There’s something about rugby league attempting to push beyond its traditional boundaries that causes the collective sphincter of Australian sports fans to involuntarily tighten.
The puckering is particularly vicious among rugby league fans themselves, some seemingly content for the greatest game of all to fester away like a sore in a hard to reach place, so long as no one else can see it.
STATE OF ORIGIN LIVE SCORES – GAME 2
Bad news, sports fans – rugby league is going all sorts of places, with or without you, and if you don’t strap yourself in soon you might miss out on one hell of a ride.
More:
» State of Origin Game 2 Preview
» State of Origin Game 2 Teams
» State of Origin Fixture
» State of Origin
Tonight, Australian rugby league’s showpiece, State of Origin, descends on Melbourne’s MCG for the fourth time. A fortnight ago it was Perth packing them in for an NRL clash between two teams to which they have no geographical connection.
Meanwhile, a regular-season second-tier comp clash between Papua New Guinea and Souths Logan on Saturday drew 15,000 fans in Port Moresby. And in a couple of weeks, Ukraine and Russia are clashing on neutral turf in Belgrade – an international face-off which could grow into the rugby league equivalent of India and Pakistan exchanging pleasantries across 22 yards of dirt, sawdust and dead grass.
Never mind that there might only be 34 WAGs, coaching staff and a couple of stray dogs there to watch them. No one watched Citizen Kane when it came out either, but it’s since been elevated to the pantheon of all-time classics.
To say Origin fever has gripped Melbourne would be slightly disingenuous, but there are plenty of signs that it’s happening. Nightly news bulletins even mention Paul Gallen by name.
A few punters proudly wore their Queensland colours as they disembarked at Tullamarine airport on Tuesday morning, while beanies and jackets of both colours wove their way through city pedestrian traffic.
Flags line the streets of the CBD, jostling for pole space with musical Anything Goes and Public Sector Week, which by the absence of PSW beanies and jackets on the streets has yet to fully capture the public’s imagination.
They’ll no doubt soon to be replaced with flags bearing footballers from Madrid and Manchester, these also just filler until AFL stars and thoroughbreds reclaim their rightful turf and the whole event cycle rolls on into 2016.
“I’ve heard they’ve sold a few tickets for it,” said my now Melbourne-based ex-housemate – a decent bloke despite supporting both the Broncos and Collingwood – on Monday as we organised battle plans for my southern pilgrimage.
If the little hype to emanate out of NRL HQ is to be believed, “a few” might be an understatement and the 90,000-plus figure being tossed around might be a reality. In Melbourne. For a game involving two states that in all other sporting arenas Victorians wouldn’t think twice about crossing the road for. For a game of rugby league. In Melbourne.
All this while certain sectors of the Sydney press spent much of the build-up to Origin 1 (quite rightly) death-riding ticket prices, Greg Inglis’ parentage, Trent Hodkinson’s right to draw breath, and where exactly Gerringong is anyway (hint: it’s in Queensland).
Compare that feeding frenzy to the understated yet respectful build-up afforded Game 2 and the upper echelons of rugby league could be forgiven for privately wondering why they don’t take an Origin game away from the NSW capital more often.
Regardless of what’s served up on the paddock (and if it’s another tense grind-house of an affair, it better end in a Queensland win or I’ll be invoicing someone for my expenses), tonight should confirm that in State of Origin – ‘Sport’s Greatest Rivalry’, as those Melbourne CBD flags proudly proclaim – rugby league has its Champions League final, its Super Bowl, an event that cities will want to host regardless of their affinity for the participants.
State of Origin at the Adelaide Oval. All-Stars weekend at the new Perth Stadium, with Adam Goodes joining the Indigenous war dance. The World Club Series at Wembley. NRL Magic Weekend at AT&T Stadium. New Zealand and England contesting the 2021 World Cup final at the Nou Camp.
Crazier things have happened. And as much as I’d like to spend every weekend watching rugby league from the comfort and convenience of the Henson Park hill, if suburban Sydney is the only place rugby league lives then that’s also where the game will die.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Yes it was dis respectful,and should be noted as such,but from what I hear the ABC and some of the Vic media place more emphasis on the lack of respect shown in the 1 min silence ,to the game itself. I await the Melbourne centric Offsiders on Sunday doing likewise.Whately in particular. Thank heavens there was no sign of racism.
