State of Origin Game 2 in 2019 will again be a Sunday night fixture, as the NRL confirmed on Sunday that next year’s Perth fixture will be played on Sunday June 23.
This year saw the league break from tradition by hosting an Origin fixture on Sunday night at ANZ Stadium, where the NSW Blues won the series.
The three-game State of Origin series has always faced one problem – the need to find a neutral venue for a third match after giving home games to both NSW and Queensland.
Victoria has typically been picked as the best destination for a ‘neutral’ game, as it was this year when the MCG was used for Game 1.
However in 2019 the competition is going to take a match west to the new and shiny Optus Stadium, and it could well be decider.
While the series often tends to go to a deciding third match, it was over in two this year, and if the same happens again in 2019 then it’ll mean it was decided in Perth.
An Origin game in Perth has long been in the works, with Todd Greenberg showing support the idea as far back as 2016.
“We saw Melbourne embrace State of Origin in 2015 and we expect Perth to do the same in 2019,” Greenberg said.
“By then Perth will have a state-of-the-art facility which will be a fitting new venue for the biggest sporting event in the country.
“Taking Origin to new venues has huge benefits for the game.
“It grows the game in other markets and showcases our premium product to a new audience.”
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