In this article, we delve into two seemingly disparate yet culturally significant aspects of Australian life: the livestock industry and the National Rugby League (NRL).
By comparing the number of cattle exported from each Australian state with the fervour and passion surrounding the NRL State of Origin decider, insights and parallels are drawn between the two.
In light of one of the nation’s greatest contests, APlus News has taken data from and presented to you a wrap up of where AuctionsPlus have seen cattle listed or “originated” from (delivery state) within our platform, over the past six months of 2024.
To narrow down a snapshot of the data, we’ve chosen to represent the 280-330kg weight range for cattle listed on the platform (including those re-offered).
The state breakdown of listings across the first six months of 2024 have largely been dominated by NSW, which filled over 40% of listings (28,035 head) in the respective weight range.
QLD has held a strong presence making up just over 30% (20,885 head), with the southern states VIC, SA and TAS combined representing 26.4% of the listings shown.
Looking back on the first halves of the past four years, NSW has tightly clutched the lead over QLD in listing numbers.
In 2021, NSW led the charge in listing numbers over QLD, emulating the results of the NSW sky-blues who settled the deciding game 20 points to nil.
Post 2021, the rise in QLD’s success on field has not corresponded with surging numbers out of the ‘sky-blue’ state across the platform. The gap in listing numbers significantly widened in 2022 with NSW (32,494) leading over QLD (25,529), whilst on the turf QLD dominated the termites taking out the deciding game 22-12.
AuctionsPlus’ Network General Manager, Paul Holm, said the favorable season in Queensland may have seen producers hold onto stock longer, as well as the drier conditions NSW have seen in comparison may be the reason for the lead in numbers.
From an online platform perspective, a lot of our users are based in NSW, so it may be worthwhile for QLD producers to advertise livestock into NSW regions.
“The Queensland selling season is well underway now, it’ll be interesting to see how the second six months of the year play out,” Mr Holm said.
“I think some of the NSW cattle have come early, the second six months of the year, Queensland could very well catch NSW. The QLD selling season is well underway where maybe NSW is already getting tight.”
“The drier conditions in NSW throughout some of biggest listing areas such as the Northern Riverina region, may have seem larger numbers of livestock come earlier than traditionally seen.”
The number of listings has significantly risen in the first half of 2024 compared to the previous year, with NSW’s lead closing-in as QLD’s listing numbers have risen 88% (11,098 to 20,885 head) compared those offered in 2023.
The NSW lead within the specific weight category’s listing numbers this year may perhaps present a positive omen for the outcome of the sky-blues’ performance at Suncorp Stadium next week.
However, the ball may be held in the court of the sunshine state as the last time the Blues won a series decider in Brisbane was 2005. Of the 13 decider games played in Queensland since 1982, the Blues have won just two.
