‘Our team had it, now this group has it’: Key to Origin glory shared by 2025 Blues and class of 2005

4 hours ago 2

Members of the triumphant 2005 NSW team joined current Blues players in the middle of Accor Stadium on Monday night, watching Origin highlights from both eras on the big screen before realising a number of uncanny of similarities between the two sides.

For starters, Nathan Cleary is a future immortal like halfback Andrew Johns. Dylan Edwards is a workhorse fullback in the mould of Anthony Minichiello.

Matt Gasnier and Matt Cooper were a tall, powerful centre combination – much like Latrell Mitchell and Stephen Crichton. Or Angus Crichton and Liam Martin, two country boys who give their all on an edge, just like Craig Fitzgibbon. Even the No.14s, Craig Wing and now Connor Watson, both played with the Sydney Roosters.

The 2005 team won the previous series in 2004, before they triumphed in the 2005 decider. The current Blues regained the shield in 2024 and are looking to extend their reign in game three next Wednesday.

Each series featured a stirring Blues comeback that fell just short: the 2005 side fought back from 19-0 down in game one to lead 20-19 only to lose in golden point, while the 2025 Blues rallied from 26-6 down to be pipped 26-24 in Perth a few weeks ago.

Class of 2005 alumni Danny Buderus, Andrew Ryan, Matt King, Gasnier, Steve Simpson, Steve Menzies, Nathan Hindmarsh, Wing and Anthony Watmough were all in attendance, along with several former staffers including long-serving trainer, physio and doctor Ronnie Palmer, Liz Street and John Orchard.

The 2005 and 2025 NSW Blues get together on Monday night.

King, now Daley’s assistant coach, spoke about the eerie similarities between the sides – including the tight bond within the respective groups.

“Connection is everything,” King said. “Our team had it, now this group has it – and it’s exciting knowing that connection is being re-created again.

“I remember the weeks we would spend in camp at Coogee, how Anthony Watmough made sure the doors were left open in the hotel and everyone’s room became everyone’s room. It was like a frat house. It was a lot of fun.

“‘Mini’ and ‘Joey’ [Johns] were roommates and always had the music blaring. It was often a punk band, like The White Stripes – not some rapper I’ve never heard of like the music I hear in camp now.

“Myself, Fitzy and Wingy played the guitar. We built that bond. They are memories I’ll have forever.

“It’s happening with this group. They’re all well-mannered and respectful men. They know how to have fun, but when it comes time for meetings or time to train, they switch on and focus.”

Ryan, who car-pooled from Newcastle to Sydney with Simpson and Buderus, said the desire to never disappoint your teammate helped drive the Blues’ success.

“Someone like Craig Fitzgibbon or Danny Buderus, you’d vote them player’s player because you always knew what they would do for the team – you wanted to rip in for them, and be that player everyone wanted to play alongside,” Ryan said.

Matt King addressed the players on Monday night.

Johns returned to the Blues for games two and three in 2005, with his two masterclasses widely believed to have gone a long way towards cementing his status of becoming the eighth league player to be granted Immortal status.

The players spoke about the intensity and quality of the first training session when Johns returned, and how then coach Ricky Stuart sat with Johns on the bus, spelling out the game plan, only for Johns to keep telling him, ‘No worries, Stick, I’ve got this’.

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