GoGWS
Roar Guru
The game was pretty well received this time around by all accounts. It wasn't a boring game like last time apparently - I only saw highlight clips so I'm going on the opinion of other commentators. I still predict crowds will drop away again if they bring it back to the MCG - the novelty factor does draw people in and a lot of those who went for the novelty and not going to back up and return. They're not true RL fans - just sports fans who want to tick it off their list. You'd expect it to follow a similar pattern as the last series of SOO games at the MCG and fall away to a point where Etihad is the better option. What I did see from last night's game was a clip they played on ABC this morning of the minute 'silence' before the game which was a real shocker and embarrassment.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Let's get things into perspective re Melbourne SOO crowds,and they are not as GoGWS 's obvious agenda makes out. 1990 the first at Olympic Park 25,800 no Storm ,ground capacity 1994 MCG 87,161 huge crowd,game pretty ordinary. No Storm . 1995 MCG (the year when SL reared its ugly head) SL players not included.No Storm 1997 MCG SL War in full swing, two comps.No Storm NO SL Players 2006 Docklands 54,833 near full capacity Storm had won 1999 G/F 2009 Docklands 50,967 near full capacity 2012 now Etihad 56,021 capacity 2015 MCG 91,500 record SOO crowd. Now the crowd trend (taking away the SL intrusion) is fairly consistent.Consistently good. Meaning you don't play it every year,perhaps every 3-5 years
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
As long as the thongs are Australian made and have a decent grip, and the wearers pay their taxes,it's all good.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
At this very moment,David has organised a complete audit of ticket purchasing agencies,checking the locale of all SOO2 picket purchasers.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
You wouldn;t have it every year,perhaps every five.Anycase Melburnians get to see live NRL grand finals and SOO,it's not as if they are seeing the code for the first time. Yes GOGWS has a short memory when it comes to the SL war,when many top line players did not play SOO on the MCG. Bear in Mind the Storm only came into existence in 1998,thus prior NRL did not exist South of the Border. Gee I detect a bit of unnecessary unease with those comments.
Tim
Guest
UK not capable of hosting origin unless it was run by the NRL/SOO marketing machine. The RFL do not have a clue with the RFU consistently out-marketing them with stand-alone matches at Twickenham
Jrod
Guest
They also have the pacific games kak. I think they should have a nrl team.
J73
Guest
Great news, rugby is now the national sport in NZ and Madagascar! Wonderful, must get to a game, given GDP per capita is around $450 per annum, I'm guessing the gate receipts on the 40K crowd was around a few thousand dollars.
Birdy
Guest
Sorry prof but you sound like a drunken bogan
Tom of Brisbane
Guest
You say that like it's a bad thing #boganpride
ProfVonSchrodinger
Guest
Dead and alive.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Hopefully they are not wearing their thongs on this cool Winter's evening (either type).
nerval
Guest
How's your cat, Prof?
Renegade
Roar Guru
That's exactly what I say whenever Ive visited Melbourne.
ProfVonSchrodinger
Guest
Never seen so many bogans in the one place.
Squirrel
Roar Rookie
Perth is a joke straight from the 70s . Keep origin east, send it PNG before Perth
nerval
Guest
Don't let David Lord know this, Sean. He was adamant that 65,000-70,000 would be travelling inter-state.
Griffo
Guest
Well NSW were given 2 home games in 2013 but that was with a redesignng of the origin schedule. Don't forget NSW gave up a home game in 2006 aswell. The way it was then meant that Queensland or NSW could go 4 years without 2 home games like NSW 2004 then 2008 and Queendland 2007 then 2011. The changed it to a regular 3 year cycle with NSW getting 2, Queensland getting 2 and then a neutral.
GoGWS
Roar Guru
Thanks Spruce. Maybe you can do research also. The last time 90K people attended a RL game at the MCG they actually started booing and chanting "boring boring". Fans were so bored and annoyed they starting leaving by the tens of thousands before the game was even over. Hopefully it is a better game this time around but don't kid yourself about the popularity of RL in Melbourne. People are willing to give it a go so they show up in huge numbers but if it's a dull game they're not going to get convinced by the hype alone. We'll see.