Australia and England will contest the Rugby League World Cup final this weekend, and while a little predictable, few could have envisioned the success of the likes of Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Ireland.
Each of those sides punched well above their weight at this year’s tournament and represent the future of rugby league.
So where to now?
It’s important we nurture these nations, giving them regular fixtures between now and the 2020 World Cup, thus allowing them to grow as rugby league nations. In turn it will make the next event even more competitive.
There have been a number of ideas thrown about, such as a Pacific Nations tournament which is great, but Matt Johns’ suggestion that these nations then combine in some rep side to play a tier one nation smacks of desperation.
The nations have proven their ability to stand up on their own feet and compete as individual countries.
Anyway, I think we need to have these second tier nations playing a lot more that what they have been, and if Samoa can play at least a couple of Tests each year between now and 2020, perhaps we won’t see a repeat of the farce they produced at this tournament.
Australia, England and New Zealand players get plenty of game time playing in the NRL and Super League, so it’s less important that those players play lots of internationals. I’m talking more about the part timers of Lebanon, Ireland and the like, as well as Italy who boast a sprinkling of NRL talent.
How to fit in more international games in an already crowded schedule?
It may seem like a crazy idea, but if State of Origin was consigned to the scrapheap or maybe reduced to one game a year we could play more internationals.
(Photo: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)
State of Origin was great when teams were primarily based on either NSW or Queensland and the two sides were evenly matched.
Watching Queensland dominate year after year for the last decade has certainly waned interest and there is nowhere for State of Origin to grow.
Games at ANZ Stadium get around 80,000, games at Suncorp get around 50,000 and TV ratings are great, so in essence, State of Origin has peaked.
Conversely, the World Cup has been criticised for low crowds, a lack of marketing, and bizarre scheduling that has seen the tournament drag out for far too long.
The international games needs to be prioritised so we get massive crowds when Australia play Lebanon, not the 21,000 we had at Allianz Stadium recently.
Think of it this way, which is better for the growth of rugby league on a global scale, a USA team that can challenge tier one teams, and be made up of a strong core of locally-based players, or Queensland beating NSW again?
john ninham
Guest
I have read the post on origin and I think that if the people that play and organise the state of origin (qld vs nsw) should revise the shedule from best of 3 win by 2 to best of 5 win by 3. It is stupid to send a team out on to the field knowing they cant win the series because they are down 2 nil. The shedule is fundamentally flawed and it goes to show how stupid these people are. the games watched internationally and bet on.Do you know of a game on this planet that you can not win which is still played out to all the people.Train on and then you cant have a win because the shedule hasnt catered for you,its a low old moral almost every time. sincerely john
Jacko
Guest
Yes Greg SOO is the envy of the world.....Its just a very small world only including QLD and NSW. And according to the rules No one from any other state can play...So 50% of the NRL are not elegible for SOO
Jacko
Guest
No Terry...Not true....
Jacko
Guest
But it was far better news for the NSW side...DALY had trouble coaching his bum to point down...Not that Freddy is any better
Jacko
Guest
I understand all the passion etc but I dont understand the LIE of the best v the best....We just had a WC where 3 of the teams in the semi finals were NOT allowed to have ONE player in an SOO match...And the No 2 ranked team in league can not have a player in SOO........Looks a lot like the best of 50% of a domestic comp split into 2 teams...QLD look weak???...Just select a player from NSW and SAY he is a qld..er
Jacko
Guest
Dave thats because you can put the house on a QLD win...EVERY YEAR.....And in the last ten years you would have win 9 houses and lost 1
tim
Guest
Seriously, what killed off interest in internationals for Australia are two things. Queensland players (until Mal took over the reins) cared far less about the green and gold than they did about the maroons shirt and it showed in both the way they played and the way the Queensland players always held themselves aloof from the NSW contingent. That NEVER happened when NSW dominated proceedings, because they genuinely cared about representing their country. Parochialism in Queensland is just so off the charts that the players get their prioritizes mixed up, as do their supporters. The other aspect that's hurt is the demise of the kangaroo tours, which were always an amazing spectacle and tour de force for the game. Anyone who watched the wonderful kangaroos teams from 82 and 86 would know what I'm talking about, and the fact the tours no longer take place is one of the saddest part of the game for me. It was always one of the major highlights for me, like waiting for the Olympics or soccer's World Cup to come round. The World Cup for league is something of a joke by comparison, because there's not enough depth to the game to justify it being anything other than a Mickey Mouse tournament with only a handful of teams having any quality and Australia as the perennial winner other than the odd shock result.
Damo
Guest
Origin is fine. The problem is it needs to be on standalone weekends that are international weekends for the rest of the world. That way Australia can do its thing and is happy whilst Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, PNG as well as NZ and England can play 3 in season internationals on those weekends. Origin is kept, the international game continues to grow and international teams get to play games and the NRL isn't diluted by Origin. Everyone is a winner.
