We are at t-minus two nights until State of Origin returns for 2017, and as always, this years’ Series is already generating plenty of hype before a ball is even kicked.
But what if there were a way to make the greatest spectacle in Australian sport even better?
Here are three ideas to improve the State of Origin experience to ensure we get an even better show in coming years.
Right now, typically 18 or 19, sometimes 20 players are named in an Origin squad, with teams finalised usually the night before or on the night.
This always generates plenty of debate and conjecture about who should and shouldn’t have been named, and let’s be honest, naming a SOO squad requires a fair amount of guesswork about who will and won’t adapt to the conditions.
So what if we extend the squads? Instead of your stock standard 17-man team and a few emergencies, how about we open the squads up to 34 – philosophically, a projected 17 and another 17 of challengers.
This way, coaches would get to exactly who’s up for it and who isn’t - or at least as well as they possibly can know before they drop them into the cauldron.
Take Nathan Peats for example. Long pinned as a future New South Wales Blue, most were excited to see the Gold Coast Titans hooker picked for his debut in the big show (myself included).
But what if he’s not capable of what we thought he might be? It could happen. Why not invite a Jayden Brailey to the squad to shadow him, or a Cameron McInnes?
It couldn’t hurt, and what a great experience for those young men that’d no doubt add a sizeable jewel to their crown, and improve their club play, knowing how close they are.
Having a player in a State of Origin squad full stop is proven to be healthy via osmosis. But there’s bound to be a fair amount of protest to this from NRL head coaches, such as Wayne Bennett and Des Hasler.
So, to combat this, we also need…
This one’s been a long time in the pipeline as something the League seriously needs to address.
SOO is meant for a Saturday night or even a Sunday afternoon. Everyone knows it. But that way, the NRL would either have to lose three rounds or extend an already far too long season.
But the League has for so long needed the former to take place anyway. That way, we could also eliminate bye rounds. Two birds, one stone.
We’d also lose the need for players to even consider risking their health so severely by backing up off State of Origin to play a club game on the weekend. Three birds.
This one’s a no-brainer. It must happen.
This one’s a slightly more novel suggestion, however, it is something that takes place in another sporting league – Major League Baseball.
The winner of the annual MLB All-Star Game between the American League and the National League also wins home field advantage for their champion going into the World Series.
Last year, the AL won, so their leagues’ representative in the WS, the Cleveland Indians, won Game Seven at their home field, Progressive Field.
What if we brought a similar rule into play for Origin? The state that wins the series also owns the right to host the Grand Final.
This one would have to wait a few years, as Suncorp Stadium is already set to host the NRLs’ decider in 2019 due to construction scheduled for ANZ Stadium.
But with the Queenslanders so often trumpeting about how their state is the “home of rugby league”, I propose they put their money where their mouth is, and play for it.
If they win, fair play to them. The Grand Final’s yours. For this year, at least.