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When Mal Meninga was appointed Kangaroo coach in December 2015, he made it crystal clear he wanted the green jersey with the gold vee the most sought after in the code.
Once coveted, it had taken a back seat to State of Origin as the premiers selection in the code for two reasons.
There are three Origin games every season of state versus state and mate versus mate, and not enough Test matches to compete on a level playing field.
If the Commission had any promotional nous it wouldn’t have scheduled tonight’s Anzac Test for the GIO Stadium in Canberra with a capacity of just 25,011.
Allianz Stadium was the go with a capacity of 45,000 where the spectators are close to the action, creating an electric atmosphere for both spectators and players.
When I was a kid, rugby league Tests attracted huge crowds, especially against Great Britain.
In 1946 against the Brits, 64,526 packed the SCG with standing room only for an 8-all draw.
In 1948 against the Kiwis at the SCG, 55,866 clicked the turnstiles even though the Kangaroos lost `9-21.
In 1951 the French played two Tests at the SCG, winning both 26-15 and 35-15 with crowds of 60,160, and 67,005, with Clive Churchill – an Immortal-to-be – the Kangaroo skipper, and Puig Aubert leading the French.
Crowds flocked to see fullback Puig Aubert, one of rugby league’s most extraordinary footballers.
With a short stocky build sporting a major beer gut, Puig Aubert made it very clear what his job was in the team:
“If the 12 in front of me can’t tackle the ball carrier so be it, it’s not my job, I’m here to captain the side and kick goals,” and that was that.
He never made a tackle, and if the field was muddy, at games end 25 players were caked in it, Puig Aubert was spotless.
Even his goal-kicking was individual.
He’d bang his heel into the turf, stand he ball upright, turn his back and walk away,
When he was good and ready he’d whirl around, take three steps and cover the back dot from anywhere in the opposition half – he was deadly accurate.
In 1952, there were 56,376 at the SCG when the Kangaroos beat the Kiwis 25-13, and in two Tests against the Brits in 1954 there were 65,885 and 67,577 watching the Kanagroos win 37-12 and 20-16.
In 1962, there were 70,174 at the SCH when the Kangaroos lost 12-31 to Great Britain. and 62,256 at the SCG when the Kangaroos beat the Brits 25-10.
In 1978, the Kangaroos beat the Kiwis 33-16 in front of 65,410,
Then came State of Origin and a very different attitude to Test rugby league, and the Kangaroos.
In 1984 at the Sydney Football Stadium only 18,756 turned up to watch the Kangaroos beat the Kiwis 20-5.
Not much better in 1986 when the Kangaroos beat Great Britain 17-6 with only 24,489 clicking the turnstiles.
In 1996, the Kangaroos beat the Kiwis 20-10 in front of 27,568 at the Sydney Football Stadium, and in 2000 just 26,023 turned up to see the Kangaroos thump New Zealand 52-nil.
But from 2008 to 2014, there were only two Tests in Sydney against either Great Britain, or New Zealand.
The Kangaroos beat New Zealand 30-6 at he SFS where the crowd was better with 30,605 in 2008, and 25,429 in 2014 when 25,429 at the SFS saw the Kangaroos beat the Kiwis 30-18.
So the pattern is obvious, and Mal Meninga’s bid to make the Kangaroos the priority for the players won’t be generated in Canberra, especially as the Test tonight will be the last during the NRL season.
Starting next year, Test matches will be scheduled after the NRL grand final.
Hopefully by then the out-of-touch Commission will be on Mal Meninga’s page.