Friday night’s so called ‘ANZAC’ Test is meaningless for many Australian and Kiwi fans as there is no context to it.
What is the ANZAC Test? It is a one-off Test between Australia and New Zealand played in April each year and has been going since 1998.
If the Kiwis can win on Friday night, what does that mean? Is New Zealand now the team to beat? By winning a one-off game?
Kangaroo coach Tim Sheens raised an interesting issue this week. Having to defend the timing of the early season Test between Australia and New Zealand and it’s relevancy, he said: “I know it (the Test) is before State of Origin, but that is a little out of sync as Origin was invented to be a trial for the Tests.”
State of Origin is now no longer a trial for an Australian jumper.
It is a spectacle in itself, a showpiece that has become a standalone event over time. Players are selected because they are Origin players. Test form is irrelevant.
Part of this is to do with the treatment of the event – it is scheduled for the middle of the year, over six weeks, and players go into camp.
It sounds awfully familiar to The Rugby Championship.
On this basis, let’s schedule State of Origin in April and May, when the bulk of the players are still fresh. Select players who have potential to wear the green and gold, and players who can make the step up into the next level.
Then, after the Australian selectors have a good look at the Origin performances, use June, July and August for a Test series, Four Nations or Tri-Nations model and select a team from there.
Apparently officials are meeting in Canberra this week to discuss the possibility of the British Lions touring in 2015. That would be brilliant.
Why does Origin have to be played mid-year?
At the moment the Rugby League International Federation has a chance make changes to the Test match program.
The Four Nations has been great, built on the Tri-Nations success, and the World Cups in 2013 and 2017 are firmed. They could do worse than follow the success of rugby union – they know how to compile a strong Test program.
State of Origin will always be it’s own entity. That doesn’t have to change.
But if we want to hear the same arguments about meaningless one-off Tests, the NRL and RLIF need to take action with their Test program and make some hard calls about the season schedule. We can only dream.
daniel p
Guest
Personally I want to dump city vs country and leave everything else. Origin will still be played in 20 years time i really cannot see that being stopped
mushi
Roar Guru
Who recognises it as "one of the world's greatest rivalries"
oikee
Guest
"State of Origin" is it's own brand. It gets bigger every year, monsterous now. The game is now recognised as one of the worlds greatest rivalries. The more other countires sit and watch this great event the more the legend and epic proportions of this game grow. Look, this has gone beyond Queensland NSW, it is now a living breathing beast that can take huge numbers all around the country for tis contest. Mate 20 to 30 thousand Queenslandsers are willing to walk over hot coals and walk the ends of the earth for our team, or boys. NSW cant even buy a seat into Queensland Origin, yet our Queensland fans can demand seats down south. Grow, how can we grow our game more, Takke it too NZ, take it to PNG, take it to Dubai or England, even America. Not that they would, because this game belongs to our country, our states, and we are lucky to be able to enjoy such a contest. There is nothing left, nothing given, the talk has been talked, the walk walked, this game is pure unadulterated passion personified and bred out of a true passion and commitment and wealth of downtrodden people to rise as one. You cant manufacture that, you cant really take that away from the heart. NSW are slkowly becoming a force, they are slowly seeing the hurt, the hurt of not winning. This is growing into something bigger than you or me. This is growing into a series that forges us as a sporting nation. All the ground work has been done, Golf, Tennis, Cycling, Cricket and even darts. All this is shown in this contest, between our 2 heavy weight states. This is Greatness, this is Pure, a rivalry born of Passion personified. Life gets no better. Once you have drunk from the cup, their is nothing left to drink. This is the Wonderlust, liquid of the Gods.
peeeko
Roar Guru
so you are saying that people born and bred in Australia are not Australian? Australia is a land of immigrants and in all sports there are Australians representing Australia with heritage from countries from all over the world. Apart from the indigenous population we all come from somewhere else originally. As for James tamou he moved to Australia as a 14yo and has the right to play for Australia or NZ. Brent Webb and Nathan Fien moved to NZ for work as adults for a couple of years and ended up representing NZ.
Johnno
Guest
I agree Ra, but in England they play the exciles match. The point is it's about publicity to rugby league, I agree in hindsight an Aussies vs Exciles match in Australia, it pretty meaningless, and they do it in England coz england got no one else to play yet, Wales and France are not there quite yet. Still haven't got of my lol couch potato ass , and coached a junior rugby team Ra. Will one day I promise lol.
Ra
Guest
No I think expats vs Kiwis to run alongside State of Origin. How does your idea of expats vs Australia grow the game outside of Australia under your concept Johnno? It just gives the Aussies another level of higher exposure. I think you'd agree with me on that eh Johnno?
