CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
Lidcombe-based printing supply sales rep, Johnathon Hindmarsh (33), has never been a religious man.
He stopped going to church when his grandmother decided she didn’t like the local chaplain in 1992 and he’s been back for weddings since.
In fact, apart from the heebee-jeebees he gets while walking through the local cemetery on his way home from the pub of an evening, there’s not much in this world that Johnno finds sacred.
That is, except for his staunch love of the New South Wales rugby league side. Even through the Queensland decade of dominance, Johnno, like many other long suffering Blues supporters, kept showing up for the boys.
He knew there would be day when the big three and Thurston weren’t held together with concrete. A day like today.
But even with a comprehensive win in sight, Johnno has spoiled the moment. For the only thing he takes more seriously than his State Of Origin, is his functional yet problematic gambling habit.
“I’ve gone and ruined the one thing that meant anything to me” he says, while holding back tears of a chicken shnitzel on his lunch break.
“But the value was there!”
Like many other self-hating New South Walshmen today, Johnno has betted against his own kind. He says it was a battle of the heart verses the brain, and ultimately his back pocket decided on the victor.
“If Pearce wasn’t in that side I would have never done it” he says.
“But he was”
While workmates sit in silence, contemplating just how low Johnno has stooped, the recently-single Gemini pathetically attempts to justify loading up on Chambers as first try scorer and Queensland to win by 13.
“It’s an emotional hedge if anything”
“If Blues lose, I win.. If I lose, the blues win”
“I wouldn’t have to think about these fucking things if they hadn’t hurt me so bad in the past!”
