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State of Origin heading to Adelaide in 2020

13th February, 2018
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Have we finished talking about Origin yet? (AAP Image/Glenn Hunt)
Expert
13th February, 2018
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The NRL has sensationally announced that a State of Origin game will be taken to the Adelaide Oval in 2020.

According to NRL.com, the 2020 game is expected to be either the first of the series on a Wednesday night or the second, which would be played on a Sunday afternoon under the new TV deal, to ensure the game isn’t a dead rubber.

State of Origin is widely regarded as the pinnacle of rugby league in Australia and the NRL have often talked about playing one game outside of New South Wales and Queensland each year.

Victoria has been the usual destination, with the opening game set to be played at the 100,000-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2018.

It will be the ninth time Melbourne has hosted a State of Origin game and it’s generally thought Origin has been a success in the Victorian capital, with a crowd of 91,513 watching the last match played at the Cricket Ground.

The first Origin game to be played away from the eastern seaboard will be played at the new 60,000-seat Perth Stadium in 2019, followed by the 2020 game in Adelaide.

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said it was a significant moment for rugby league in Australia.

“Melbourne embraced State of Origin in 2015 and we expect another special night at the MCG for Game One this year,” Mr Greenberg said.

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“The fact that this contest will be embraced by Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide in consecutive years is a significant coup for the game.

“Adelaide is a new market in terms of hosting this match but we know that Origin is a popular event in the city, as it is across the country.

“That will only be enhanced when Origin is played for the first time at such a historic venue like Adelaide Oval.”

Rugby league’s first attempt at expanding into Adelaide came with the failed Adelaide Rams, who played their first season during the Super League war of 1997 before falling over at the end of the 1998 season.

Since then, just five first grade games have been played in the South Australian capital. A generally positive response was seen last year though as the Sydney Roosters beat the Melbourne Storm in a nailbiter on the renovated 50,000-seat Oval.

The renovations have seen the Adelaide Oval become one of Australia’s premier sporting grounds with regularly big crowds packing the venue for cricket and AFL and it’s expected a State of Origin game would draw similar crowds.

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