State of origin expansion

[iangidds]

Im sure there is so many reasons that people can find to say no but I feel that there is an opportunity to take the biggest event we have to a wider audience by addjng two more fixtures per season?

The hype that origin has would sell out a wembley , tottenham  , old trafford and im sure would sell alot of tickets in the US or maybe even France? 

Our game needs constant shots in the arms to survive in this sporting environment i believe.

[Number 16]

NO! 

If it ain't broke don't fix it. 

It's up to RL to develop additional crowd-pulling events and not simply flog the same horse or milk the same cow (or sh*g the same sheep for our Aussies posters). 

Mind you, with the British game now well on the way to being part-time it'll be a tough ask to get anything ambitious done. 

[Hela Wigmen]

Being completely selfish, I’d love Origin in the UK, I’d definitely be there and it would cost me far less than a trip to Australia, though that remains the top of the sporting bucket list. However, I can’t see them taking it out of Australia. 

[Number 16]

3 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

I’d love Origin in the UK... However, I can’t see them taking it out of Australia. 

Agree on both. 

[Damien]

I think the OP overestimates how many people have even heard of State of Origin or care about it outside of RL circles.

[marklaspalmas]

"Its mate against mate. Its state against state."

That should fill Wembley.

[Gerrumonside ref]

In a theoretical match, how would the the current England side match up against NSW or Queensland?

[iangidds]

1 hour ago, Number 16 said:

NO! 

If it ain't broke don't fix it. 

It's up to RL to develop additional crowd-pulling events and not simply flog the same horse or milk the same cow (or sh*g the same sheep for our Aussies posters). 

Mind you, with the British game now well on the way to being part-time it'll be a tough ask to get anything ambitious done. 

NO

Its exactly because its not broken that i suggested the idea, its the only thing we have that works 

[iangidds]

36 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said:

"Its mate against mate. Its state against state."

That should fill Wembley.

Well most RL fans I imagine would want to see the spectacle and im sure the expats of Aus and NZ too

[Tommygilf]

41 minutes ago, Damien said:

I think the OP overestimates how many people have even heard of State of Origin or care about it outside of RL circles.

Agreed. Its big in Rugby League, and those aware of Rugby in Australia, but non existent outside of that. In the UK its less relevant than the Challenge Cup final.

I'd love it at Wembley though.

[Dunbar]

I will watch and enjoy any quality game of Rugby League and State of Origin is absolutely included in that category.  But as a spectacle, it has fallen away in recent years. 

The physical nature of the contest set it aside from any other game and even if you were not from either Queensland or NSW you still got drawn into the intensity and the gladiatorial element.  But to be honest, that differentiator doesn't really exist any more.  The game this morning was no more physical than the NRL finals series that we just witnessed and not a step up in class either... there were some pretty poor performers on both teams.

There used to be two reasons why State of Origin was so important... one, it mattered so much to the two states involved and two, it was undoubtedly the highest quality Rugby League on the planet for the decades.  While the former is still the case, I am not sure about the latter now.

As others have mentioned, if you are not a Rugby League fan and not from Queensland or NSW (or Australia overall), just what is it about State of Origin that we would expect to capture the imagination of the wider public that test match rugby wouldn't?

[Number 16]

13 minutes ago, iangidds said:

NO

Its exactly because its not broken that i suggested the idea, its the only thing we have that works 

Huh? 

It's not broken because it's a tried and tested and successful THREE game series. It works because of its brevity and one home and one away game plus third match format. 

Your suggestion wants to break that. Why not have ten SOO games. 

You could make it like the old East German Ice Hockey league with only two clubs playing one another 60 times a season. 

Quids in, hey! 

[paul hicks]

i feel that if origin was to be played outside of Australia then perhaps china would be the place it would go with the audience it would reach  rather than a little lump of land off the coast of Europe 

[MEXICO WILL PAY]

If origin is the biggest thing in league why not have NSW and QLD as permanent international teams including at the RLWC? I mean, if the UK can pretend it's three countries why couldn't Australia do so as well?

[Hela Wigmen]

3 minutes ago, MEXICO WILL PAY said:

If origin is the biggest thing in league why not have NSW and QLD as permanent international teams including at the RLWC? I mean, if the UK can pretend it's three countries why couldn't Australia do so as well?

Probably because of a wild thing called they’re not countries. 

[Eddie]

11 minutes ago, MEXICO WILL PAY said:

If origin is the biggest thing in league why not have NSW and QLD as permanent international teams including at the RLWC? I mean, if the UK can pretend it's three countries why couldn't Australia do so as well?

We could split England into Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, Cheshire and Other too, five English teams in the WC (as well as the English Scotland, Ireland and Wales teams). 

[MEXICO WILL PAY]

But the UK does pretend England, Wales and Scotland are countries and they do get to have teams at the international level

[Henson Park Old Firm]

How about add Yorkshire and Lancashire in the mix

[Number 16]

2 minutes ago, MEXICO WILL PAY said:

But the UK does pretend England, Wales and Scotland are countries and they do get to have teams at the international level

Idiot TROLL alert. 

[Hela Wigmen]

Let’s just send clubs to the World Cup instead. 

[Copa]

40 minutes ago, Number 16 said:

Idiot TROLL alert. 

Can you point to England’s seat at the UN or its Olympic team?

(I like team England in rugby league by the way)

[iangidds]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

Agreed. Its big in Rugby League, and those aware of Rugby in Australia, but non existent outside of that. In the UK its less relevant than the Challenge Cup final.

I'd love it at Wembley though.

I bet you a fiver it would get a bigger crowd than the challenge cup final

[iangidds]

1 hour ago, Number 16 said:

Huh? 

It's not broken because it's a tried and tested and successful THREE game series. It works because of its brevity and one home and one away game plus third match format. 

Your suggestion wants to break that. Why not have ten SOO games. 

You could make it like the old East German Ice Hockey league with only two clubs playing one another 60 times a season. 

Quids in, hey! 

I agree origin works as a 3 game series but what about doing something different say every 3 years ? A 5 game series would raise the profile of the game in established markets and help in emerging markets

[iangidds]

1 hour ago, Number 16 said:

Huh? 

It's not broken because it's a tried and tested and successful THREE game series. It works because of its brevity and one home and one away game plus third match format. 

Your suggestion wants to break that. Why not have ten SOO games. 

You could make it like the old East German Ice Hockey league with only two clubs playing one another 60 times a season. 

Quids in, hey! 

Im sugesting the idea of 5 games so dont get too carried away with yourself

[Number 16]

7 minutes ago, iangidds said:

 A 5 game series would raise the profile of the game in established markets and help in emerging markets

Okay... How would it achieve your goals?