As the dust settles from the Lions’ crushing series win, my thoughts turn to rugby league and State of Origin.
The Lions series was a schedule of three games in two weeks. Bang, bang, bang.
No mucking about. High intensity, and sustainable interest the whole way through.
As the final Origin match awaits us, I feel decidedly flat. Not because I find Origin format boring now, but more that dreaded word, scheduling.
Origin is three games in six weeks, far too long. It reminds me of the one-day cricket World Cups of recent times, taking forever to reach the climax.
Well that is how I feel about State of Origin scheduling. It is over hyped, flat, not-exciting and tired.
Something needs to change. A solution needs to be found.
Stand alone Origin weekends or to have Origin wrapped up in four weeks, like the old school days of the 80s and 90s.
Can you imagine if the Lions series took 5-6 weeks to wrap up?
And State of Origin should do the same. The player welfare myth by extending the series length of time is just a myth.
Even as the series goes over six weeks, players pull out due to injury. And the same would happen if Origin were over in three games in two weeks.
There would be no more having to back up immediately for your club side 48-72 hours later, on stand alone Origin weekends.
There would be seven days rest between games. To bridge the gap, have maybe a pacific nations cup and some all-star matches in the UK.
Heck have a nines tournament, but make use of those three weeks productively.
Broadcasters worry about less club games per year and that is valid. But less is more.
Less club games would create more excitement; punish mediocrity as you have fewer games in year, so you must lose less to make the top eight
And each match would have higher TV ratings and larger game day crowd attendance.
So what about stand-alone State of Origin weekends with Origin played on a Saturday night?
I say bring it on.
Gavin Cooper
Guest
This is what I am getting at, a mid season, SOO is TOO disruptive to the MAIN game. the COMP ! ! ! Lets treat the COMP with the RESPECT it deserves ' TOTALCOMMITMENT "" Imagine, no other distractions, the COMP: has been won, and yet the BIG BATTLE of the year is about to come crashing onto the magnificent stadiums "WE" have built, an through our HD TV screes. HEY PEOPLE...lts rock n roll time, 2013,,, not 1958, the future is bright if we grab it now. Keep up our arguments and points of view, and we can bring about some changes, after all, its not only the greatest game, its "OUR GAME"
Gavin Cooper
Guest
I still think origin should be after the main comp. Gives the selectors more an overall eye on whos' who and how they have performed over the year, and a springboard to international selection. Also as a fillin on televised game days (nights) maybe the high school kids could show us their wares, there are plenty of possibilities that could accompany the best of the best, wow, wat a potential to showcase "" our game"" Lets think out of the square,,,,,, who gives a shit what the aerial ping pongers did in years gone by, this is a "full" body contact sport, and its time we thought way above what else is on offer. We have a great product, and if we can keep the suits an bleedin hearts from emasculating "our" game, then the future looks bright, after all, the product is why the sponsers came on board, Yeah !
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
Well if you look at the crowds around Origin time, they drop off badly anyhow and take ages to return. It's best for the game to have that break, put the focus on that a rep level of the game, and then the interest in club footy will be higher because no one has seen their team play for a few weeks. It's like a new round 1.
bbt
Guest
Good idea.
Australian Rules
Guest
"post-season, international footy seems to rule the airwaves." haha...not in my universe :)
Australian Rules
Guest
dbl post
Australian Rules
Guest
With respect, the Bundesliga is arguably the best-run football competition in the world (save for, perhaps, the NFL). I think it would be hard for the NRL to pause the season for 3 weeks and expect momemtum to just pick back up. But I guess it's possible.
