What is the biggest prize in rugby league?

The Rugby League World Cup is obviously the most important prize in the game. As was proved recently in the fantastic gathering of nations just completed. Nation against nation captures the imagination in a very big way. With six million dollars in the bank the Rugby League International Federation can become a full-time professional governing body and take this great game to the level that it deserves to be. It will be interesting to see who becomes the sport's first full-time Chief-Executive.

Definitely an NRL Premiereship for me, I remember 1995 and 2004 clearly. SOO is awesome to watch but when you invest a whole season into your team, or many years, then finally get that prize... there's nothing like it. In 2012 when the Dogs made the GF I was more excited than Ive been for a very long time about any sporting event, 10 times more excited than I've been for a SOO or the world cup. Although I love both of them it just can't compare. I think it's the same for the players, who go all season in the trenches with their mates.

Good at what?

Nope Glenn, not kidding at all. I enjoy watching the intensity of the Origin but I would rather watch - even if I have to end up disappointed by the result - internationals between the big three (and these days the minnows). As a kid, I used to enjoy getting up early to watch Australia v Great Britain. The whole vibe of these teams playing at Wembley or wherever just seemed so cosmopolitan, as if there was a whole other world out there. Even though the games often ended with Australia running away with the match, it never dampened my enthusiasm for the 'possibilities'. State of Origin has never given me that feeling of there being a big wide world out there. Watching it, I always felt as if I were being stifled, as if I were being forced to live in a pond. The world is so much bigger and as a fan of rugby league, the closest thing that can whet that appetite are international matches, blowouts and all. The world is a much bigger place and the World Cup deserves to eventually be number one.

If QLD and NSW entered their SoO teams into the WC it would be a QLD v NSW WC final ... with QLD odds on favourites.

The simple answer to your question is, Origin is more exciting, its tougher, and the best Rugby League players in the world are playing in it, cause lets be honest, RL has a very regional following in England and New Zealand, and Australia has a wider playing pool, where 2 states in Australia have it as their main sport, and wouldnt you know it, these 2 states hate eachothers guts, England or NZL just cant emulate this rivalry with Aus, because the intensity, the fierceness inst their, Kangaroos are just on another level, but NSW and QLD (even though QLD have won 8 in a row), are fairly even, and RL fans, especially Australian RL fans love that close fierce, hate filled contest that SOO can produce, if England can produce as many players as Australia does, than we might see SOO like tests being played, but that is unlikely, England are destined to have the second best competition in the world, and the 3rd, and sometimes 2nd best team in the world.

I was lucky enough to chat with Tony Currie about 20 yrs ago. He had done it all, SOO, Kangroos, BRL premiership. His best feelings came from winning the 1988 Premiership with the Bulldogs. Wayne Bennett said SOO wins are 'nice' but winning premierships are what it's all about.

SOO I, II and III outrated the AFL GF on a NATIONAL level (including regional). Average SOO III Ratings = 4.232 million Average AFL GF Ratings = 3.6 million Source: http://www.nrl.com/origin-iii-breaks-television-records/tabid/10874/newsid/73541/default.aspx http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/afl-final-a-ratings-success-for-seven/story-e6frg996-1226729569850

I have some sympathy with what you say and I do find some of the comments on this site by fellow aussies to be very arrogant but the Quality of Origin football is fantastic and equal to that in of the WC GF or the Eng v NZ game. As a comp, it does not rate as highly as others in my view.

If there was a question about the worst comp it would have to be the All Stars, that is a complete waste of time and I am glad it has gone. The nines has a lot of potential but we need to see how that goes.

+1 I have some sympathy for Sieiman in this. The quality of the football in Origin is unsurpassed but if you are not from NSW or QLD the competition is nothing more than a rude interruption to the national competition. I love watching Origin games but Slieiman's comment has a lot of merit.

"Gallen has 1 or 2 seasons left" if he doesn't get pinged by ASADA which I think is highly likely.

My comiserations but the sharks are not going to win one anytime soon.

I was reading this and my first thoughts were the Challenge Cup. Might not be as big as the world cup or origin or our own grand final but there is just something about that Competition and the winning of that Cup that is magical. Its a great pity that Challenge Cup finals aren't shown more in Australia.

Couldn't care less about Origin. How people can bag the WC for being 'one sided' and then rave about Origin is beyond me? Who's going to win Origin next year then? Hmmm... maybe Queensland for the 10 millionth time. You convicts have got to stop being so arrogant. Origin is not the 'pinnacle' of the sport, it's the WC, you know the one where other countries get to play. How can a game between two states of OZ be the pinnacle? You're not the only country who plays RL and you didn't even invent the sport ffs. Rant over.

+1

Sorry JJ Giltenan ,

How times change perspectives or should I say advertising!! For me the HI Giltenan shield should be played for in the grand final and the sponsors trophy minor premiership, IMO.it's disrespectfull

Slieman - You are obviously not from Queensland - all stars game are you kidding? - this is the reason despite our disadvantage in playing numbers we go so well we just want it that bit more than NSW do because believe me it ain't no all stars game to Queenslanders there is nothuing sweeter than beating NSW even if we won twenty series in a row it would still be sweet.A i said Sydney poeople just don't grasp the QLD mentality.

They would destroy the ABs in league and the ABs would destroy them in union...can never happen.