State of Origin eve was like the night before Christmas back in the day. To be honest, it was bigger than the grand final – unless it was one of those rare occasions when the Tigers were involved – or a Kangaroos Test.
Since the 2017 World Cup there has been a shift. Some players are rejecting Origin for their heritage nations and half the English team are testing themselves in the NRL. The concept’s credentials as the ‘best of the best’ are starting to be questioned.
In the early ’80s, when the concept was conceived by a bunch of Queensland officials sitting around in a back room with a case of XXXX, it was exactly the boost the Australian game wanted – and needed.
International rugby league at that time was on its knees with Australia totally dominant, Great Britain in decline, and New Zealand competitive only part of the time. The Kangaroos earned the ‘Invincibles’ title after making short work of Great Britain and France on a tour in 1982.
The strongest competition was always going to come from within. Essentially Australia A and Australia B. The fact that rugby league was, and still is, dominant in just two states made it easy. It was as close as you were ever going to get to the best players in the world competing against each other.
As insular as that view was it was also pretty close to the mark.
Former New South Wales captain Andrew Johns (Lang Park) in Brisbane. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Thirty-something years and millions of dollars of revenue on, the series still stands the test of time – and the crowds and ratings will validate it.
I want to see if the Blues can go two in a row or if normal transmission resumes and the Maroons pull off yet another heroic comeback.
I am keen to see whether Nathan Cleary can get himself out of the Penrith doldrums and show what he can do this series.
I am excited by the thought of a team possessing a backline that includes Latrell Mitchell, James Tedesco and Josh Addo-Carr, with David Klemmer and Paul Vaughan up front.
I am in awe of the talents of Kalyn Ponga, who will have room to weave magic at fullback, while Cameron Munster can provide the sort of quality play that can win matches for Queensland.
This is rugby league at its best. People who don’t regularly watch the sport will tune in because it is the best quality played at the highest intensity. It remains a shining advertisement for a great game.
So what’s the downside? State of Origin still works but how long can a two-state competition be the pinnacle? If we believe it will continue to be the best against the best then we really do have an insular view.
The international game has been revived from near death. England are a very competitive side, the World Cup final in Brisbane proved that, New Zealand have been consistently strong for some time and Tonga have arrived as a force.
Rugby league is expanding and developing outside Australia at an unprecedented rate, with the Pacific, Americas and Europe all moving forward.
Greece are close to making their first ever World Cup, Toronto Wolfpack might play in the RFL Super League in the near future, Ottawa and New York are likely to debut in the lower divisions, and Pacific nations will play more internationals than ever through the Oceania Cup.
I could go on but let’s return to the Origin arena.
A group of the best NRL players can’t be involved in the contest either by choice or never being eligible. Sam Burgess, John Bateman, Josh Hodgson, Andrew Fifita, Jason Taumalolo and Tevita Pangai Junior won’t be playing. Unless the ARLC come up with a different contest or make radical changes to the eligibility rules, it will always be the case.
Sam Burgess of the Rabbitohs. (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)
It is not uncommon in the northern hemisphere to question why a player would rate an Origin jersey above that of their nation.
For an outsider, it is difficult to understand. The build-up, the passion and the blanket media coverage, that might – for instance – include whether particular players are going to sing the national anthem, are unique in the rugby league world.
Television ratings have been consistently high for 30-odd years and it is still considered the game’s showpiece. At least in Australia.
The times they are a-changin’ however and it seems not long before the international game takes precedence as countries outside Australia continue to build and strengthen and NRL players declare allegiance to their heritage nations.
Origin will always have a place in the heart of fans. I will be watching tomorrow from an Irish pub in Athens with a bunch of Greeks who play and love the game.
Whether it will always be the greatest rugby league show on Earth is debatable.
Jacko
Guest
If Tallis qualifys under the no tool rule then anyone can
The duad
Guest
State of origin is a novelty game, designed to make money. Yes its the best Australian players against each other and a bit of a test for the the players, and if the players like it than thats the important point. For me Rugby League is all about the premiership nothing matters more than the premiership. Its your club that invests the most in the game and has over 100 years of tradition. When it comes to State of Origin i support the players from the club i support, i really do not care who wins, just that the players i like go well.
westernred
After last rights thriller, I would say a bit longer.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
you forget to mention most of those FTA games are market specific meaning the combined ratings of different games are added as one no?
