'Steeped in history': Hannay, Tate reflect on coveted shield's meaning

The State of Origin shields Queensland hold are more than just your standard pieces of silverware.

Earning it as a player is one thing - as every series winner will tell you - but being able to share it with Queenslanders from the city to the regions at the end of the day is what it's all about.

It's a feeling former Queensland Maroons centres Josh Hannay and Brent Tate know all too well, and as two of regional Queensland's finest they had the pleasure joining the Westpac and Queensland Rugby League regional shield tour last week.

The tour started in Toowoomba last Wednesday, where fans posed for photos with the Shield and much loved former Maroons enforcer Shane Webcke, before moving on to Rockhampton on Thursday and Mackay on Friday before wrapping up in Townsville on Saturday.

Hannay (FOG#139) joined the Rockhampton and Mackay legs, not too far from his hometown of Moranbah, and the 2023 Queensland Maroons assistant coach said it brought home everything the squad had talked about in keeping it in our possession.

"You can certainly get a sense of just how much people in regional Queensland, love it when they get close to anything rugby league," he said.

"You could see there was a buzz that they were able to get their photos alongside the shield."

The shield itself invokes a sense of pride for Hannay, a representation of the toil it takes to secure "one of the hardest things to win in Australian sport".

"Obviously there's a real sense of pride it represents for me because it's never given," he said.

"Every series is always so even and so hard and I think any time you can win it, you know that a lot has gone into it behind the scenes by a lot of people.

"For me, it always is a representation of hard work by a lot of people and a source of pride."

And not everyone can make getting their hands on the shield their last act in the State of Origin arena, like Hannay did in Game III, 2006.

"I didn't win a lot in my professional career, but I was able to be part of one winning series and so for me on a personal level, it was a great source of pride to be able to hold up that shield.

"It's steeped in history. Some of the best players have played our game, worn our jersey and those same guys at different times throughout the history of Queensland have held up that shield.

"For me as a modest player at best, it really wasn't lost to me the honour of being able to get my hands on that shield."

Hannay said the coaching group had been able to harness the understanding of the meaning of the shield to people all over the state, especially with the majority 2023 winning squad having played junior rugby league in regional Queensland

It makes them fully aware of the sacrifices players, coaches, their families, and all the volunteers make - on top of their day jobs - to develop young players from the regions into Maroons.

"I think there's certainly a synergy there between the hard working people of Queensland and the hard work that goes into winning that shield," Hannay said.

"We are a hard working group of people, whether it's industry, agriculture - you name it.

"We're known for rolling up our sleeves as Queenslanders."

 Fellow former Queensland Maroons centre Brent Tate joined the shield tour in Townsville on Saturday and said there was always a mix of relief and happiness on winning a series.

But by the time he got the shield in his hands, it was about enjoying the moment.

"Obviously there's a lot of pressure and expectation that goes along with it and knowing what it means to the Queensland people when you get the opportunity to win it," Tate said.

"There's a real sense of relief that you've done your job, you've done your duty in some way, shape or form and you know that everyone's sort of going to work really happy the next morning that support Queensland and that Maroon jersey."

The responsibility Tate felt to snare the shield as a player originated, like every young Queenslander, in the lounge room growing up, staying up way too late growing up in Roma.

"I remember some real vivid memories of like Wally Lewis and Dale Shearer and those sort of guys, and the '95 series with Paul 'Fatty' Vautin as coach," he said.

"We lived and breathed it. We genuinely did.

"As a kid growing up in Queensland, you watch Origin. It's the only night of the week you're allowed to stay up.

"And you couldn't sleep after it because you're either buzzing or you're really upset after a win or a loss.

"I remember as a kid watching it thinking, when I get my time I'm going to win every game I'm playing, I'm never ever going to let (a loss) happen when I play for Queensland.

"They're the sort of thoughts that I had as a kid growing up."

Tate was lucky enough to live up to those expectations more often than not in 23 games across nine State of Origin series, standing shoulder to shoulder with his best mates in a "special time of your life".

"To see (the shield) in the flesh, get a photo with it... and then earn it and win it mate was something pretty bloody cool," he said.

Main image: Queensland Maroons assistant coach and two-game State of Origin centre Josh Hannay with the men's shield in Rockhampton as part of the Westpac and Queensland Rugby League regional shield tour.