Realist
Guest
Having a month off doesn't seem to hurt the German bundesliga, or having international breaks in all top soccer leagues in Europe so I think we can last one block of three weeks provided that teams have no other byes during the year so it's full 16 teams week in week out
frullens
Roar Rookie
Expand to 22 teams - Png, wa, 2nd nz team, 2nd Brisbane team, central qld team, Darwin team. Play each team once - 21 rounds (reverse home games following year, same order each year). At half way - pause season for 3 weeks for rep rounds - 3 games a weekend. State of origin Auckland v nz counties Pacific islands v nrl exiles ( nrl European players plus non qld/nsw aussie players)
NO BRAINER
Guest
Well said Hickey. Club is club Origin is Origin!
Conor Hickey
Roar Pro
Phil Rothfield had a good idea in yesterday's Daily Telegraph, have a three week period where it's only Origin, the clubs teams get a three week bye period. A lot of the clubs would probably welcome it, I imagine that injury tolls would be rising and the three weeks off would be good to get the rest of the club back to full fitness. Would also mean that blokes who get charged in Origin will actually miss the next game not a club one and then straight back into Origin. I wouldn't mind that, would mean the players would have to cut out a lot of the dirty stuff that goes on in Origin.
johnnoo
Roar Pro
Good points David_R. Make the whole 3 weeks inclusive, it can't just be origin. Have a 7's or 9's tournament, or a knockout Australia cup with the 3rd-tier sides from NSW/QLD cup, and other states etc. And try and include NZ into the mix somehow.
johnnoo
Roar Pro
Agree Agree, Agree. Well said. NRL has to take, a stand like the AFL in the 90's what does it care more about, club footy, or state of origin. It should be a no-brainer, club footy must come first, but NRL haven't seen it like that for years, since the demands on player welfare increased, state of origin still is no 1. And that is wrong. It needs to be part of the schedule, not a perpetual headache.
johnnoo
Roar Pro
6 weeks , I agree, way to flat, hype saturation. When Lions series was all done, bang in 2 weeks, origin taking 6 weeks is embarrassing. Heck the ASHES test cricket, is all done 5 tests in 6 weeks, when you think each test match is 5 days, go figure, an embarrassing schedule right now for the NRL, current origin schedule.
johnnoo
Roar Pro
Then what happens to stuff like, 4 nations, ASHES GB tests coming back, rugby league World cup. Post season, then something would have to give. Something has to give now anyway, AFL got rid of origin in the 90's, but post-season, international footy seems to rule the airwaves.
turbodewd
Roar Guru
I agree that the breaks between Origin are too long. We forget what happened in gameX by the time the next one arrives. In addition my interest in the NRL comp drops. Origin must be on its own weekend and it needs to be 2 weeks apart. Saturday, sunday or Monday would be the best timeslots.
Australian Rules
Guest
Correct. Stalling the season completely for 3 weeks for consecutive Origin games would be like dropping a bomb into the middle of the season - it'd be a revenue killer. Origin should be post-season - it's the only way the protect and promote the NRL comp, and create some build-up to Rep season after the Grand Final.
Jay C
Guest
None of your suggestions generate revenue.
David_R
Guest
I agree with a mid-season break of 3 weeks to allow for State of Origin but then you need to work out games to replace the club games. In particular you need Friday night football and Sunday afternoon football. If there aren't any club games what do you replace it with? NZ Origin is a good idea. Maybe Vic vs SA/WA (if you can find enough players). U20s, or reserve grade games. I don't know. None of them sound really strong ideas. Maybe move City v Country to be non-Origin players and play it on the Friday nights before Origin. I say put Origin on a Sunday night. That way there is no need to replace the Sunday afternoon game and there is a bigger build-up all through the weekend. Put NZ Origin, City v Country on the Fri/Sat nights.
BlueBloods
Guest
I agree it's absolutely gotta change. There were a few games this year where you could see the effect on the rep players. They either already had their minds on an upcoming Origin or were mentally and physically fatigued from the previous game. JT played agst Canberra like a distracted man with his mind on Origin 3, Farah was the same when you looked at his effort on Fifita when he busted through and scored a 50 metre try. Then there's also the fans getting served up half-arsed games without the superstars.