lot since he was running around with the Nambour Crushers at the height of the ALS Ice Bucket challenge, but he reckon it’s worth getting back out there and letting the selectors know he’s still up for it.
“Obviously the way I used to play isn’t really acceptable nowadays. I’ll have to rein in the shoulder charges and grapples if I want to take it seriously”
“But yeah, I reckon fitness is gonna be the biggest hurdle here. The missus has me on a keto diet, and I’m back on the pure blondes”
“Full credit to Kurt. It ain’t over until it’s over”