Ra
Guest
One third of NRL players are of Pasifika heritage, according to Nigel Vagana, and the contributing clubs and competitions in Australian are chocked full of Pasifika. The rise and rise of the Pasifika (including Kiwi) influence on the game in Australia must surely begin to impact on the face of State of Origin. I'm rapt with the steps taken to tighten eligibility laws. I have always maintained that I feel for that kid born and bred in Orange (for example) could not play for his state because a Kiwi or a Samoan profession beat him to it. And I'm also passionate about the game doing more to provide that Samoan or Kiwi with that step up equal to SOO to almost level the international playing field. It maybe a hard call, but that's sports, and that's business
Ra
Guest
But then, you could be talking about the likes of Tamou eh?
Ra
Guest
They're only Australian by residence Peeeko, not by blood or by heart, but your mono centric attitude would probably blind you to those facts or the rationale bro
Ra
Guest
Not all born in Australia are legally Australian according to the Australian Immigration Department there Peeeko.
Sailosi
Guest
Toa Samoa would get nothing like that, that was unprecedented, even bigger than the return home in 91 and the sevens in 09. The netballers don't even get anything like that.
Mailman
Guest
I think League are on the right track in terms of eligibilty with where the international game is at. It gives fans an opportunity to see the best players playing in one of the Showpieces of the game. Once it grows to where Rugby is at you can then change them. The current rules will also unearth some talents who would never have got the opportunity at international rep level. To use a rugby example; Frank Bunce was by all accounts a good club footy player and no more until he put a Samoan jersey on him. The rest is history. Ironically NZ asked for new eligibilty rules to be implemented to stop them from losing players to the Island teams. In hindsight all they did was diminish the player pool for the ABs. Because if you asked any of these who had a choice between an ABs jersey and a Samoan or Tongan one I bet 99% would choose the ABs.
Johnno
Guest
oikee you make some good points, and I love origin too, and your points about revenue are obviously justified but. -Peeko does point out and I agree with him, how is origin gonna get bigger. Yes they now show it in USA/UK/NZ/Asia and such, but does it really have wider appeal to a wider audience , once these countries develop there rugby league program more. -And also now with the City VS Country relevance debate coming up, it should also be looked at as a pre-cursor for state of origin. -The tightening of the eligibility laws at end of last year , were a real game change and a signal of "hey we will lose our product if this keeps going on" -But despite that it will face challenges much like with AFL's state of origin. -As more than likely a 2nd Brisbane team comes in , that will be 4 QLD teams in the NRL, and maybe even 5 if a central QLD team comes in. -Then as Perth comes in etc, and Victoria keeps on developing more rugby league talent as they are doing, then what. -NSW and QLD borders in OZ, other states may want in, and it s a concept can reek of isolationist and elitist long term. -So as city vs country will be phased out I am predicting by end of 2015, if not next year, I wonder if state of origin will be here in 2020, and big doubts if it will be around in 2025, will the hunger of state vs state after all the the above reasons, still be there. -Same in AFL, do kids today really wish they could play for Victoria VS South Australia, is that hunger and passion still there. These are the sorts of issues that will have to confront rugby league in OZ. -In the Uk they tried the concept and failed now they have gone to the England VS Exiles All stars game which seems to work. -That wouldn't be bad here Australia VS Exiles (NZ/England/Fiji/Samoa/Tonga/PNG)
michael knight
Guest
if the toa samoa squad come to samoa before the league world cup, they too will get a send off like that..samoans are passionate about any sports that represents their flag and country..not just rugby union
peeeko
Roar Guru
How is origin going to get any bigger?
peeeko
Roar Guru
Agree totally, teams made up of Australians with overseas heritage does not make a national side
peeeko
Roar Guru
A lot of guys ofpolynesian heritage are born and bred in Australia. They are fully entitled to play origin
oikee
Guest
The season is perfect. It needs time now to gel, nothing else. We can add more to the end of year contests (series).
oikee
Guest
Well said Dave. The problem that does exist is patience, something rugby league followers have very little. Think how long Origin took to even build a crowd in Sydney. ? Geez., You cant even buy a ticket for Queensland Origin. They were sold out in under zero minutes. All the clubs members in Queensland bought the lot.
oikee
Guest
Johhno, Origin is a 100 milion dollar a year industry, and getting bigger not smaller. Nothing will ever touch Origin, it is now part of the Australian fabric. It is our countries most revered rivalries. To knock this icon is to be seen green with envy. No sport can match this passion. None.