They might just be footy jerseys but they’re some of the most valuable commodities in Australian sport.
And I think it’s time we take to take the blue and maroon colours of New South Wales and Queensland to the world.
What I propose is a post-season four-team representative competition in a similar format as the current Four Nations, but with a twist.
Instead of throwing a minnow team into the mix such as France, Wales or PNG, we include the all the big boppers of representative footy. A four-tribe contest between NSW, Queensland, New Zealand and England.
Is it just me, or do the post-season Kangaroos tours of England usually fail to capture our collective imagination? I don’t ever recall waking up in the wee-hours for a Kangaroos versus England match.
On the odd occasion I might record the games on my PVR, but I just don’t recall stumbling over myself to watch an international.
When they roll out the blue and maroon jerseys though, it is a completely different story.
I’m sure most of us would move heaven and earth to ensure we were near a television on a wintry State of Origin night.
Who here has made an appointment for dinner, a meeting or picking up a relative from the airport on a Wednesday night, then realised later that it was actually Origin night? Who then has had to make the embarrassing call-back to re-arrange?
I want to feel the same way about the post-season representative matches. I want to sweat on the team announcements after the NRL grand final. I want to select my own team and compare it to the actual team once it is announced. I want to wake up bleary eyed to watch footy early in the morning. I want to live, why won’t you let me live?
I think a NSW Blues and Queensland Maroons tour of England would stir up the little child inside us rugby league fans once again.
I’m not proposing this be an annual fixture or anything excessive like that, and I don’t want to devalue the Kangaroos jersey at all.
Perhaps if the series was held once every four or five years, it would be seen as a really special event – any more frequently could be seen as overkill. Maybe the series could be hosted alternatively in England and Australia during the post-season.
Whatever the finer details, I reckon a Blues and Maroons tour would be really really special.
On a more selfish note, and from the perspective of a Blues supporter, it would be an awesome opportunity to bed down some of those player combinations in preparation for the big show – the regular mid-season State of Origin event.
The Queenslanders have had (and still do) have a mortgage on the main playmaking positions in the Kangaroos team.
An extra chance for the NSW spine to play together can’t hurt, can it?
Shane
Guest
That is your opinion only. You are guessing here and are probably far from actuality.
Shane
Guest
No !!! State of Origin should always be a contest between QLD & NSW and no one else.If you start bringing in other teams you will water down the State rivalry between the 2 current adversaries. This idea will end State of Origin as we know it. There is a saying, "if it aint broke, don't fix it". Please for the lover of god and the preservation of a good thing we have going for the past 32 years, do not ruin it with an idea like this.
Craigie
Guest
State of origin only works in Brissy and Sydney. You can't replicate that kind of atmosphere any where else. If you want to take it anywhere else maybe NQ.
Qld
Guest
Well said ...
beyondthestump
Guest
I think Rabbitz has made a good point but I still think the idea has merit damoinaus. It could increase (if that is possible) competition between Qld & NSW as each team, besides wanting to beat each othe, would also want to outdo each other in their other games. So the Qld/NSW pride both teams have wouldn't be lossed or reduced and perhaps it would create more hate for us as Aussies from the Brits or Kiwis. Emotion after all is what makes SOO so great.
onside
Guest
The UK can fit inside the State of Victoria.And yet the UK comprises National teams from England,Wales,Scotland and Ireland.I have often wished Australia could be represented by its States.(stupid ? of course,pure fantasy, but its a pity it cannot happen) And so from time to time QLD or NSW,and other states, could become World Champions. OK Ok, enough already,back to work.
damoinaus
Roar Pro
Just like we in NSW hate QLD, and just like the Queenslanders hate us...maybe a bit of stinging press will have the Brits and Kiwis hating our teams too.
damoinaus
Roar Pro
Sounds like pretty good press to me!! Nothing like a negative headline to stir up the blood and the passion. That's what drives the Sydney and Brisbane media during Origin...
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
So just to paint this how the UK press would run with it... "Aussies insult GB Rugby League by only sending provincial sides to play against England's best." I imagine the Kiwi press would have similar things to say...
damoinaus
Roar Pro
true true...that's why I reckon the above proposal has legs. It would be a huge money spinner. The interest generated would far outweigh a traditional 4 Nations tournament with a token minnow team.
onside
Guest
SOO is to Rugby League what The Melbourne Cup is to horse racing. Both are stand alone entertainment vehicles. SOO does not increase overall interest in Rugby League any more than The Melbourne Cup encourages more people to attend other horse race meetings. The NRL would be delighted to be able to translate the massive TV ratings watched by millions of people into bums on seats at local games.But it does not happen,any more than a crowd of 100.000 at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day will guarantee more punters at the next provincial race meeting. The only reason the ARL would hold a SOO match away from traditional venues is money.Big money.Nothing to do with the game of Rugby League.Though that would not be the spin.
damoinaus
Roar Pro
Mush, I'm a firm believer in keeping the Origin series at ANZ and Suncorp for all 3 games...I think the State of Origin 3 game series should be protected.
damoinaus
Roar Pro
Why? There are many reasons stated above.in the article. I'm happy for you to critique my thoughts... I think NSW v England or QLD v NZ would be a great vehicle for spreading the rugby league gospel around the world. Could you imagine the crowd in England? The ex-pats and the locals would go mad for it.
Redback
Guest
Keep it to NSW and Qld or lose the appeal. SOO is big enough. If you continue to play around with it, it will only go one way.
Seriously, Who says Oi?
Guest
Johnno, that game from 1987 was anything but successful. They got a tiny crowd despite having offered free admission to most who actually attended. It was as relevant as a game of Dominoes in a nearby garage.
mushi
Guest
You’d swear that we were all shareholders in this game the way we are willing to sell our access to it in order to get the bottom line a bit more juiced.
SA
Guest
But why? the reason that this is such a great comp and the reason it works is because its state vs state, its tribal, its for the fans in australia! SOO are for the people of NSW and Queensland. You need to get International rugby league working and spread that around the world. Why would people in other countries relate to two foreign australian states? and im sure the players in aus would rather want to reprersent their country when they play international oppostion.
Johnno
Guest
-For those that don't know much about rugby league, state of origin hosted a match in 1987 in Los Angeles California in 1987, and they got a big crowd and it was a success,. -Maybe they should do that again take it overseas like to USA.