Panda
Guest
One of the best things about origin was the announcement of the Aussie test team after the game. It was really mate against mate across the park. Now it's nothing more than an exhibition game.
sheek
Roar Guru
People who weren't there, just don't understand the effect Wally Lewis had on State of Origin. 9 man of the match awards all-up, I think, including something ridiculous like 4 out of the first 6-7 matches. What's the next best MOTM record? About 4, I think, off the top of my head. However good Lockyer, Thurston, Cronk & Langer were for Qld, & Fittler & Johns for NSW, around the scrum base, none were as good as Lewis, despite all of them being truly outstanding. State of Origin is contrived claptrap, but it keeps giving & keeps working. How much longer for, who knows. But it works basically because the little guy (Qld) keeps knocking over the big guy (NSW) more often. If NSW had replicated Qld's 9 series wins out of 10, the concept would suffer greatly. It's all about Qld winning 2 out of 3 games say, every 2/3 or 3/4 years.
Jimmy
Roar Guru
Mate not disputing that AFL has strong viewing numbers and the Broadcast deal reflects that, but it is widely regarded each year that Origin is the biggest TV enemy in Australia (and does have healthy viewing in NZ also) Doctoring numbers and cherry picking figures just looks petty.
Superspud
Roar Rookie
As usual the world is all about what Souths want and rules should be changed to suit them. When they were winning wooden spoons they were quite OK with SOO. Different story now they are missing a couple themselves.
Superspud
Roar Rookie
Seriously mate there is an AFL tab at the top of the page just go there. To say that AFL or any sport for that matter did not want what Rugby League has is sour grapes at least and absolute rubbish at best. The reason AFL ditched the concept had nothing to do with national expansion it was the fact that nobody cared about it. End of.
Superspud
Roar Rookie
He is eligible to play for both QLD and Samoa no problem, but the problem is that it's on at the same time. The second Origin game clashes with the international weekend. You just can't play for NZ or England. I'm pretty sure Tedesco played for NSW and Italy in the same year.
Superspud
Roar Rookie
They used to do that butThey changed it at NZs request. The reasoning was that the origin build up gave the Kangaroos an advantage the Kiwis didn't have.
Markie362
Guest
Afl gave it away because the clubs in melbourne run afl and most of them would be happier if it was the vfl again.they dont care about interstate teams but are still happy to take the increased money from being in a larger comp
Markie362
Guest
Why cant the internationals be played after origin like it used to be and soo could be a trial.it used to work.im a kiwi and id much rather watch soo than see nz get flogged in 4 of every 5 tests
clipper
Roar Rookie
Here are last weeks FTA ratings - looks like the AFL does alright against NRL - almost 200k better on Fri and Sun. 8 SEVEN’S AFL: FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Seven Network 571,000 14 FRIDAY NIGHT NRL LIVE Nine 399,000 4 SEVEN’S AFL: SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Seven Network 518,000 10 SEVEN’S AFL: SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOOTBALL Seven Network 486,000 14 SUNDAY AFTERNOON NRL LIVE Nine 297,000
clipper
Roar Rookie
Jimmy - that's one way to increase the viewing numbers for Super Rugby - include NZ and Sth Africa! They're official figures - ones that advertisers use. Regional figures overlap, don't include Tas etc I was really highlighting the mistake Albo made by saying AFL splits it's game into segments - when NRL does exactly the same thing - here's an example last week 8 SEVEN’S AFL: FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Seven Network 571,000 14 FRIDAY NIGHT NRL LIVE Nine 399,000 16 SEVEN’S AFL: FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL – PRE MATCH Seven Network 354,000 20 FRIDAY NIGHT NRL LIVE -PRE MATCH Nine 286,000 Both AFL and NRL split - it's hilarious that someone would try to have a go at the AFL when the NRL does exactly the same thing.
Censored Often
Roar Rookie
Difficult to argue with that analysis. Although I'd rather see Hodgson in the NSW side (somewhere).
RandyM
Guest
lol it's clipper, i ignore him. you can tell its origin week cause people like him come out of the wood works to try and put League it's in place
Ad-O
Guest
TBF, India - Pakistan is a good shout and so is the Ashes. I did say "usually".
Ad-O
Guest
None of those come close to the visceral sectarian hatred of Celtic v Rangers. England v Germany is a rivalry that only goes one way. France vs Germany isn't even a real rivalry. You're thinking Holland Germany.
Fraser
Roar Rookie
They have done a great job of making ticket prices more affordable over the last 4 years. In 2015, the cheapest seats started at $85. This year, you can go to Game 1 at Suncorp for $55. In my opinion that is a great deal.