FILTHY at being labelled a New South Welshman, boom Queensland-born playmaker Luke Keary has lodged a formal protest to NRL chief executive Dave Smith.

And who could blame a man for taking official action when burdened with such an ugly tag.

Frustrated that a meeting with NRL head of football Todd Greenberg failed to answer his eligibility questions, Keary has now written to Smith asking to be made available for Queensland’s State of Origin cause.

However, it is understood Smith will write back to Keary this week and tell him he can’t represent the state he was born and raised in until the age of 10.

So after eight straight State of Origin wins Queensland finally loses a battle against New South Wales, the state which gave Palmerston North’s own James Tamou a blue jersey despite his heavy Kiwi accent.

Alongside Wests Tigers cub Luke Brooks, Keary is the game’s most promising playmaker.

Born in Allan Langer’s home of Ipswich, he is a five-eighth with lightning speed and toughness to match and the South Sydney prodigy is expected to one day star in the Origin arena.

The Blues have fought hard for Keary but why they want a diehard Queensland fan to play for them is bizarre at best.

Six weeks ago, Keary was set to be named in Queensland’s Emerging Origin squad until the Blues blocked the move at the last minute.

media_camera South Sydney’s Luke Keary is out for five months after tearing a pectoral muscle at the Auckland Nines. Picture: Mark Evans

Keary, currently out injured, does tick “Blue” to the majority of Origin eligibility questions but being feels more weight should be given to his own choice and place of birth.

As a result, the prospect of re-working the eligibility criteria to include a points system has been debated in NSWRL and QRL hallways.

It is understood some senior officials believe more weight should be given to a player’s place of birth which would help solve dual eligibility cases.

Keary also played his first senior football in Queensland when he starred in the Queensland Cup for the Burleigh Bears while attending university on the Gold Coast.

Maroons coach Mal Meninga is fully supportive of Keary’s desire to represent Queensland after Maroons Greg Inglis and Michael Crocker pushed his credentials to the coach 18 months ago.

The Blues are already bragging about securing Keary.

“We don’t make the rules - we just respect them,” Daley said.

“We welcome him (Keary) into the fold and it’s great for us that he’s eligible to play for NSW.

“It’s good that people in the game are now deciding the facts and that rules are being strictly enforced.

“It’s important the governing body decides which players should play where, based on the facts presented to them.”

After his second NRL game last year, when he scored two tries as Souths crushed the Gold Coast, Keary was asked whether he was a Queenslander.

“Definitely,” he said.

Originally published as Keary only has eyes for Queensland