The broken hearts of the state’s rugby league fans have been dealt another blow, with the news that iconic former Queensland and Australian Test captain Barry Muir has passed away at the age of 84.
While Barry played for and coached Queensland in the pre-Origin era, he left an indelible mark on the game, being one of the loudest voices pushing for change when the Maroons were continually beaten by fellow Queenslanders forced to wear the blue of NSW.
Barry was also famously the first to refer to the Blues as “Cockroaches”, a name that stuck so well it was eventually adopted by the Blues themselves and became a catalyst in the ferocious interstate rivalry that has driven Origin for more than 40 years.
Muir played the bulk of his senior career with his beloved Wests Panthers, and played 26 games for Queensland between 1959 and 1966, and a further 22 Tests and three World Cup games for Australia.
He was captain-coach of Wests in the last three years of his career, and later coached Redcliffe from 1972-1974.
He then took on the coaching role he was born for – leading Queensland between 1974 and 1978, and was named one of the 100 greatest players of all time in the Centenary of Rugby League celebrations in 2008.
Former Origin Greats Executive Chairman Gene Miles said the game in Queensland had lost one of its true giants.
“Barry was as proud and as passionate a Queenslander as there has ever been,” Miles said.
“He had such a massive impact on the game up here, not just as a player and a coach, but for the way he inspired Queenslanders to stand up, believe in themselves, and not be seen as second best.
“Barry fostered the ‘us-against-them mentality’ – and weaponised it.
“He was obviously from the era before Origin, but he played such a big part in the concept beginning by being so vocal in wanting a fair deal for Queensland when we were continually getting whacked in the interstate series.
“There’s a famous saying that those that drink the water should never forget who dug the well.
“And that is so true for Barry. State of Origin is what it is today because of his passion for the game and for Queensland.
“He was one of the architects of Origin footy, but also of the Queensland spirit. He hated NSW, and he didn’t care who knew it.
“Everything he did was about making things better for Queensland.
“The game, and everyone in Queensland owes Barry a tremendous debt of gratitude, and his contribution to rugby league will never be forgotten.
“Everyone at FOGS would like to extend our heartfelt sympathies to Barry’s family, but also our tremendous gratitude that they shared his tremendous character with the game he loved.
“He was a great man and a great Queenslander.”