QLD vs NSW at Monduran For our annual fishing trip to Lake Monduran last October we decided to hold a friendly competition with our old friends from Sydney, a State of Origin fishing test with the magical metre barramundi the ultimate prize.
For the last four years this dedicated bunch of fisherman from the Barrenjoey Sportfishing club in Sydney have made the sojourn north to God’s country: Queensland.
For our QLD vs NSW friendly rivalry Paul came up with some unique embroidery ideas thanks to our wives’ embroidery business, and so we had State of Origin badges made for all competitors.
Our Queensland team was called Team Zulu!
The NSW team looked pretty formidable. With the NSW contingents, Chris Bird, Frank Best, Willy and Ryan Osinga, Bert Langford, Greg Dare, Ross Kerr and Bob Hamilton, all regulars in ANSA comps in NSW.
Unfortunately for us Paul’s son, Andrew, and son-in-law, Mick, could not make it so the State of Origin looked a little lopsided. Two players for QLD versus eight from NSW, but it was too late to back out, so the challenge went ahead.
Coming into Gin Gin we thought we had the jump on the cockroaches, but surprise, surprise, a line of Quintrex Hornets indicated they must have had an early start out of Morayfield, their overnight stop. It wasn’t hard to find them; where else would they be? The tackle shop!
It was good to see all the old faces plus the young smiling face of Ryan, (now 15) with a firm hand shake it was easy to see he had grown into a fine young man, as it been nearly ten years since I last saw him.
Finally at the camp ground it didn’t take long to set up our tent and get our gear organized, then Paul and I headed off for an afternoon reconnaissance.
On the way to the ramp we stopped at the rental house where the boys were staying and Paul started the stirring by handing over the State of Origin badges and a photo of his 40kg monster from a couple of years ago to give the NSW | 
