Two big games and two big series, the State of Origin and Lions tour, have delivered the marketers dream, with both culminating in eagerly-anticipated deciders.
One next Saturday night, the other sometime in the distant future on July 17.
What?
That’s right, while lucky rugby union fans only have a measly seven sleeps between games, rugby league fans have to wait an eternity for their decider.
By the time the decider is being played you probably won’t remember what happened in Game 1 if you’ve packed into a scrum anytime in your life.
Between the squads first being named, and the final game being played, there’s nearly a two month period where Origin takes over from the NRL and tipping goes even further out the window.
Which raises the question, why the wait?
Why are Origin matches further apart than grand finals for the Rabbitohs? It doesn’t seem to make any sense.
Once upon a time there was a fortnight between the games, which was ok, but the three week gap between matches now just seems to drag on longer than one could Brett Hodgson, and as we all know only bad things come from this.
For starters there’s the very real chance that the two teams that finally contest the decider have changed significantly to the ones that contested the opening game some six weeks beforehand. If we look at the Origin period as the mini-season it has become, the longer it goes on the greater the chance of injury befalling key players.
If Queensland had to run out for the decider minus Thurston, Smith and Cronk to injuries sustained in NRL matches in between, besides Laurie Daley doing nude cartwheels across the Harbour Bridge, wouldn’t the fans feel a little bit ripped off?
Don’t get me wrong, injuries are a bit like Mike Whitney in that they can pop up anytime, anywhere. However by prolonging the series the powers that be are only increasing the chance of a key player missing the game’s showpiece.
The big breaks are also a real momentum killer. Look at NSW. By the time they got to Brisbane last week Game 1 may as well have been in 2005. Hell, the players may as well have been insulting fans pre-match on Myspace, it was that long ago.
The argument for the status quo would be that it allows rugby league to milk its big money-maker for a longer time, but even this is questionable. When Origin III finally rolls around it has been flooding the news since April, and some of the stories are, well, starting to get a little flabby. It’s even worse if the final match is a dead rubber.
Compare that to the cauliflowered-ear code: has the Lions series suffered at all for the relatively quick succession of matches? Don’t think so, as instead of peaks and troughs of interest there’s been a steady buzz to keep fans happy.
Even the football world cup only spans 32 days, cramming a glut of games into that time.
For Origin to think that it can sustain a continuous level of interest for over forty days, with only three matches played, is banking a lot on how much people want to see Paul Gallen punch someone.
The answer, of course, is the one everyone realises is probably the way to go but no administrators will touch, three straight weeks of Origin during a mid-season NRL hiatus.
Yeah, you could say what we’ve got at the moment is bringing the goods, but the State of Origin series is just that, a series. It’s not supposed to be a season.
The ARLC is killing the golden goose for mine. Let’s get Origin started then get it done! It’ll help us enjoy both it and the regular NRL season that little bit more.
And, most importantly, stop all this wretched waiting around for a result!
Davey
Guest
Free tickets and then you go on about other codes doing the same. I rest my case.
Davey
Guest
Very fair comments Dan I can understand where your coming from I loved both the Lions/Wallabies games but unfortunately some fans from other code will not have any of it no matter what you said. They will argue until they are blue to prove that you were wrong or just misunderstood. Yes, you find the Lions/Wallabies more exciting than the SOO good on you mate. I sometime like to watch a international soccer match over a rugby test not involve the All Blacks and that's just me.
oikee
Guest
Origin 3 is soldout today. No seats left. The union circus would have left town and been forgotten, replaced by Manchester United, the biggest sporting team in Europe, and Rooney will be rubbing shoulders with Inglis and the boys from Queensland, not leather patch boys with more mileage than Johova. Pulver is running around trying to mix Wallaby with Springbok and painting the lot black, and call them anzac gorilla's . hehe.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Monetized making money,having record crowds and Tv ratings does that,,oops that's origin. Pro sport is all about being monetized. The Lions tests'are also about helping assist the ARU's coffers .Else it would be hardly encouraged.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
They had to give tickets away,dont' know about that, the numbers,but there are always some freebies at the cheapie seats.And you kid yourself if it doesn't happen in other codes and tests. The second SOO up to a few days ago only had 1,000 left for sale.This is the first time in Sydney two SOO will have more than 80,000 each(a record for Sydney).thats two games not just one Lions test.The hatred of Queenslander is not going to fill ANZ with all Qlders. SOO was supposedly losing the effect for the past 30 years.it keeps on keeping on.Getting bored is taking ahell of a lot of time to do so.Ratings on the up and crowds for the event.Lot of bored peple traipsing the streets it seems. I think also 20,000 Pommies had a say in that,and the closeness of the score. I have been to Wembley (the old one) for a Challenge Cup final,and that atmos[phere leaves SOO for dead,and with all the singing is more than match re atmosphere for Lion tests.A once in a decade experience. You lost any realism,when you describe it being 100 times the intensity.Please .
