The famous Queensland Rugby League ‘pick and stick’ method has also been adopted by the Sunshine State’s selectors for this year’s Origin Greyhound Series.
Racing Queensland and Greyhound Racing New South Wales have both released their squads for the showpiece event at Albion Park on Thursday, June 15.
The inter-state rivalry will reignite with the Group 3 Origin Sprint and Origin Distance, along with the Listed Origin Match Race.
Queensland’s 2022 Greyhound of the Year, Orchestrate, headlines the Maroons squad, along with fellow award finalists Shipwreck and Days of Thunder, as well as Queensland Derby victor and Albion Park 520m track record holder Jay Is Jay, who is looking to contest his first Origin Series.
Shipwreck has been selected following his Match Race-winning heroics in 2022, while Days Of Thunder claimed victory in the Distance race earlier in the evening.
It was those runs that saw Queensland take back the series trophy from NSW, with the series sitting at two apiece after its introduction in 2018.
Former Origin great Ben Hannant will once again take the coaching reins for Queensland, renewing his rivalry with former Blues player Terry Hill, who will coach NSW.
Hannant said Queensland’s selection had him full of confidence that the Sunshine State would retain bragging rights in 2023.
“The Queensland selectors might not have stayed loyal to some of the players from the 2022 State of Origin series, but thankfully we have for this year’s Origin Greyhound Series,” Hannant said.
“It’s fantastic to see Shipwreck and Days Of Thunder back in the squad after their stellar efforts last year, along with Orchestrate who claimed the Origin Sprint in 2021.
“While I’m confident the Maroons will get the job done over NSW in Adelaide on Wednesday night, I’m even more convinced we can make it consecutive series wins for Queensland at Albion Park next month.”
In total, Queensland and NSW will be represented by nine greyhounds each, with each state naming a preliminary squad of 25.
Greyhounds not selected in the squads can still force their way into the final teams by producing stand-out performances over the next couple of weeks, before teams are finalised on Friday, June 9.
The NSW squad is headlined by sprinter She’s A Pearl, a two-time Group 1 winner who took out last year’s Million Dollar Chase and has collected over $1.5 million in prize money.
She will be supported by Simply Limelight, who won the Group 1 Golden Easter Egg 520m in April, as well as stayer Zipping Orlando whose recent victories include the Group 1 Association Cup Final and The 715 Final at The Gardens.
The ever-charismatic Blues coach Terry Hill said he was hungry to win back the crown for NSW.
“We can forget the result in 2022 - 2023 is what we are now focused on in NSW, and we’re keen to take back that trophy,” Hill said.
“We’ve got one of the strongest squads ever selected for the Blues and I’ll be heading north full of confidence.”
There’s more than just state rivalry on the line, with the Group 3 Sprint and Distance – previously run for $75,000 – both doubling in prize money to be run for $150,000 each.
The Listed Origin Match Race has also received a $15,000 boost, with a $60,000 purse on offer.
Racing Queensland’s Senior Greyhound Racing Manager Brenton Scott said the Origin Greyhound Series always proves to be one of the highlights of the Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival.
“We cannot wait to see the state rivalry reignite on June 15 at Albion Park, when Queensland once again attempts to hold on to the Origin trophy,” Scott said.
“With two Origin legends at the helm of the teams, we are looking forward to seeing what their respective sides serve up in what will be an edge-of-your-seat night of racing.
“An incredible $3.3 million will be up for grabs in prize money over the seven weeks of racing, including the $1 million Brisbane Cup, and the Origin series is always an integral part of the carnival.”
Click here for more information on the 2023 Origin Greyhound Series.