Sydneysider
Guest
"And why is Suncorp always sold out for these games ? Also consider the global television viewing stats." 1. Queenslanders are passionate about it. 2. what global television viewing audience? I've never seen any statistics on this. Origin won't grow rugby league around the world. Sorry to burst your bubble.
Jeff Morris
Guest
Why would it be logistically impossible? NFL is taking games overseas, and Super Rugby is played all over the world all season. Not impossible at all.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
What has Origin actually done for the growth of the code. Origin exists for its own benefit, that is, the benefit of the Queenslanders and New South Welshmen who believe in its chip-on-the-shoulder justifying qualities. The whole notion of Origin growing international league goes against the grain of its innate appeal. The ONLY way international league will ever grow is through Test match football. Perhaps it is me but I am astonished that people could think otherwise.
Adam
Guest
Thanks for your input, I'm a big boy I can handle the criticism. In my opinion the success of a number of nations in the World Cup did more for the growth of rugby league than State of Origin has done in a very long time. QLD win, NSW win, not a huge deal. Tonga beat NZ for the first time, come close to qualifying for the final, that's huge
Cedric
Guest
also to add; home games in the Island nations may well turn those islands into league nations!
mz.ilikazi
Guest
"Watching Queensland dominate year after year for the last decade has certainly waned interest and there is nowhere for State of Origin to grow. " Walk down Caxton St on a State of Origin Day and make this statement as you go. Be interesting to see the response you get. And why is Suncorp always sold out for these games ? Also consider the global television viewing stats. Certainly the experience of the last years has not been good for NSW folks, but the cycle will turn, and NSW will actually win again. Finally, why does State of Origin have to "grow" ? Are you aware of the concept of maturity ? Sorry for being so tough on you, Adam. I do applaud and appreciate the fact that you have the courage to write this article, and I'm sure it will stimulate much interesting discussion.
Fourteen14
Guest
Yep that should happen we would have a chance of playing in front of a hostile qld crowd which is equivalent to an abs crowd. Beating nsw would be the highlight nsw losing to Tonga.
Cedric
Guest
1. If it ain't broke don't try to fix it, leave SOO alone, other league events must aspire to SOO greatness. I live in Auckland and can't get too excited about SOO as I have no skin in the game and it comes on at 10pm, but I can only marvel at the event. 2. Most players who play SOO and also want to play for a PI team do so for a personal challenge and the dollar. Can we do anything about this challenge and dollar? 3. A PI Challenge Cup scheduled when the 3 SOO games are played. There could be 2 games played before SOO kicks off at 10pm PI/NZ time. 1st game at 6pm, 2nd game 8pm and then SOO at 10pm. The 1st game allows time to get to the actual stadium after work hours. 3.1. This should return a good financial return; which should be administered by a seperate body. If the best locations are utilised for the best return then the lure of SOO cash will diminish. 4. Teams; The pacific ocean laps the shores of NZ, PNG, Fiji, Tonga, Cook Is and Samoa. 5. Stadiums and best return; obviously Auckland but we saw big crowds in Port Moresby, not sure of the dollar return though. But lets face it, if a home game was at Apia, Nuku'alofa , Suva etc, it would be massive. I don't know if both games should be held at the same stadium or not, I'm not up on the logistics. But I've been banging on about this for about 2 years now and it appears it has got some traction now that the PI teams are doing better and of course after the viewers watched some of the games in NZ which showed the raw passion at those stadiums. I recall, recently, that someone said they should play the Pi games in Oz, yeah that's about as silly as taking the SOO to California. However the PI Cup structure is played out, it would be a massive footy Wednesday night 3 times a year that includes interest for a lot more people.
Mack
Guest
## snap ## ... and now your awake Greg.
thomas c
Guest
if the WC final is a bloodbath, then doing away with state of origin would eliminate the most elite, most competitive games from the schedule. It's a problem. Support drives the product and the product drives support. And the pinnacle of football (and extra cash) being state of origin drives people to abandon their nation and bolster Australian stocks. The solution might be different 3-way comps with combined nations. A great Britain or Pacific side would allow the smaller nation to get a few players each to compete at next level competition. When they returned to their smaller nation for the world cup, they'd be better for the exposure. By comparison, the Australian team gets people who get to compete in NRL grand finals and state of origin. They have repeated big game experience and battle hardening.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
You're confusing standard with legitimacy. International rugby league is not a joke. It just that the variety of its playing and organisational standards has a greater impact on results than sports like soccer and union who have a much greater and in-depth cooperation with involved nations.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I'm not against that. It's certainly worth discussing.