Dean - Surry Hills
Guest
Only if we can also have one in Mexico !
Australian Rules
Guest
They're pretty fair comments Dan. The problem for rugby is that the Lions Tour is more a tourism event, than a sporting one. Rugby has 1 Bledisloe every year, compared to League's 3 Origins. And arguably, Origin is monetized to a greater extent.
Chris Chard
Expert
Can we play the fourth game in LA? ;)
Dan
Guest
I know that Origin still plays well with plenty of the punters, but at a certain point you have to think people will start to get bored. Union will always be a bit fringe in Australia simply because people fail to appreciate that it's not league and its not a game purely about tries and back line play, but it's undeniable that rugby has by far the more interesting calendar. You may scoff at the tight and nervous second Lions test, but the first was a free flowing cracker, and th atmosphere at both games is 100 times the intensity of anything I've experienced at an origin match. Honestly, Origin survives on the hatred of queenslanders... They had to give tickets away at the last nsw home game. Certainly didnt have to do that with the lions in spite of the penalties you complain about.
Positive Rugby
Guest
The Lions tests are all played in three consecutive weeks on a Saturday night. And its awesome (if you love union), three weeks in a row of nail biting suspense and apprehension. I love origin as well but it is so drawn out it brings up some feelings of dissapointment rather than excitement. You know, you think "when is the next game" and then the realisation that it is so far into the future that it isn't on your current 'to do' list so it brings up some feelings of dissapointment. And the regular NRL fixtrures seem so ho-hum while origin is on with players missing and teams seeming undercommitted. Don't worry about injuries, they will simply test the depth of each state. There have been multiple injuries and replacements in the union but that has not diminished the excitement one bit. If anything it makes it more interesting as new players are brought in.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Two full houses at ANZ for SOO1 and SOO2 dan suggests they don't feel the staleness.Nor the TV ratings considering Julia and Kev07 decided to take away a little gloss. And partly off topic, after watching the Lions V Walls game in Melbourne after a 12 year gap,contrasting that with the intensity of SOO(and yes there have been a few over the years average ones) ,and the ripper game between the Warriors and Broncos,I'll' stick to regular SOOs that at least have flow rather than rely on score closeness or penalty goals to retain game interest. The sooner ru reduces penalty goals to 2 points ,and gets more go for tries (horwill) rather than penalties,then it might attract more interest from me. I think you will find down the line the Kangaroo test matches will be the pinnacle of the game.the reason the players now get $40,000 a test now ,compared to $30,000 for origin.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
That's imperious off topic.on time.
Dan
Guest
To be honest I kinda lost interest in State of Origin as soon as the Lions test series started. Origin has frankly gotten a little stale and I just don't get up for the NSW - QLD rivalry like I do for the Aus v UK, Springbok, or NZ one in union. I love League, and the NRL is my favourite club comp of any code, but Origin can't continue to be the pinnacle of the game.... It's just too limited and repetitious
Silver_Sovereign
Guest
Never should there be any other teams in state of origin. NSW and QLD only!!
Renegade
Guest
I think his lost more than just the topic....
Dean - Surry Hills
Guest
Here's a curve ball. Lengthen the SOO series - after all, it is the pinnacle of our game. A 4 game series instead of 3 - where NSW and QLD both get 2 home games each year. Games 1 and 2 played on Weds nights in rounds nine and ten - whilst offering split rounds where every NRL team receives a bye. Games 3 and 4 played on Weds nights in rounds eighteen and nineteen - and teams are given one more bye. If matches are level at 2 a piece - then points for and against decides the series. If matches and points are level after game 4 - then the boys can go straight into Golden Try. Now that's an ending I'd like to see.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
That's why, right?
Norfolk Enchants
Guest
Aaahhh...I think you might be getting slightly off topic here...
Steve
Guest
Rabbitohs wait for premierships, references to Hodgson and Whitney - LOL !! However, there is a point, the articles are now getting tired + le Tour has started!!
Raider
Guest
Rugby League thrives on drama, people love talking about it whether its negative or positive. Rugby League is a huge cash cow for the printed media and TV. If it died then a lot of people would lose $$