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There is a story going around that Origin is the toughest, fastest and most intense game of rugby league in the world.
There must be something to this since the players themselves attest to the ferocity and pace of the matches.
As a spectator looking in though, I can’t help but notice that many international matches seem to have been right up there with Origin in terms of passion, skill and intensity.
Even the NRL regularly produces epic, balls-to-the-wall contests.
That’s not to say every Origin match is a beauty. Like internationals and premiership rounds, there are always technically average games in Origin. Unlike internationals, though, Origin seems to get away with dud contests.
Why?
First of all, current Origin has the distinct advantage of media support. While the media – including social media – seem to thrive on putting the boot in internationals and the NRL, Origin looks to be exempt.
This allows Origin to promote its story to the public. It allows every act in an Origin performance to be sold as an almost mythical event and the public, being what it is, naturally buys into it.
This creates a snowball effect, camouflaging games that technically may not live up to the hype.
Internationals and NRL matches that are just as good – or better – rarely get the praise and attention Origin matches do. Without such media support – and remember, it only takes a few well-chosen headlines to foster and lead public opinion – internationals, in particular, face a difficult time in competing.
Secondly, Origin is an intense event played over a short period of time. NRL matches stretch out over a marathon season that easily hides outstanding contests, while internationals suffer from inconsistency and seemingly ad hoc scheduling.
It is hard to generate hype when there are too many or too few matches.
Also, barring the odd selection blunder, Origin is usually made up of the best players. This naturally sets up the image of a quality match – the players are the best so the game must be the best. When the games are not the best, Origin’s story, or hype, takes over and convinces everyone otherwise.
The NRL season is very long and quality is easily missed or forgotten. And despite internationals featuring the best players, unlike Origin, poor scheduling rarely allows the public to see them.
In essence, Origin is able to sell a story that everyone can buy into. It can do so because the event is short, sharp and generally sweet.
You will find similar passion, skill and toughness in internationals and even in the NRL but issues of match scheduling – too few and too many, respectively – stymies their mythical development.
Once a boulder gets moving, it is pretty hard to stop. Enough people have bought into the hype of Origin that they themselves have taken over its promotion.
Prior to Origin, though, and even in its early years, the story that is now associated with Origin was with internationals, particularly between Great Britain and Australia. Those days are not lost.
While the quality of Origin rivalry deservedly draws attention, let’s hope that with some foresight and astute decision making, international rugby league will be allowed to tap into the hype mentality that is so easily supported.
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