State of Origin rugby league looks set to become a permanent fixture on Melbourne’s sporting calendar with ARL officials holding high-level talks about staging one match a year south of the border through to the 2012 season.
Speaking at today’s announcement that the Origin series would return to the Victorian capital in 2009 – with game one to be held at the Telstra Dome (which will then be known as Etihad Stadium) on June 3, ARL chief executive Geoff Carr revealed plans were afoot to make the move a permanent one.
Currently NSW and Queensland rotate the right to have two home fixtures in the three-match series, with the Maroons giving up their right to host a second game in 2009 just as NSW did in 2006.
But if the ARL gets it’s way, the days of one state hosting two home games a series could soon be gone.
“We are currently in talks with the Victorian major events company about bringing more games including internationals and Origins,” Carr said.
“We are talking about an Origin game here in 2010, 11, 12.”
Queensland go into next year’s showdown looking to become the first side to record four straight series wins, the Maroons confident they won’t be giving away too much by relinquishing home ground advantage.
“Although it’s great playing at Suncorp and it’s a pretty hard place for the Blues to get a win there, it’s neutral ground here and we’re confident we can win no matter where we are,” said Queensland hooker Cameron Smith, the man who led the Maroons in the absence of injured skipper Darren Lockyer this year.
“I think it showed this year when we were in Sydney, we got a win there where everyone said it was impossible for us to win.
“Going to a neutral ground it doesn’t favour one team at all.”
Lockyer said he was looking forward to returning not only to the Origin arena in 2009 – after his 2008 campaign was ruined by a recurrence of a knee injury – but also to a venue which holds a special place in the memory bank.
The last time the Queensland five-eighth played at Telstra Dome in 2006, he scored the intercept try in the final stages which won the series for the Maroons to end a run of three straight series wins for NSW.
Now it is the Maroons who will head Melbourne looking to make it four straight.
“The last Origin match here in 2006 was one of the most memorable I have played in,” Lockyer said.
“Missing out on playing a part in what was a very special year for Queensland, I’ve got itchy feet and hopefully I’m there next year.”
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