Lindsay Collins has been a central figure in Queensland’s two most recent series wins and Origin I 2023 proved the powerhouse forward still has plenty to give, to rugby league and the Maroon jersey.
The Brothers Stafford junior made his seventh appearance for Queensland on Wednesday evening, leading his team to a 26-18 upset with one try assist and 115 run metres from a 44-minute stint, impressing in all effort areas.
Collins: 'Origin is Made of Moments'
The enforcer says he is proud to represent his home state, recalling times as a child where he dreamt of being a Maroon.
“During the week we got asked who we wanted to dedicate the game to and immediately I thought of myself as a kid. The Maroons were my heroes growing up and to have the roles reversed now is pretty special,” he told Roosters.com.au.
“It means so much to me to be able to represent Queensland, it’s partially why you play rugby league to be honest.
“You don’t want to just be an NRL player, you want to be a Maroon."
Reflecting on his recent time in camp, the 27-year-old believes the Maroons team bond was strengthened by last year’s Origin series and the Rugby League World Cup.
“A couple of us went on tour together last year, so it’s a really tight group with strong friendships … it’s always good to spend time together and catch up but then also create new memories,” he said.
“Connections going into camp were there already, they just needed a little tinkering and re-establishing you could say.
“I think Wednesday’s result reflects that we’re all pretty close and the camp brought us closer.”
This season, Collins has cemented himself a starting spot in the Roosters’ front-row, where he has been a stand-out performer, gearing up every week to make courageous carries and devastating tackles.
His never-say-die mentality can be attributed to his experience representing Queensland, he explains that Billy Slater and Cameron Smith have “set the standard” when it comes to playing Origin.
“They may be high calibre former players, but they’ve got so much passion for Queensland and they’ve been through a lot together,” he said.
“It’s easy to vibe off them and do a job that they ask for.
“They gave everything for that jersey and left it in a great spot, so now it’s up to us to do the same.”
Trailing by two points with a player in the sin-bin, Collins reflects on the final 10 minutes of the match crediting the team-first attitude as the reason why Queensland were able to perform under pressure.
“It was a chaotic moment that didn’t feel chaotic at all,” he said.
“Everyone knew their role and knew their job and we gave ourselves every chance to come out on top.
For me, I know I have to stand up in those hard moments. I can’t look around for somebody else to do the work.
Lindsay Collins
“I have to face the difficult things head-on and do my job for the team.
“I take those tough moments front on, that’s what you’ve got to do in Origin.”
Collins Rises Above the Pack
Collins returns to Club duties this weekend, lining up for the Sydney Roosters when they face the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on the Central Coast. He knows every jersey comes with a different set of responsibilities.
“Once you pull the jersey on, you’ve got a job to do,” he said. “When you’re wearing that Roosters jersey, you’re a Rooster, you’re representing the Roosters.”
“You’ve got to go out there and do your job.”
