Brisbane, QLD


Sunday, June 21, 2026

THE STATE OF ORIGIN FOOTBALL

 The State of Origin is an annual rugby league series played between teams representing the Australian states of Queensland  (the Maroons) and New South Wales (the Blues). It is called "State of Origin" because players represent the state where they first played senior rugby league rather than who they play for now. The series consists of three matches each year in June, July and August. The team that wins two of the matches is declared the winner. Last Wednesday was the second match in this year's competition and it was our Resident's Dinner Night. We were asked to wear the colour of the team we supported. Bill and I don't bother watching Rugby League because we prefer to watch Football (Soccer). However, being Queenslanders we did wear Maroon although Bill had on a red coat with a maroon checked shirt. I wore Maroon cords and a maroon jumper. The dinner finished at 8:00pm so everyone could go home and watch the match. They could have watched on the big screen in the community centre but a vote was taken and everyone wanted to watch at home. New South Wales had won the first match so every Queenslander was hoping Queensland would win the second.

When we arrive at the centre we pick a number out of a container to tell us which table to sit at. There are two containers, one for couples and one for single people. There are mostly two couples and two singles at each table. Each time we usually sit with different people so we can get to know everyone in the village.

L to R: Mandy and Andrew, Ian and Clover, Joan and Faith.  (Faith is one of our oldest residents in her nineties and still alert but has sciatica)

This was my table. Bill is in the red jacket listening to Noela, her husband, Robin is talking to Rhonda and Anne (hiding behind Rhonda.) 

Our usual chef was away. He is a chef on a yacht as well and sometimes dinners clash. So we had a catering company cooking a roast dinner for us but the Rochdale High School catering students still helped decorate the tables, serve the meals, clean up and wash the dishes. They are great kids doing a good job.Thanking the students.

The Maroons won. Hooray! Now they are one each. The decider will be played next month. (Photo from the web). P.S. It is the shortest day of the year today. Yay! heading towards spring and summer.

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13 comments:

  1. Fun60June 21, 2026 at 3:35 PM

    Those high school students are a great asset to the community. The seating arrangements are a clever way of mixing and .meeting new people..

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  2. HelsJune 21, 2026 at 3:46 PM

    I was born and raised in Victoria, a VFL/AFL football fanatic since the middle 1950s. My parents lived opposite the Carlton football ground and barracked for Carlton. My brothers and I barracked for Melbourne, and our children preferred Carlton again. But I cannot remember ever caring about a state team.
    In fact a yearly competition between NSW and Qld sounds unusual. However a Resident's Dinner Night sounds excellent :)

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  3. Margaret DJune 21, 2026 at 6:36 PM

    Looks at good time had by all there, Diane. Nice photos and that's a good idea that you all sit with different people so you get to know all in the complex.
    Take care.

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  4. handmade by amaliaJune 21, 2026 at 10:02 PM

    Looks like such a fun event. And how nice that your team won!
    Amalia
    xo

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  5. MarciaJune 21, 2026 at 10:56 PM

    And we experienced the longest day here! Looks like a good meal.

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  6. DeniseinVAJune 21, 2026 at 11:48 PM

    A wonderful gathering and it’s lovely that the high school catering students are involved. Congratulations to the Maroons.

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  7. eileeninmdJune 22, 2026 at 12:26 AM

    Hello,
    Looks like a nice dinner for the residents. It is great the the school students help out.
    Take care, enjoy your day and happy week ahead.

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  8. Kay G.June 23, 2026 at 8:06 PM

    What a great community of people! I bet the food was good. Rochdale High School, that made me read it twice. I graduated from Rockdale Ciunty Hight School!

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  9. IngridJune 24, 2026 at 8:04 PM

    Here they are all crazy with the World Cup I can't hear the word anymore. Fortunately we do not have a lot of male fans, so the TV in the corner of the restaurant is not full ! Women are not so interested. We have a terrible heatwave, never happened since weather temperatures are recorded. Today 37°C private homes don't have any aircondition or only a few, in our castle only the restaurant; Normally we really don't need it it mostly doesn't go over 25.

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  10. JennyffJune 24, 2026 at 8:18 PM

    You are indeed a sociable lot. Back in Yorkshire we are watching the World Cup, just the two of us.

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  11. Lowcarb team memberJune 25, 2026 at 2:02 AM

    As Kay G. also said ... you have a great community there.
    Lovely to see your photographs and well done to the students for helping out.

    All the best Jan

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  12. MarjaJune 25, 2026 at 1:53 PM

    I don't know much about Rugby. I stuck to soccer and we follow the Netherlands and New Zealand which are both playing in the world cup. The food looks delicious

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  13. Pat @ Mille Fiori FavoritiJuly 3, 2026 at 3:57 AM

    We have been enjoying watch the World Cup games! Sometimes we yell at the reffs on TV as they call foul that do not seem like fouls and miss ones that definitely are...lol. Our daughter and SIL are in LA today for the Spain against Austria game. I am jealous of the wonderful community you live in. As we are getting older we have looked into "Independant Living" type housing but the cost is so high. I'd really need to downsize my knick knacks and book collections too, so we will most likely stay in our home for now.

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