As I have said in another comment, the origin series is unique due to the fact that it acts as a pressure valve, with players effectively becoming free agents from their regular home clubs and thus it allows "those back room niggles" such as team mates who hold a grudge over sleeping with the same bit of skirt to be blown off during the mid season all stars origin series. Everyone gives 110% as it's all about pride

He's really really amazing

Shaun Johnson was certainly an amazing player... however you have to understand the flow of a Rugby League game to really understand how much of a wizard the man was when it comes to his strategic view of the game.

GI was certainly a complete package, not the one element which you have failed to mention was his ability to see the game differently, and his leadership and vision. Rugby League (and union) are games where the play is organic, unllike say American Football. As such, the difference between a good player and a great player is their ability to know when to put themselves into contact ... and suck up defenders ... and hand off the ball as they do so. This is something which GI had a huge level of skill at. Being a strong player, it would take a lot of defensive resource to stop him and bring him down, so by getting people to commit to defending against him, it created opportunities for other players ... by making gaps in the defence. Rugby (both codes) isn't just about being able to mow people down or get a good run on, but sometimes it is about committing to be hit ... and to absorb as many defenders as you can for as long as you can in order to create opportunities with the quick hand off at the last second. This takes a kind of selfless bravery and a real grasp of the position both of your team mates and the other sides ...

Love that comparison

Yes, the state v state, mate v mate, element of State of Origin is what makes it the premier "all star" series in sport in my opinion. Being held in the middle of the regular season, players are selected to play for their state of original professional representation (the series has rules as to qualification to ensure players have a state to play for) and it showcases the best players from across the entire league, playing for pride, against their own regular club team mates... this means that the games are hugely physical, with pride on the line. If you have a grudge against one of your own team mates ... he is a little greedy ... he slept with your girlfriend ... he threw you that hospital pass last week, the Origin series is your opportunity to show him up ... and lay in a hit or two. Origin games traditionally are some of the most prone to having fights mid game as well, it's now a tradition ... so players will be ready to "bring the biff" and lay in a hit or two. No player selected to represent for Origin would live down not accepting the call up, and not putting in 110%. It's the best in the league, playing a 3 game series for pride and glory, with no club duties or considerations for their clubs prospects. The games are utterly spell binding with the crowds baying for blood, and being the most vocal and the most involved - as it is state pride on the line. Either you are a blue or you are a maroon, and you will either be on the side crowned with glory or decimated in defeat ... nothing really compares in sport. Imagine if mid hockey season, their was a Eastern Provinces v Western Provinces "All Canada" Glory cup held... based upon whether you first played a pro game on one side of an imaginary line or another ... that's what it is. Now imagine that the week after the series you would go back to the normal club season. All bets would be off for those 3 games, the air would be cleared, and you'd see the most violent games of ice hockey ever held... and that is Origin. Or ... a USA v Canada series ;)