New Zealand is a beautiful country. Home to amazing athletes who can do the spectacular, home to sportsmen and women who are willing to roll up their sleeves and just get the job done, gritty and tough, yet still able to do the sublime. But we are mediocre sports fans. While we may enjoy a night out at the footy, this tends to consist of sitting in your seat for 80 minutes, no chanting, no colour, no plethora of flags, no mass synchronisation resulting in a stadium which resembles a piece of art. No, we just like to sit there, shout the odd expletive and watch our chosen sport. So excuse me, if I support an Australian team in the biggest sporting event across the Tasman each year. We are deprived of the tribal nature that supporting a sports team can bring. So if I have to support a bunch of Aussies to get this fix, #guilty.

First of all lets look at some examples of what we're missing out on. I'll start with hockey. Can anyone relate hockey with amazing crowds and support? Maybe those familiar with hockey could. This would be limited to nations where hockey is huge and their teams are the best in the world, such as Netherlands or Germany.. not Malaysia.

Then there are the obvious examples, like football where stadiums are a blank canvas for fans to work their magic

While I have many intentions to experience sporting events like this, it is not possible right now. So the best I can do, is don the Maroon and get behind my team. Where in New Zealand would you see an entire section of a stadium covered in blue, green, yellow, red or salmon? No where. Never. That's just the way Kiwis are. But I want more. I want to experience what it's really like to support a team. Many Kiwis seem to forget that supporting a sports team means you support them no matter what. I can't get my sporting fix in New Zealand. It just doesn't happen. People try to start a chant and they're looked at like "who the fuck are these jokers?" Sometimes we get on board, but it takes a dramatic situation against the Motherland such as the cricket test against England at Eden Park, for Kiwis to get passionate and influence their team's performance.

The 'I am a New Zealander, why should I support an Australian state' argument is flawed. Why do you support an NBA, EPL, NFL or any other foreign team? Anyone who supports a foreign team is looking to be a part of something bigger. A tribe. A group of people with a common interest or goal. To provide their team with the best encouragement possible. Help them out when the chips are down.

I support an Australian state because nothing in New Zealand equals it. There is no sporting event in New Zealand half as good as State of Origin. I crave the adrenaline that supporting a team in such an important fixture provides. I'll never sky dive. I'll never bungy jump. I'm a soft cock perhaps. But my fix is given to me through supporting a team when the game is in the balance. The nerves I felt in the last 10 minutes when NSW were storming back in to the game, will be unmatched this year (unless the Kiwis go close to winning the World Cup later in the year). There are very few sporting events in New Zealand that can offer me this rush and most of them only come around every four years.

So yes, I support an Australian state. I do so because I crave what New Zealand simply can't offer. I crave something bigger. More exciting, with more pressure. Bigger crowds with colour and excitement. I crave being a part of big sporting events and I can't wait 'til I am wearing a Maroon jersey in either Sydney or Brisbane supporting Queensland whether they are winning or loosing.