State of Origin: A solution

[The Who]

Many of us believe the SOO poses too large a disruption to the regular season comp and has lost its lustre as the sport's showpiece. I believe there is a sensible compromise:
Play just one SOO match each season.
There is only one Melbourne Cup each year and this heightens interest in the race. The same would happen with the SOO where many series end with a dead rubber match.
The only reason for playing three SOO is financial. For me, this is a cynical exploitation of players and clubs.
Thoughts?

 

[manly al]

Used to be regular tours in Australia mid season or so by English and N Z international sides and 3 test matches [ every 2 years with tours i think ] Different level of playing footy intensity then but was a regular disruption to the Australian comp season . Also being touted as show piece events at least from an N R L "s perspective gives it a one up on the A F L "s ongoing campaign to dislodge R L as the major winter code in N S W and Q L D . On balance still seems a good concept with the 3 origin series arrangement , very important money spinner and promotion vehicle and just the format timing to be an open question .

 

[ManlyArmy]

The issue is, you get rid of two SOO matches and then where do you get that money from that the NRL loses?

 

[The Who]

The issue is, you get rid of two SOO matches and then where do you get that money from that the NRL loses?

See, that's my point.
Is revenue the only reason for playing two extra SOO matches? If so, why not five matches?
But if SOO is supposed to be the highlight of the season then it should be a once-only.
As I pointed out, they only have one Melbourne Cup per year and it continues to grow in interest. SOO is dying, as this year's third SOO showed.

 

[Budgie]

See, that's my point.
Is revenue the only reason for playing two extra SOO matches? If so, why not five matches?
But if SOO is supposed to be the highlight of the season then it should be a once-only.
As I pointed out, they only have one Melbourne Cup per year and it continues to grow in interest. SOO is dying, as this year's third SOO showed.

Then again they might run three Melbourne Cups if they could. Think Triple Crown.
Money rules. You know that.

 

[ManlyArmy]

See, that's my point.
Is revenue the only reason for playing two extra SOO matches? If so, why not five matches?
But if SOO is supposed to be the highlight of the season then it should be a once-only.
As I pointed out, they only have one Melbourne Cup per year and it continues to grow in interest. SOO is dying, as this year's third SOO showed.

Fair enough.

One thing Origin has ruined is the international game. You remove Origin and the international game improves ten-fold.

 

[Disco]

Love Origin, love NRL

Dont take games from me

For mine play 3 origin games on 3 consecutive Wednesdays

Weekend before Origin, all clubs miss origin stars

Game 1

Weekend, 4 games, 8 teams have the bye, obvs Origin players out

Game 2

Weekend, 4 games, 8 teams have the bye, obvs Origin players out

Game 3

Weekend after, all players available, up to clubs weather they rest or not

 

[Ned]

See, that's my point.
Is revenue the only reason for playing two extra SOO matches? If so, why not five matches?
But if SOO is supposed to be the highlight of the season then it should be a once-only.
As I pointed out, they only have one Melbourne Cup per year and it continues to grow in interest. SOO is dying, as this year's third SOO showed.

I heard them pimping the idea of 5 origin matches during the broadcast last Wednesday, I think it was Gould suggesting a best of 5 series where they 'only' play until one team has 3 wins to secure the series. If anything the broadcasters want more, since they pay the NRL there's 0 of less origin.

 

[manlyfan76]

One and done.
What a spectacle it would be.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

They’ll NEVER go back to 1 Origin, it’s ALL about the money.

Nein pay millions for each game to broadcast plus ticket sales , it’s a mega earner!!

 

[manlyfan76]

They’ll NEVER go back to 1 Origin, it’s ALL about the money.

Nein pay millions for each game to broadcast plus ticket sales , it’s a mega earner!!

Agree, same reason half the comp plays finals every year.

The NRL get the ticket sales.

 

[The Who]

They’ll NEVER go back to 1 Origin, it’s ALL about the money.

Nein pay millions for each game to broadcast plus ticket sales , it’s a mega earner!!

Such a sad reason for disrupting the most important aspect of the NRL, which is the race to the premiership. If this sport is really about money then why not have the grand final as a best of three?
If the NRL wants an extra money-spinner they should have a rugby league Olympics, with all clubs competing. Imagine a 100-m sprint between all the current speedsters? The relays? Weightlifting? Even a tug-of-war? It would rate its head off.

 

[QLDSeaeagle]

Nein pay millions for each game to broadcast

But thats part of the problem, Nein is cashing in as fast as it can before the free to air channels are consigned to the past.

 

[Peter C]

Exactly correct about a cynical exploitation for financial gain, one S of O, was my suggestion a while ago, ho

Such a sad reason for disrupting the most important aspect of the NRL, which is the race to the premiership. If this sport is really about money then why not have the grand final as a best of three?
If the NRL wants an extra money-spinner they should have a rugby league Olympics, with all clubs competing. Imagine a 100-m sprint between all the current speedsters? The relays? Weightlifting? Even a tug-of-war? It would rate its head off.

It would only rate amongst the tragic diehard supporters, the rest of the viewing public, which would be in the majority couldn't give a flying fark about a league olympics.
They had events like these in the 1970's and didn't do so well

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Let’s not also forget the NRL gets every cent of the broadcast revenue and ticket sales for the final series.

 

[maxta]

I stick by playing the SOO series "AFTER" the GF
Would have zero effect on the player's respective clubs, injuries and simply the disruption of the NRL competition
Then the entire focus would be on SOO and play the 3 consecutive Wednesdays and let it take total focus

 

[Disco]

I stick by playing the SOO series "AFTER" the GF
Would have zero effect on the player's respective clubs, injuries and simply the disruption of the NRL competition
Then the entire focus would be on SOO and play the 3 consecutive Wednesdays and let it take total focus

International league?

 

[The Who]

Exactly correct about a cynical exploitation for financial gain, one S of O, was my suggestion a while ago, ho

I didn't realise you had suggested it. I thought I was the only genius on this Forum....

 

[maxta]

International league?

Hmmm - you just made a crazy idea...say you have the several countries that play rugby league and there like North/ South of their country as in QLd/NSW playing aroung the world...
The winning teams play each other to win the World SOO series.
Not sure if to jumble up groups as it would be pretty inevitable the final would be between NSW vs Qld for the big prize.